Theatrical Exchange: The Circulation of Social Energy















In class I will lecture a little bit on Renaissance scholar Stephen Greenblatt's idea that theatre promote, or even is the engine for,  "The Circulation of Social Energy." This phrase is chapter one in Shakespearean Negotiations. If you have time -- that reading is recommended, but you don't have to do it before class.  The idea for today is to think about theatre and the marketplace/ theatre as a market place for ideas, etc.

For today you will read Wickstrom and Marx.

Things to think about:
What is Wickstom's thesis?
Do re-dos of Lion King challenge her analysis in any way? 

Below is a mashup by DJ DoYou and Lil Wayne followed by more links and questions to spend some time with before class.

Surf clips from The Lyceum, London, Disney production. And other links, such as this one, or this one. Then look at "crank dat lion king."  And others like this one, this one, and this one, and this inexplicable one (from 2012). It's ongoing with Flaco making one in 2017. There are fairly foul adaptations of lion king and characters in the urbandictionary.com as well (I am not advising that search). And a Disney live action remake appeared in 2019. Do cranks and remixes and memes and remakes complicate Wickstrom in any way? Is there an afterlife to theatre, and even "the commodity," that circles in ways not strictly determined by corporations such as Disney (speaking of the circle of life)? Is such circulation always necessarily  "theatrical"? If so, then does theatricality (whatever that might mean to you at this early point in the class) drive circulation?

Reading response – pick one of the two topic options below:


1.Wickstrom’s essay on the Disnification of Broadway raises questions about art in the broader world of commerce. The line between the street (or store) and the theatre's art is porous -- and perhaps has always been so. Articulate in your own words Wickstrom’s major point (or one of her points that stands out to you as key in her essay). Provide a citation from Wickstrom that exemplifies or makes clear her point. Then agree or disagree with that point and say why you agree or disagree. 


3. Take up one or more of the questions in the "crank dat" and remakes set of links above, making direct reference to Wickstrom, Marx, or any readings from  from earlier classes such as Geertz or Schechner.



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