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The story of influential French stage director Jacques Copeau's 1917–19 residency in New York City was documented at the time by Copeau himself and subsequently analyzed by Copeau scholars. Copeau (1879–1949) is remembered today for his innovative, experimental theatre work in the early twentieth century; he developed core practices that became foundational for modernist stage artistry, including mime and physical theatre as well as devised theatre techniques. In 1913, he established his Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris, breaking away from traditional ornate design practices and envisioning an ensemble of actors trained in methods comparable to those used by Konstantin Stanislavsky, although Copeau knew comparatively little of his techniques at this time. Copeau's "'attempt at dramatic renovation'" included staging plays to be performed in repertory and maintaining modest budgets and ticket prices to secure financial stability. In these and other regards, his vision paralleled those of other modernist colleagues not only in Europe, but also in the United States, where the Little Theatre movement was already underway, although Copeau similarly had little knowledge of US theatre at this early moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clare Barron's award-winning 2018 play Dance Nation revolves around a group of elite young dancers as they prepare for the annual competition season. Praised for its authentic depiction of adolescence, ferocious and witty feminism, no-holds-barred dialogue, and engagement with women's lives in our #MeToo moment, Barron's work also features distinctive casting and performance directives. By encouraging productions to use adult actors without dance talent, Barron seeks to counter mainstream cultural representations of teenagers. But in performance, these directives create dissonance not only with her narrative but also with her efforts to portray the nexus of young women and artistic excellence. Additionally, Barron relies upon both conventional dance narrative tropes and dramaturgical structures that reinscribe her characters within the cultural framework she aspires to resist. Closer analysis suggests that Dance Nation ultimately offers deeply conflicted images of youth-forward feminism and girl culture, undermining Barron's stated goal "to present a different picture of teenage girls onstage." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the February 28, 2013 performance of the play "Rutherford and Son" by Githa Sowerby, directed by Jonathan Miller at Northern Broadsides at the Oxford Playhouse in Oxford, England and the March 1, 2013 performance of the play "The Stepmother" by Githa Sowerby, directed by Sam Walters at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, England.

Reviews the play 'Alison's House,' written by Susan Glaspell and performed in the Mint Theater in New York, New York on October 16, 1999.