Dallas Public Library

Black Dionysus, Greek tragedy and African American theatre, Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr

eng

Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-257) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Black Dionysus

electronic resource

patent documentbibliography

795566766

Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr

"The different ways in which Greek tragedy has been used by playwrights, directors and others to represent and define African American history and identity are explored in this work. Two models are offered for an Afro-Greek connection: Black Orpheus, in which the Greek connection is metaphorical, expressing the African in terms of the European; and Black Athena, in which ancient Greek culture is "reclaimed" as part of an Afrocentric tradition. African American adaptations of Greek tragedy on the continuum of these two models are then discussed, and plays by Peter Sellars, Adrienne Kennedy, Lee Breuer, Rita Dove, Jim Magnuson, Ernest Ferlita, Steve Carter, Silas Jones, Rhodessa Jones and Derek Walcott are analyzed."--BOOK JACKET

Greek tragedy and African American theatre

Introduction : Greek tragedy and the African diaspora -- Black Athena meets Black Orpheus ; three models of the Afro-Greek connection -- Afro(American)centric classicism and African American theatre -- Ancient plays in a new world : multicultural currents -- Black Medea -- Mediterranean/Caribbean, or Odysseus looks for home -- Conclusion : Black Dionysus, or Athenian-African American theatre

adult