Barbara Ann Teer and the National Black Theatre : transformational forces in Harlem / Lundeana Marie Thomas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thomas, Lundeana Marie, 1949-

Series:

Studies in African American history and culture

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

National Black Theatre (New York, N.Y.)--History.

National Black Theatre (New York, N.Y.).

Theater--New York (State)--New York--History--20th century.

Theater.

African American theater.

History.

New York (State)--New York.

African American theater--New York (State)--New York--History--20th century.

Teer, Barbara Ann.

Physical Description:

xxvi, 190 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Garland Pub., 1997.

Summary:

While chronicling the development of Teer's National Black Theater of Harlem, this study explores the National Black Theater's quest to develop a new black theory of acting. Teer's theory of performance was realized in a theater that combined elements of Pentacostal worship and African ritual, melding spontaneity from the performers, percussive music, singing, dancing, emotional expression from both actors and audience, and spectacle. The National Black Theater's major achievement is the creation of an original art form that helps African Americans identify with their roots and invites spontaneous audience interaction. The study offers the National Black Theater as a model African American community theater with valuable lessons for other theaters. The innovative methods of the National Black Theater provide a model for enlightening and sensitizing audiences to cultural diversity. A pioneering institution, the National Black Theater has proven itself over its 25 year history to be a cultural treasure and the quintessential theater in Harlem.

Notes:

Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 176-183) and index.

ISBN:

0815329202

OCLC:

37179946