Play Selection

My main goal in building this selection of plays is to filter out plays that require a lot of money, or that require specifically raced or gendered bodies. I believe that all three of these elements have the potential to scare teachers and students away from the theater process.

By sidestepping plays that make students hyper-aware of their socioeconomic condition or their bodies, Curtains Up! hopes to unbound the creative space and encourage students and teachers alike to trust one another. Regardless of the show being put on, the community that surrounds them, or the people that are watching, students can learn to use theater to explore new ways of viewing or identifying themselves. In support of this goal, I've also included a selection of plays aimed to increase awareness on different social and cultural issues. With this selection, I hope to suggest that "blindness" alone does not solve the problem. Only in tandem with social and cultural awareness can students feel they are being seen for who they really are.

For each selection of plays, I introduce my specific motivations for finding plays around that theme in particular. Of course, there are hundreds if not thousands more plays to be scoured through, so the plays I present here are just the beginnings of a list that can be continually added to in the future.

All the play breakdowns/summaries are taken from Lazy Bee Scripts, Pioneer Drama Service, or Playscripts,Inc.

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