Schechner Plays by Richard Schechner

Schechner Plays by Richard Schechner

A collection of performance texts ranging from orthodox plays to group-devised texts. The book traces from most recent to earliest Schechner's work as a 'writer' and a 'wrighter' – the author of plays and the conceptualizer and leader of teams of artists. The book includes several never before published early texts as well as updated versions of well-known productions such as Dionysus in 69, YokastaS, Makbeth and Imagining O. The earliest texts are from the 1950s the most recent from 2014.

This book brings together for the first time Schechner’s original plays and adaptations: Imagining O, YokastaS, Faust/gastronome, The Prometheus Project, Richard's Lear, Commune, Makbeth, Dionysus in 69, The Blessing of the Fleet, Briseis and the Sergeant, 'Lot's Daughters', and 'The Last Day of FK'. The scripts engage with perennial canonical themes, such as Oedipus and Faust and topical issues of our times. They embody Schechner’s world-famous environmental theatre approach. Marta Minier's general introduction and Schechner's introductions to each play, set the scripts in their intellectual and production context. The book complements Schechner’s other books which include Performance Studies: An Introduction (now in its 4th ed.), Performance Theory, Between Theater and Anthropology, The Future of Ritual, and Performed Imaginaries.

Richard Schechner is a theatre director, editor of both TDR: The Drama Review and the Enactments book series. His many books have appeared in over 25 languages. He is university professor emeritus of the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, USA.

Márta Minier is associate professor of theatre and media drama at the University of South Wales, UK. Her research interests include adaptation, translation, dramaturgy, Shakespeare (the reworkings of Shakespeare in particular), the biopic and biographical drama, and the cultures of East-Central Europe. She is joint editor of the Journal of Adaptation in Film & Performance (Intellect).