How Do You Solve A Problem Like Medea? Ancient Greek Theatre in 21st Century America

Author

Amanda Rowe-Van Allen

Date of Award

2013

First Advisor

Karen Beaumont

Second Advisor

Aimee Michel

Third Advisor

Wendy Shifrin

Abstract

My thesis explores the process of finding a new way to approach Ancient Greek theatre. Through a combination of historical research on the Classical theatre period from 534-431 BCE and the use of recently popular tools in creating new works of theatre, e.g. Viewpoints and devising techniques, I wrote and directed a new play inspired by Euripides’ Medea, written for the City Dionysia in 431 BCE. The play itself was created over the course of the fall semester with an ensemble of actors through movement and theatre exercises and research into poetry, music, and other sources. Along with the rehearsal process, I compiled a journal outlining the process of creating the play, called Floral Arrangements. Throughout the thesis, I examine the relevance of the world of Greek theatre which seems so distant from that of American theatre in the 21st century. My goal is to explore how Greek theatre can be produced in a manner that is accessible to a modern American audience.

Comments

Ask at the Alumni Library circulation desk for the companion piece that accompanies this thesis.

Recommended Citation

Rowe-Van Allen, Amanda, "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Medea? Ancient Greek Theatre in 21st Century America" (2013). Senior Theses. 704.
https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/sr-theses/704