Historical Background, Dramaturgy, and Design
Explore the historical context of Falsettos, its dramaturgy, and the design of Court Theatre’s production, presented in partnership with TimeLine Theatre Company.
Historical Background
Learn more about the cultural and socio-historical context of the play, including life in the Jewish and queer communities in New York City at the advent of the AIDS epidemic.
More- Judaism
- What Does it Mean to Be Jewish: This helpful video explores how Jewish identity has been shaped throughout history.
- “Beyond the Synagogue”: Jewishness in Falsettos: University of Chicago professor Sheila E. Jelen, PhD, celebrates how food plays a delicious role in FALSETTOS’ depiction of Judaism.
- Jason is preparing for his bar mitzvah in Act II. If you are curious about bar and bat mitzvahs, check out this brief overview from BimBam.
- Check out the “Origin of Judaism – A Brief History,” a video created by 5 MINUTES.
- The History of Jewish Life in America: This 8-minute video offers helpful background about the arrival, life, and challenges of Jews in the United States.
- The AIDS Crisis
- Backstory: Dive into TimeLine Theatre’s custom magazine, exploring Falsettos‘ place in the queer canon and its integral role in portraying the AIDS crisis onstage.
- Looking Back On 40 Years Of The AIDS Epidemic: This 6-minute video from the TODAY show looks back on the devastation of the AIDS crisis and the pervasive stigma that still exists today.
- “I Became Aware of the World as the World was Becoming Aware of AIDS”: Rebecca Makkai – author of THE GREAT BELIEVERS – stopped by the FALSETTOS rehearsal room.
- How The AIDS Crisis Changed The LGBT Movement: Check out this 9-minute video from NBC News about how the LGBTQ+ movement has changed in the last half-century, particularly in response to the AIDS epidemic.
- Understanding AIDS: These 3-minute videos from National Geographic and Amaze.org explain the science behind and assumptions about HIV and AIDS.
- The Face Of AIDS: The Story Behind Therese Frare’s Photo: This mini documentary from TIME tells the story behind the iconic photo of activist David Kirby — and the controversial use of it in an ad.
- Queerantine History: The AIDs Epidemic & Activism: This 3-minute video explores the queer community’s response to the epidemic in the face of the government’s neglect.
- Remembering the 80s HIV epidemic this Pride: This animated short shares one man’s experience watching the gay men in his life disappear beginning when he was just a boy.
- Gay Life and Politics
- Same-Sex Couples at Home With Themselves in 1980s America: Photographs by Sage Sohier show the domestic lives of gay and lesbian couples in the US.
- An Intimate Look at the Relationships Between Gay Men in the 1980s: This photo collection by Sunil Gupta shows the domestic archetypes of gay men living in London.
- The Combahee River Collective Statement: Read this text from 1977 by an important Black lesbian feminist and socialist organization.
- How the Stonewall Riots Sparked a Movement | History: Review this pivotal event in gay activism that occurred just a decade before Falsettos is set.
Dramaturgy
Check out these resources that shed light on some essential themes and motifs in Falsettos, providing a glimpse into the dramaturgical research that went into this production.
More- Games and Game Theory
- Games are a central part of Falsettos. Learn about what game theory is with this video or the psychology of games with this one.
- Learn about the University of Chicago’s Weston Game Lab, located within the Logan Center for the Arts.
- Rites of Passage
- Consider how rites of passage are potentially essential to young people’s entry into adulthood and how we might facilitate these rites with this TED Talk.
- Read an in-depth overview of rites of passage in this Britannica page.
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Learn about some of the psychology giants that have had an enduring influence on science and culture.
- Learn facts and myths about mental health in this video from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Design
- Behind the Scenes: Scenic Designer Arnel Scancianco and Costume Designer Theresa Ham pull back the curtain, explaining the design of Falsettoland.
Posted on November 6, 2024 in Learning Guides, Productions