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The Forgotten Story of African American Women Playwrights Shannon Corenthin, Dr. Jocelyn L. Buckner a b Objective: This SURF project is part of a larger initiative between Lena Romano, Rose Mackenzie and myself, in collaboration with our faculty mentor, Dr. Jocelyn L. Buckner. Our efforts focus on investigating the involvement and representation of women in theatre over the course of the last century. I studied the plays and production histories of Black women in American theatre, the impact they have had on society during the last century, and the influence they continue to have on today’s theatre. I will also explore how Black women have used theatre to comment on issues such as economic disparity, sexism, racism, and the overall struggles of women in the black community. Conclusion: I have found that similar themes weave through these plays despite being separated by centuries or decades. Colorism within the African American community, sexism, racialized violence, the presence of the black matriarch, religion, and wealth are just some of the overarching themes that are present within these plays, and continue to resonate today. This research is important because it gives a voice to a community often overlooked in history books. These women were important contributors to not only black theatre, but also American theatre and American history. My aim with this project was to discover and shed light on the significant work that these women have done. Through this research I have learned about the history of Black women’s artistry in U.S. theatre. This newfound social, political, and cultural awareness will inform the choices I make as I begin my own career. I will apply this research on (TOP) From left to right: Angelina Weld Grimke, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Eulalie Spence, Zora Neal Hurston, Georgia Douglas Johnson (BOTTOM) From top to bottom: Adrienne Kennedy, Lorraine Hansberry, Alice Childress, Sonia Sanchez From left to right: Aishah Rahman, Suzan-Lori Parks, Lynn Nottage Methodology: I read plays by African American women from the past century, starting with the first black woman to have her work produced: Angelina Weld Grimke. I also read black theater scholarship about the work of these women in order to put their plays in context. Some of the questions guiding my research are: Why were these women writing then? Are their writings still relevant today? Why are these works marginalized in the canon of US drama and in production seasons? This investigation was supported by discussions with my mentor Dr. Jocelyn Buckner. I also conducted field work, traveling to Seattle, WA to attend the Hansberry Project, produced in collaboration with the Intiman Theatre Summer Festival, which showcased African American women playwrights.

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Page 1: SURF Poster

The Forgotten Story of African American Women Playwrights

Shannon Corenthin, Dr. Jocelyn L. Buckner

a

b

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