We'll wrap up our subsection on poetry and performance by spending a class on a fascinating, if somewhat undefined genre: poets theater. In one conception, it's simply dramatic, happening-like events written by authors who predominately work in the poetic mindset. To others, the genre has certain aesthetic baggage, including simplicity in staging and props, low or non-existent budgets, embracing its amateur nature, and a certain spontaneity and occasional-ness. Several poets involved in poets theater discuss these distinctions in "What Is Poets Theater?," a piece organized by Thom Donovan on the Poetry Foundation's blog, Harriet.
Given the great enjoyment we've all had collaboratively performing texts by Mac Low and Wiener over the last few classes — and the fact that CCM drama majors make up approximately 1/3 of our class — I think this should be a lot of fun.
Given the great enjoyment we've all had collaboratively performing texts by Mac Low and Wiener over the last few classes — and the fact that CCM drama majors make up approximately 1/3 of our class — I think this should be a lot of fun.
We'll take a look at five very short plays taken from the excellent Kenning Anthology of Poets Theater 1945–1985, edited by Kevin Killian and David Brazil: [PDF]
- Lew Welch, "Abner Won't Be Home For Dinner" (1966)
- Joe Brainard, "The Gay Way" (1972)
- Rosmarie Waldrop, "Remember Gasoline?" (1975)
- Ted Greenwald, "The Coast" (1978)
- Leslie Scalapino, "leg, a play" (1985)
As well as a handful of microdramas taken from Kenneth Koch's 1988 volume, 1000 Avant Garde Plays [PDF]. You can watch a brief video of selections from a somewhat precious staging of Koch's plays below (warning: it's really cheesy):
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