Preserving the Spirit of African Storytelling in the Pittsburgh Cycle

<p>This thesis will investigate and examine how August Wilson incorporated African storytelling ceremonials inside of <em>Gem of the Ocean</em> and Joe Turner’s <em>Come and Gone</em>. By studying the mannerisms and characteristics of Aunt Ester (<em>Gem of the Ocean</em>) and Bynum Walker (Joe Turner’s <em>Come and Gone</em>), this paper will help educators to understand that Wilson created these characters to preserve African griots inside his Pittsburgh Cycle. This paper will link how theatre educators in the 21st century can capture the spirit of the African griots. The socially responsible theatre practice is a teaching method that theatre teachers can incorporate into their classroom that replicates the early objective of African storytelling. This thesis will demonstrate that the ritual of African storytelling and social responsible theatre practice aim to heal the individual.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Theatre Department

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Reeves, Elizabeth L

Contributors dc:contributor

• Brenda May Ito
• Dr. Larry Dooley
• David Turner

• August Wilson
• African Storytelling
• Pittsburgh Cycle
• Playwriting
• Theatre and Performance Studies

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/292

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:csuepress.columbusstate.edu:theses_dissertations-1298