Dutchman D-File
Critical Articles
The Revolutionary Theatre
by Leroi Jones / Amiri Baraka
Summary: Dutchman is often referred to as a piece of Revolutionary Theatre, the beginning of a movement called for by Amiri Baraka, but how is Revolutionary Theatre defined? According to Amiri Baraka’s essay, the Revolutionary Theatre, this theatre should force change, expose, accuse and attack, be political, be of and for victims and help others see how they themselves are also victims. Not for victims to wallow in self-pity but to see “strength in their minds and their bodies” (Baraka 1965). Above all, the Revolutionary Theatre is intentionally not meant to be another delightful light hearted easy-to-digest play ending in marriage and poetic justice. Instead, “it must be food for all these who need food, and daring propaganda for the beauty of the Human Mind . . . The Revolutionary Theatre is shaped by the world, and moves to reshape the world” (Baraka 1965). The key quote from this essay is: “We will scream and cry, murder, run through the streets in agony, if it means some soul will be moved, moved to actual life understanding of what the world is, and what it ought to be.”
Why You Should Read It in Full: This essay was commissioned only nine months after Dutchman premiered and is written by Dutchman’s playwright, Amiri Baraka, as a means of defining the revolutionary theatre. Dutchman is commonly referred to as the starting point of revolutionary theatre and what better source to go to for a definition of revolutionary theatre than Baraka himself. The essay is short, powerful and worth a read. If you are an auditory learner, you can listen to Baraka read it himself here (only 12 minutes in length).
Why You Should Read It in Full: This essay was commissioned only nine months after Dutchman premiered and is written by Dutchman’s playwright, Amiri Baraka, as a means of defining the revolutionary theatre. Dutchman is commonly referred to as the starting point of revolutionary theatre and what better source to go to for a definition of revolutionary theatre than Baraka himself. The essay is short, powerful and worth a read. If you are an auditory learner, you can listen to Baraka read it himself here (only 12 minutes in length).
A People's History of the United States
by Howard Zinn
Summary: The entire chapter is really excellent background into the political struggles of the time, but following are particularly important:
- The section on the Freedom Riders on p443 is a very salient example of the government’s refusal to act. Zinn documents multiple cases where FBI agents would take notes while Freedom Riders were attacked but would not intervene.
- Actors should pay particular attention to Malcolm X’s quote on p449. This very succinctly captures the feeling that the non-violent resistance was seen as selling out the movement.
- Pp 456–457 is a useful telling of the melding of Black Power and Marxist ideology that was essential in the creation of the Black Panthers.
Annotated Bibliography of Critical Articles
Annotated Bibliography of Critical Articles | |
File Size: | 80 kb |
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