
Geographies
THEA_UT 801.001 Thursdays 2:00-4:45p.m.
Professor Edward Ziter
ebz1@nyu.edu
This class examines recent performance work by and about political and economic refugees across various media. With over 65 million displaced people, the world is in the throes of the worst migration crisis since the second World War. In response, Europe and North America have enacted new barriers to displaced people. In this context, artists and arts organizations have intervened to draw attention to the crisis, examine responses, advocate for change, and provide platforms for displaced people to represent their experiences. The work has ranged from adaptations of classic works, verbatim theatre pieces, film projects, migrant ensembles, drama therapy projects, and political activism combining live performance and social media campaigns. Class materials will include play texts, performance reviews, videos, and historical and theoretical studies of migration. Students will write about the assigned materials and conduct original research on contemporary performers or companies.