Cabaret Performance

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This studio-style course explores the historical and artistic foundations of Cabaret Performance. Countercultural in nature and inherently political, the form is powered by short acts that employ an intimate and often wild performance energy synthesizing raw, humorous, poetic, and musical theatrical styles with community-specific sociopolitical critique, all while acknowledging the audience's presence from start to finish (no "4th wall"). The form encompasses performance ranging from French puppet theatre to American Jazz shows; Mexican La Carpa to concentration camp cabarets to Dada poetry shares and beyond. Artistic “risks”, solo and small group musical numbers, eccentric character creations, poetry performance, drag acts and live interplay form the creative backbone of this course. Rehearsal, creation, and group collaborations outside-of-class is necessary for successful completion of coursework. Suitable for students with substantial performance experience and for beginners.