Re-Inventions of Love

(3 Credits)

Engaging theater as an inherently interdisciplinary and innovative art form, this class proposes the investigation of love and art as a means to develop a richer understanding of what it is to be human. The course explores how the mythology, poetics, imagery, and emotion associated with romantic love have varied dramatically over time and in different cultures. Spanning several millennia and continents, our material will challenge us to look at gender, biology, identity, and faith as potent guides in reconciling our limitless potential for love and our inherent humanity. We will work with ancient texts like the Ramayana and the Upanishads, the poetry of Rumi and Lorca, theatrical works by Zeami, Shakespeare, and Sarah Kane, the music of Björk, Patti Smith, Sevdaliza, Anohni, FKA Twigs, and Radiohead, the photography of Cindy Sherman, the paintings of Frida Kahlo and the films of David Lynch—as well as a range of other artists. Responding to artistic distillations of this rich subject with embodied imagination and curiosity, we will create our own authentic artistic articulations and inventions, employing a range of artistic forms.