Winter 201

THE 241- Seminar

Winter 2013- Mondays and Wednesdays 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. TTS Room 208
Ernie Nolan
Ofce 218
enolan@depaul.edu
Tel: 773.325.7958
Ofce hours: 11:00- 1:00 Mondays and Wednesdays or on request
A copy of this syllabus will be available on D2L. Announcements and other reminders may also
appear there.
The minute you or anybody else knows what you are you are not it, you are what you or
anybody else knows you are and as everything in living is made up of nding out what
you are it is extraordinarily difcult really not to know what you are and yet be that
thing. ~Gertrude Stein
Goal
Born out of ACT UP and the AIDS militant movement of the late 1980s and early
1990s, Queer Nation concerned itself with the issue of gay and lesbian
enfranchisement and power. They created the battle cry, "We're here, we're queer,
we're fabulous, get used to it;" thereby granting the gay community ownership of
the word "fabulous." Fabulousness not only became a new manifesto for queer
politics and camp, but also became synonymous with irony, tragic history, deance,
gender-fuck, glitter, and drama. Currently, young playwrights have shifted the visor
of gay drama from overtly political dramas to stories of identity and love. In
replacing direct political messages with more personal appeals for social progress,
is contemporary gay drama still fabulous? By interpreting and analyzing gay plays
from the past 10 years, reading critical and reective essays, and through
discussion, students in the course will decide for themselves iffabulous is a thing of
the past or stronger than ever in the present.
Required Texts:
The course articles and handouts on D2L
Copies of the plays also provided on D2L
Supplies
A binder to hold on to and keep track of course materials and a notebook/device for taking notes.
Are We Still Fabulous?
Queer Identity in Contemporary Drama
Are We Still Fabulous?- Syllabus Winter 2013 1
Winter 2013
Plays for class include:
8- Dustin Lance Black
Bare: A Pop Opera- Jon Hartmere, Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo
Bashd: A Gay Rap Opera- Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow
Bison- Lachlan Philpott
Citizenship- Mark Ravenhill
Cock- Mike Bartlett
Handbag- Mark Ravenhill
The Last Sunday in June- Jonathan Tolins
Love the Sinner- Drew Pautz
Mother Claps Molly House- Mark Ravenhill
Mr Charles Currently of Palm Beach from The New Century- Paul Rudnick
Next Fall- Geoffrey Nauffts
Now or Later- Christopher Shinn
The Pride- Alexi Kaye Campbell
Some Men- Terrence McNally
Standing on Ceremony- Paul Rudnick, et all.
The Tempermentals- Jon Marans
True Love Lies- Brad Fraser
Wig Out!- Tarell Alvin McCraney
Articles:
American Religion, Gay Identity by Frank Browning from A Queer Geography
Ben Wishaw, Pride and True by Gareth McLean, Out Magazine, Februrary 2010
A Chapter from Something for the Boys: Musical Theater and Gay Culture by John M Clum.
Closet Doors Were Shut Tight, but Some Guys Oiled the Hinges by Patrick Healy, The New York
Times, June 17 2009
Decline and Fall: How Gay Culture Lost Its Edge by Daniel Mendelsohn from New York Magazine
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 2
Winter 2013
Defaming Game by Josh Kilmer Prucell from Out Magazine, May 2010
Dissident Strategies by Alan Sineld from Out on Stage: Lesbian and Gay Theatre in the 20th Century.
Dramatizing Gay Male History by John M. Clum from Acting Gay: Male Homosexuality in Modern
Drama
The Family and Its Alternatives by Gregory Woods from A History of Gay Literature- The Male
Tradition
Fashioning a Gay Self by John M. Clum from Acting Gay: Male Homosexuality in Modern Drama
Foreground: Patrick Heussinger by Bill Keith, Out Magazine, April 2010
Forward: Notes Toward a Theater of the Fabulous by Tony Kushner from Staging Gay Lives: an
Anthology of Contemporary Gay Literature
Gender from The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage
Going In by John Weir from Anti-Gay
Making a New Myth by Mark Thompson adapted from his book Gay Body
Musings on Gay Identity, Then and Now by Ben Brantley, The New York Times, February 17, 2010
New Gay Theater Has More Love Than Politics by Patrick Healy, The New York Times, February 23,
2010
Ode to Billie Joe by Shana Naomi Kroshmal, Out Magazine, April 2010
The Post War Starting Point by Gregory Woods from A History of Gay Literature- The Male Tradition
Reinventing Marriage by Fenton Johnson, Harpers
Seeing Gay by John M. Clum from Acting Gay: Male Homosexuality in Modern Drama
St. Barts Be Damned by Fred Bernstein, Out Magazine, February 2010
Why Gay Men Cant Really Talk About Sex by Michael Bronski in Gay Men at the Millenium
All students are subject to the standards of conduct dened in the Student Handbook.
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 3
Winter 2013
Work done for this course must adhere to the University Academic Integrity Policy, which you can
review in the Student Handbook or by visiting http://condor.depaul.edu/~handbook/code17.html.
Grading will be based on
Attendance. (10%) All students are expected to be ON TIME ready to begin at the start of
class. Three lates will count as an unexcused absence. Habitual lateness will have a negative
effect on your grade. After two unexcused absences, your nal grade will drop a letter.
Excused absences (illness or family emergency) must be talked about with me and be
accompanied by documentation.
Participation. (20%) This class is a seminar and lab expereince. It is expected and required
that you actively participate in the class discussions and exercises. Because this class is a
seminar, it is centered on you! In order for me to get a better understanding of what youve
processed, discussing readings and asking questions are vital to your better understanding
the subject.
Assignments. (70%) Assignments for the class will include:
Reection Papers (50%) During the course of the quarter, 10 two page
reection papers will be collected. Reection papers should be based on
the plays read, class discussions, and seeing Teddy Ferrara by Christopher
Shinn at The Goodman Theatre, Feb 2- March 3, 2013.
http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/Teddy-Ferrara/ Papers are due
on Mondays by midnight. The Teddy Ferrara paper my be submitted by
the last class.
Final Paper (20%) After looking back at their reection papers
throughout the quarter, students will write a 7-10 page nal paper
defending or defaming the state of fabulousity in contemporary
gay drama.
Students may be required to meet at alternate locations.
PLEASE NOTE!!!!
This syllabus may change at any time. I will do everything I can to keep the class informed of changes
and additions to the syllabus.
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 4
Winter 2013
Are We Still Fabulous? Class Schedule
Date In Class Assignments for Next Class
Jan 7
Week One-
Unapologetically Fabulous
Discussion of Syllabus
Introduction of Kushners
Notes Toward a Theater of
the Fabulous
Read One Act Mr. Charles
Currently of Palm Beach from
The New Century
Read Articles:
Forward: Notes Toward a
Theater of the Fabulous by Tony
Kushner from Staging Gay Lives:
an Anthology of Contemporary
Gay Literature
Decline and Fall: How Gay
Culture Lost Its Edge by Daniel
Mendelsohn from New York
Magazine
New Gay Theater Has More
Love Than Politics by Patrick
Healy, The New York Times,
February 23, 2010
Making a New Myth by Mark
Thompson adapted from his book
Gay Body
Seeing Gay by John M. Clum
from Acting Gay: Male
Homosexuality in Modern
Drama
9 Discussion of fabulous
Discussion of identity in
Mr Charles
Discussion of gay edge
Do these new myths reach
their fabulous expectations?
Read:
Fashioning a Gay Self by John
M. Clum from Acting Gay: Male
Homosexuality in Modern
Drama
REFLECTION PAPER #1
due Monday
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 5
Winter 2013
14
Week Two
Searching for Fabulous
within
Discussion of Bashd
Compare/contrast
presentation of gay
identities in both plays
Do both plays meet
Kushners expectations of
fabulous?
Turn in REFLECTION #1
Read:
Bison by Lachlan Philpott
Read Articles:
Dissident Strategies by
Alan Sinfield from Out on
Stage: Lesbian and Gay
Theatre in the 20
th
Century.
16 Discussion of Bison
Discussion of gay male
roles and identities.
Discussion of identity as
presented by Philpott
Are these men fabulous?
Read:
The Tempermentals- Jon
Marans
Read Articles:
Closet Doors Were Shut Tight,
but Some Guys Oiled the Hinges
by Patrick Healy, The New York
Times, June 17 2009
Dramatizing Gay Male History
by John M. Clum from Acting
Gay: Male Homosexuality in
Modern Drama
REFELECTION PAPER #2
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 6
Winter 2013
21
Week Three
Turning to History for the
New Fabulous
Discussion of The
Tempermentals
Discussion of Gay male
history on stage
What does turning to history
do for us now?
REFLECTION PAPER #2
due
Read:
Mother Claps Molly House
23 Discussion of Mother
Claps Molly house
Discussion of Ravenhill and
In Yer Face Theatre?
Is Ravenhills work still in
yer face?
How do both plays read set
in the past show history?
Read: The Pride
Read articles:
Musings on Gay Identity, Then
and Now by Ben Brantley, The
New York Times, February 17,
2010
Ben Wishaw, Pride and True by
Gareth McLean, Out Magazine,
February 2010
REFLECTION PAPER #3
28
Week Four
One Foot in the Past, One
Foot in the Present and The
Politics of Fabulous
Discussion of The Pride
Is Campbells depiction of
the past or present more
fabulous?
What is Campbell saying by
calling his play The Pride?
REFLECTION PAPER #3
due
Read:
Now or Later- Christopher Shinn
Going In by John Weir from
Anti-Gay
Ode to Billie Joe by Shana
Naomi Kroshmal, Out Magazine,
April 2010
Defaming Game by Josh
Kilmer Prucell from Out
Magazine, May 2010
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 7
Winter 2013
30 Discussion of Now or Later
What are the politics of
identity? Queer identity?
Policitcs of being fabulous?
Discussion of articles
Read:
Cock by Mike Bartlett
Read Article:
Why Gay Men Cant Really Talk
About Sex by Michael Bronski
in Gay Men at the Millennium
REFLECTION PAPER #4
February 4
Week Five
Fabulousness Lost?
Discussion of Cock by Mike
Bartlett
Is the main character of
Cock still gay? Queer?
Is it important to even
label?
Is this search similar to
other plays weve read?
REFLECTION PAPER #4 due
Read:
The Last Sunday in June-
Jonathan Tolins
Read article:
Gender from The Gay and
Lesbian Literary Heritage
6 Discuss The Last Sunday
in June
Discussion: Gender vs.
Sexuality
Are both a part of being
fabulous?
Is it sexuality alone that
makes something fabulous
Read:
Next Fall
Read Article:
Foreground: Patrick Heussinger
by Bill Keith, Out Magazine,
April 2010
REFLECTION PAPER #5
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 8
Winter 2013
11
Week Six
God and Being Fabulous
Discuss Next Fall
Discussion and comparison
of play to the others weve
read during the quarter.
How are the characters in
the play fabulous? Are they?
REFLECTION PAPER #5
due
Read Love the Sinner
Article:
American Religion, Gay
Identity by Frank Browning
from A Queer Geography
13 Discuss Love the Sinner Read Articles:
Wig Out!- Tarell Alvin
McCraney
The Family and Its Alternatives
by Gregory Woods from A
History of Gay Literature- The
Male Tradition
St. Barts Be Damned by Fred
Bernstein, Out Magazine,
February 2010
REFELCTION PAPER #6
18
Week Seven
Fabulous Families
Discuss Wig Out!
Discussion of Family and
Fabulousness.
Does one need family to be
fabulous?
What are the families
presented in the plays weve
read?
How does identity exist in
family?
REFELCTION PAPER #6
due
Read True Love Lies
Are We Still Fabulous?
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Winter 2013
20 Discuss True Love Lies
Is family fabulous?
Read Standing on Ceremony
Reinventing Marriage by
Fenton Johnson, Harpers
REFLECTION PAPER #7
25
Week Eight
The Next Fabulous Fight?
Discuss Standing on
Ceremony
REFLECTION PAPER #7
due
Read:
8 by Dustin Lance Black
27 Discussion of 8 Read:
Some Men- Terrence
McNally
REFLECTION PAPER #8
March 4
Week Nine
Continuing a Fabulous
Fight
Discussion of Some Men
REFLECTION PAPER #8
due
Read Handbag
6 Discuss Handbag
Is gay adoption/parenting
the next fabulous fight?
Read Citizenship
REFLECTION PAPER #9
11
Week Ten
The Next Generation of
Fabulous?
Discuss Citizenship
Is coming out fabulous?
Whats the journey for the
next genereation?
Discussion of final Paper
and topics
REFLECTION PAPER #9
due
Read and listen to Bare
Are We Still Fabulous?
Are We Still Fabulous?- Winter 2013 10
Winter 2013
13 Discuss Bare gay culture
and musical theatre
Teddy Ferrara reflection
due
FINAL PAPERS DUE
EXAM DAY.
Are We Still Fabulous?
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