Why a Rhinoceros? The Plays of Ionesco

ALL1472-HC          First 6 Weeks         Thursday 10:30-11:50      Start Date 29-Jan
Grossman 115                                                   Limit 25

ALL1472-HZ          First 6 Weeks         Thursday 10:30-11:50      Start Date 29-Jan
Zoom                                                                  Limit 25

The Romanian-French playwright Eugène Ionesco was one of a number of artists who created highly imaginative, non-realistic plays following World War II. This cadre of philosopher/playwrights, writing in French, also includes Sartre, Camus and Beckett. The plays explore human behavior through stage poetry and imagery, in styles variously described as existential, absurd, and surreal. We will read Ionesco’s most famous plays. It’s a wild ride. There are two texts: Rhinoceros and Other Plays and The Bald Soprano and Other PlaysThey are relatively inexpensive and also available through the CLAMS library network.

Coordinator: Roger Shoemaker  

Roger has a B.A. from Yale in Dramatic Literature and an MFA from Catholic University in Directing. He was an Associate Professor of Theater at Trinity College (Hartford), Artistic Director of Equity SummerStage Theater, Dean for the Arts at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and wound up his career with nine years as Director of Drama at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Roger has also written 40 theatrical reviews for the Cape Cod Times.