The Modern Scholar: All the World a Stage

The Theater in History

By: Professor Megan Lewis

Narrated by: Professor Megan Lewis

All the world is a stage, Shakespeare tells us, and we are all its players. In fact, since the dawn of human history, we find evidence of theatre and performance. And throughout that history, this unique art form has flourished.

In this engaging series of lectures, theatre historian, Megan Lewis takes listeners on a journey from the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans to the modern era as she explores how theatre - a live event that synthesizes many other art forms and disciples in a collaborative process of storytelling - entertains, educates, and inspires us, as well as helps build community and reflect society. Dr. Lewis begins by mapping the ancient origins of performance, as a communal storytelling and myth making endeavor, while she discusses the traditional birthplace of theatre in ancient Greece as well as its African predecessors.

Subsequent lectures explore the classical origins of theatre in the West; the Roman Theatre; theatre in the medieval world; the national theatres of Shakespeare and Lope de Vega; the Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Restoration periods; as well as non-Western performance traditions in Asia, Africa, and India. In addition, physical theatres such as the Italian Commedia dell'arte and Japanese Bunraku puppetry are examined. Covering performances that make-believe and those that make belief, Professor Lewis also passionately discusses the art, politics and meaning of theatre and how it offers humans a space in which to imagine new realities and suggest different possibilities or to incite action and bring about social change.

©2013 Megan Lewis (P)2013 Crescite Group, LLC

Excellent

This is an excellent survey that deals with the subject on its own terms. The author is concerned with power structures, but those concerns do not overwhelm the exposition to the exclusion of core content. She also sprinkles a variety of film recommendations throughout for further investigation. Part of me wishes the class were longer; but the pace and level were great for engaging without getting lost in the weeds.

very well done!

Expertly put together and hard to put down if you have an interest in theater history. As a teacher wanting a refresher before a school year it was perfect!

- nice brief history of theater up to 19C.

this starts a bit slow, some things too basic if you know any history, and maybe goes on a bit long about early - Greek etc theater, and things like covering 16-17C England that incudes Shakespeare, and others in one 30 m lecture is a bit hard, but this is NOT a course about S. in between lots of interesting information - was very happy with it by the end. Must look to see if there is a reading list of plays to watch ..