THE2000 Dramaturgical Research

Dr. Osborne
Your Name: Adam Goldsmith
Theatre Name: Lookingglass Theatre
Theatre Location (city & state): Chicago, IL
Play Title AND Author: The Piano Lesson by August Wilson
1. Brief History of your theatre.
a. What sort of plays/events does the theatre specialize in? (Hint: You might find this in the
theatres Mission Statement, or by examining several past seasons to get a sense of what
they are regularly producing.)
The Lookingglass Theatre prides itself on innovation, whether it be in new
productions or a reimagining of classic works. From American theatrical staples like
Our Town to transformations of literature like Moby Dick, the Lookingglass
Theatre is committed to staging daring and topical theatrical pieces. Spectacle is a
vital element of the theatres staging, giving credence to the institutions literary name
reference.
b. List any Outreach Projects that are a regular part of the theatres work (including school
shows, exchange programs, youth programs, LGBTQ or other targeted population
programs, etc.).
The Lookingglass Theatre is highly involved in community engagement and
education in the Chicago area. On the education spectrum, Lookingglass runs
a variety of camps, classes, and school programs. In the community,
Lookingglass engages in a variety of off-site programming and runs a Civic
Practice Lab, interacting with the community in meaningful and direct ways.
2. Audience. Who does your theatre seem to cater to? Retirees? College students? Kids? Middleclass working families? Wealthy, educated individuals of a specific race? Consider class, religion,
race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, etc. (Note: These aspects are likely to be found on the
theatres website, Facebook page, and/or city/regional websites that list demographic information.
Do your research here so that youre speaking from evidence, not stereotypes or assumptions.)
a. What are the demographics of the area that surround the theatre? (Again be specific!)
The theatre is located in downtown Chicago, a city with a population of 2.7 million.
Of that population, 32.9% are Black or African American, a significant number
constituting the largest racial bloc in the city. The city also tends to have a large
number of young/middle-aged individuals, as only 10% of the population is 65 years
and over, compared to the state of Illinois 12.5%. The median household income is on
the lower end of the spectrum at around $47,000 a year, significantly lower than the
states average of $57,000.
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b. Who is this theatres audience? (Hint: Look at the advertising for this one. Where are they
advertising? Who do they seem to be appealing to? Why?)
The theatre, founded by Northwestern college students, has a large social media
presence targeted towards younger, educated individuals. The theatres choice of
productions borders on obscure, but still selects plays with broad appeal and social
relevance. This combination of social consciousness and innovative selection leads one
to believe that one of the primary audiences of the theatre is college-educated
students. On top of this, the theatre also interacts in a lot of community outreach,
both in wealthier and poorer areas of the city, and therefore can be said to be
interested in educating and engaging those foreign to theatrical performance.
c. How do you know? What evidence makes you think these groups are the target audience?
(Rememberyou should have evidence here, not stereotypes!)
Firstly, the theatre offers a variety of tickets at a substantially low cost,
demonstrating an initiative in bringing financially poorer individuals. The theatres
advertising showcases a lot of the spectacle in their productions prominently,
indicating that the theatre is targeting those individuals interested in visual aesthetics
and bold artistic choices namely those with an educated and cultured background,
or at least an interest in culture.
3. The Theatre Space: What sort of playing spaces does this theatre have? Proscenium, Thrust,
Arena, Black Box? How large is the space? (Remember: Theres a difference in what you produce
in theatres with 3000 seats as opposed to 50!)
The theatrical space is designed in a black-box style, leaving the chance for designers to
arrange seating for each individual production. The maximum capacity of this space is 270
persons. Further, the theatre also features a smaller studio space that offers less seating in a
more intimate setting.

4. Why this play in this theatre? Using all of your above research, how does YOUR PLAY fits
this audience and this community? (This is an important step, because it requires understanding
the production requirements of the play, the sort of audience that will be appropriate, AND how
this theatre can fulfill all of those specifications.)
The Piano Lesson is a one-set play, and accordingly demands a smaller, more intimate
setting in order to properly engage the audience in its environment and characters.
Thematically, the play is primarily considered with legacy and how it relates to community,
and the Lookingglass theatres emphasis on community involvement and engagement seems
relevant to the play. The paranormal and spectacular elements of the play, including
spiritual musical numbers, otherworldly phenomena, and ghosts, lend themselves to the type
of productions the theatre has put on in the past. Further, the demographics of the
surrounding area in Chicago seem to culturally resonate with the subject matter of the play.
With a predominant Black and African-American community, the likely audience for the
play would have the necessary cultural and historical knowledge to fully appreciate the
content of the play.
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List two SPECIFIC reasons you think this theatre and its community is a good fit for your
show:
a. Culturally-engaged and Black/African-American community
b.

Lookingglass Theatres commitment to bringing out spectacle and putting on plays

with socially relevant subject matter.

5. Image Research! Seek out 5-7 images that evoke some element of the play, its ideas, or its major
themes. These cannot be past or current production images of your show (and may end up having
nothing to do with theatre). This is a moment to think like a designerlook for conceptual ways to
visualize your showand offer VARIETY! (So if your play were Medea, dont just look for 5
different paintings of the Medea myth.) Think about color, texture, sweep, composition, and more,
as well as subject matter and potential historical resonance. Each entry should include: (a) a full
citation, (b) a 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play, and (c) the image
itself.
Image 1:
a) Full citation: https://cdn-img0.wanelo.com/p/4df/566/662/6b9fed356d6ef47246015ca/x354-q80.jpg
b) 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play: Integral to the plot of
the play is the piano itself, which features carvings of the main characters family
history on the legs. This image represents the time of African art that would likely be
present, and more importantly, represents the conflict and overwhelming burden of
holding onto legacy whilst representing your race.

c) The image:

Image 2:
a) Full citation:
http://www.neh.gov/files/imagecache/explore_large/explore/images/bamboula.jpg
b) 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play: The power of music and
its cultural importance are emphasized heavily in the events of the play, and this
image represents the type of shared cultural experience that spirituals create when
sung.

c) The image:
Image 3:
a) Full citation: http://susanbaroncini-moe.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/02/iStock_000018763684XSmall.jpg
b) 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play: The clich of the
diverged road is definitely overused, yet still seems especially relevant to the content
of the play. The two main characters, Boy Willie and Berniece, come from
geographically varied areas with wildly different thoughts on family, legacy, and
reputation. The conflict between these two characters is centered on a single choice:
whether or not to sell the family piano. This picture represents that choice, and the
various outcomes that can result from how one thinks about the past and future.

c) The image:
Image 4:
a) Full citation:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/James_Hopkinsons_Plantation_Sla
ves_Planting_Sweet_Potatoes.jpg
b) 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play: The actual location of a
southern plantation is never shown in the play, but the familys history in regard to
slavery is referred to on numerous occasions. This image illustrates the condition of
the African-American in the time preceding the play, and tonally represents the
burden that both Bereniece and Boy Willie carry when thinking of their history.
c) The image:

Image 5:
a) Full citation: http://www.pablopicasso.org/images/paintings/three-musicians.jpg
b) 30-50 word description of how the image connects to your play: This famous painting by
Picasso once again features music, and references the power of music in the context of
the play. At the same time, the artistic styling of the piece, including its patterns,
textures and shapes, represent what I would visualize when designing a production of
The Piano Lesson.

c) The image:

6. Dramaturgical Research: Think about your play and the information the cast and production
team would need to know when putting the show up. Do they need to know about the social,
political, cultural, or religious context of the period, people, or location? Do they need to think
about how the show represents race, gender, class, sexuality, (dis)ability, or another issue? Choose
ONE of these topics that is particularly relevant to your play and conduct some basic research
using at least 2 high-quality sources. Then list 5 pieces of relevant information you learned in your
research. Be sure to cite each one. (Youll use this research in the last part of the project so get a
good start now!)
Topic Im researching: Post-Civil War Black History
a. At the end of the Civil War, blacks were given access to opportunities they previously
could not even fathom. They could attend school, hold public office, and even vote;
however, life in the South for blacks was not entirely care free. A variety of Black
Codes were passed in the South that were designed to prevent blacks from
advancing rapidly in the social world.
b. Towards the late 1800s, in response to new freedoms being given to blacks, a number
of anti-black organizations began to take foot and terrorize the black community.
Groups like the Ku Klux Klan had great influence on state relations with the black
community, and essentially attempted to continue the prejudice of blacks previously
found in slavery.
c.

During World War I, while white males were overseas fighting, many black people
were given opportunities to work in factories and take advantage of job vacancies.
This led to a mass migration of willing blacks to the North, looking for work and
opportunity.

d.

In the 1930s, the Great Depression proved devastating to the African American
community. By 1932, around half of all black Americans were out of work. Racial
violence re-erupted during this time, especially with whites and blacks competing for
the same jobs. Many blacks found it necessary to sell what little possessions they had,
or seek odd jobs in order to cover their expenses.

e.

Accordingly, rural blacks began moving to urban cities in search of jobs again, facing
hardship on account of their history as slaves and lower-class citizens. Workers
rallied around slogans such as No Jobs for Niggers Until Every White Man Has a
Job, leading the black community to once again question their place in American
society.

WORKS CITED/BIBLIOGRAPHY (**Be sure to list your sources below!!!**)

Cozzens, Lisa. "The Civil Rights Movement 1955-1965." African
American History. http://fledge.watson.org/~lisa/
blackhistory/civilrights-55-65 (25 May 1998).
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"Civil Rights Movement." Civil Rights Movement. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

http://quatr.us/northamerica/after1500/people/blacks2.htm
"Race During the Great Depression - American Memory Timeline- Classroom
Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress." Race During the Great
Depression - American Memory Timeline- Classroom Presentation | Teacher
Resources - Library of Congress. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/t
imeline/depwwii/race/
African Americans, Impact of the Great Depression on Gale Group, U.S. History in Context.
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/ReferenceDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?
displayGroupName=Reference&jsid=7812016b5ea4d6684ea4837e2c6ef921&action=2&catId=&do
cumentId=GALE|CX3404500017&u=sand55832&zid=b57acc008e359910d5c24de390bb447b