Dramaturgy for the Resistible Rise
Mentor 1
Alvaro Rios
Mentor 2
Ralph Janes
Start Date
16-4-2021 12:00 AM
Description
In the fall of 2020 Peck School of the Arts performed a version of Bertolt Brecht’s 1941 play ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’. This edition was reimagined by Tony Award-winning playwright Bruce Norris in 2017, following the election of President Donald J. Trump. The original work is a sociopolitical parable about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the German government. Brecht’s work emphasizes awareness of the insidious elements that breed fascism in a democracy. The updated play draws clear parallels between the early political era of Adolf Hitler and the climate surrounding the Trump administration. Both context and messaging of the show were especially relevant given the atmosphere surrounding the approaching 2020 presidential election. My research process began with textual analysis, examining the play in both its original and updated form. To work from an informed perspective, I expanded my learning to the broader historical context and its intersection with the playwright’s life. ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ is written in Brecht’s signature style of ‘Epic Theatre’ which aims to represent events in a context separated from their history. However, for an audience to reach informed conclusions they must have a base knowledge of the period in Germany paralleled in the play. The play guide provides an easily accessible means of preparing the audience for the story. However, because of the restrictions of the COVID-19 epidemic, it was not feasible to present the dramaturgy with a physical lobby display or a paper guide. The solution was a website play guide, which was launched with the opening of the Peck School’s production.
Dramaturgy for the Resistible Rise
In the fall of 2020 Peck School of the Arts performed a version of Bertolt Brecht’s 1941 play ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’. This edition was reimagined by Tony Award-winning playwright Bruce Norris in 2017, following the election of President Donald J. Trump. The original work is a sociopolitical parable about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the German government. Brecht’s work emphasizes awareness of the insidious elements that breed fascism in a democracy. The updated play draws clear parallels between the early political era of Adolf Hitler and the climate surrounding the Trump administration. Both context and messaging of the show were especially relevant given the atmosphere surrounding the approaching 2020 presidential election. My research process began with textual analysis, examining the play in both its original and updated form. To work from an informed perspective, I expanded my learning to the broader historical context and its intersection with the playwright’s life. ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ is written in Brecht’s signature style of ‘Epic Theatre’ which aims to represent events in a context separated from their history. However, for an audience to reach informed conclusions they must have a base knowledge of the period in Germany paralleled in the play. The play guide provides an easily accessible means of preparing the audience for the story. However, because of the restrictions of the COVID-19 epidemic, it was not feasible to present the dramaturgy with a physical lobby display or a paper guide. The solution was a website play guide, which was launched with the opening of the Peck School’s production.
