207:. Many early members of The Women's Street Theatre Group and similar UK-based feminist theatre groups in the early 1970s had little to no formal theatre training. The first Women's Theatre Festival was held in 1973 in London to support emerging feminist theatre companies in the area. The Women's Theatre Group was founded in 1974 and the
257:
methods than second wave feminism. The goals of feminist theatre continue to be extreme, including exploration of social injustices and inequalities in order to identify transformative possibilities and solutions. Today, gender privilege and bias continue to be both the subject and the challenge for feminist theatre.
71:
There are numerous feminist theatre companies around the globe, and although most tend to be situated in major
Western cities (New York City, Chicago, London), the majority of them produce works based in the intersections of women of color and LGBTQ women. Some of them also raise money for prevention
49:
However, even with that increased parity, men's roles continue to outweigh women's roles in mainstream theater, and the situations and challenges women face continue to be severe. There are currently a large number of theaters again that are either explicitly feminist, explicitly women's theaters, or
58:
Feminist theater defies definition because, by its nature, it is about breaking boundaries and experimentation. Catherine
Castellani says, "Historical play, science fiction, any class, any race, experimental or straight-forward, there is no formula for a feminist play because there is no formula for
67:
The Women's
Movement resulted in feminist theatre around the U.S., in England, and in other parts of the world in the 1970s, and it has continued to be a global genre ever since. One of the earliest feminist theatre's in England was the Sphinx Theatre Company (originally called the Women's Theatre
256:
Feminist theatre faces internal and external challenges, starting with variable meanings of the word feminist. Since its onset, there have been additional direct challenges relating to funding, media backlash, and fit within existing theater contexts. Third wave feminism had different goals and
45:
During the 1970s and 1980s, feminist or women's theater was a specific, new type of theater. Since then, the theater genre itself has opened itself up to women's viewpoints. Some felt that it was no longer necessary to have a separate genre, because of increased parity. Many groups folded.
319:
155:. Many of Canada's earliest feminist theatre companies, including Nightwood, Company of Sirens, and Urban Curvz, were founded as collectives. Canada has also been home to several annual feminist theatre festivals including
68:
Group). Another theater in
Adelaide that started in the 1970s also called itself the Women's Theatre Group. The oldest feminist theatre in the United States is Spiderwoman Theatre, a Native American Theatre founded in 1976.
83:
Numerous theatres tend to focus on specific cultural performance traditions, such as La Luna
Productions, which does modern works with primarily female characters, but uses the Japanese theatrical style Kabuki.
103:, formed in 1979. Nightwood was not originally founded as a feminist theatre but eventually garnered a reputation for producing female-centred shows. Other Canadian feminist theatre companies include Toronto's
203:'s earliest feminist theatre groups, The Women's Street Theatre Group, was founded in 1970 and garnered national attention for interrupting the broadcast of the 1970 Miss World competition at the
22:
grew out of the wider
Political theater of the 1970s, and continues to the present. It can take on a variety of meanings, but the constant thread is the lived experience of women.
183:. Beginning in the 1980s, women began to take on the traditionally male roles of playwright and theatre director. Some of India's feminist theatre companies include
293:
30:
Various women's theaters started up in the 1970s and 1980s, an outgrowth of the political and social activism of the times. Early leaders included
810:"Sphinx Theatre Company (formerly The Women's Theatre Group) Archive 'Victoria & Albert Theatre and Performance Collections. GB 71 THM/322'"
72:
of violence against women. Some examples include the
Manhattan Shakespeare Project, La Luna Productions, LezCab, Women Center Stage Festival,
454:
733:
Janaczewska, Noelle (May 31, 1987). ""Do We Want a Piece of the Cake, or Do We Want to Bake a Whole New One?" Feminist
Theatre in Britain".
679:
320:"Models and Mentors: A History of the Wry Crips Disabled Women's Theatre Group by Michaela Goldhaber as told by the Company's Founders"
214:
Many influential
British feminist plays received their first performances including but not limited to Claire Luckham and Chris Bond's
208:
187:
and
Sampurna Trust. India has hosted a number of feminist theatre festivals including Akka, the National Women's Theatre Festival (in
73:
495:
444:
890:
416:
237:
152:
116:
885:
191:
in 2001), National Women's Theatre Festival (organized by Prithvi Theatre), and the National Workshop on Women.
391:"What is Feminist Theatre? Kate Craddock, Amanda Monfrooe and Andrienne Truscott on CPT's festival of feminism"
390:
160:
788:
120:
606:
584:"Feminist (Theatre) Historiography / Canadian (Feminist) Theatre: A Reading of some Practices and Theories"
128:
136:
850:
783:
705:
631:
561:
533:
164:
583:
148:
124:
742:
654:
525:
144:
496:"Re-viewing Reception: Criticism of Feminist Theatre in Montreal and Toronto, 1976 to Present"
450:
204:
104:
100:
274:
Canning, Charlotte (1993). "Constructing Experience: Theorizing a Feminist Theatre History".
553:
470:
184:
31:
632:"Women's Theatre Festivals as Counterpublics: Groundswell, FemFest, and The Riveter Series"
779:
241:
219:
39:
860:
200:
180:
179:
in the 1970s. In the late 70s and early 80s, much of the feminist theatre of India was
108:
35:
879:
855:
42:
and The Women's Theater Group (renamed as Sphinx Theatre Company in 1999) in London.
809:
421:
224:
77:
746:
706:"Female Playwrights and the Theatre in India: Challenges and Perspectives"
50:
that define themselves as inclusive of women's perspectives specifically.
245:
229:
132:
156:
140:
96:
865:
344:
188:
112:
92:
761:
176:
870:
417:"Women are being excluded from the stage. It's time for quotas"
636:
Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches théâtrales Au Canada
588:
Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches théâtrales Au Canada
294:"What IS a Feminist Play Anyway? What IS vs. What Should Be"
244:, Burnt Bridges Theatre Company, Blood Group, Little Women,
840:
680:"Feminist Street Theatre: Plays as Contemporary History -"
236:(1977). Other UK-based feminist theatre companies include
845:
835:
240:, Mrs. Worthington's Daughters, Cunning Stunts, Siren,
766:
Women & Performance: A Journal of Feminist Theory
762:"Feminist History in Contemporary British Theatre"
278:. Vol. 45, no. 4. pp. 529–540.
8:
287:
285:
856:Adelaide Women's Theatre Group, 1975 - 1989
366:
364:
216:Scum: Death, Destruction and Dirty Washing
95:'s oldest feminist theatre company is the
389:Martin, Diana Damian (October 30, 2013).
384:
382:
292:Castellani, Catherine (March 16, 2017).
147:(later rebranded as Handsome Alice) and
861:Women in the Arts & Media Coalition
655:"How Feminist Theatre Emerged in India"
607:"Feminist Theatre in Canada: a History"
318:Goldhaber, Michaela (August 23, 2019).
266:
175:Feminist theatre rose to prominence in
851:Drama Online Library: Feminist Theatre
728:
726:
7:
653:Javalgekar, Aishwarya (2017-08-29).
871:Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company
494:MacArthur, Laura Michelle (2014).
209:Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company
14:
524:Charlebois, Gaetan (2013-04-21).
74:The Dirty Blondes Theater Company
446:Mapping Global Theatre Histories
415:Pascal, Julia (April 24, 2018).
324:Women in Theater Journal Online
298:Women in Theater Journal Online
211:was formed the following year.
117:Théâtre Expérimental des Femmes
760:Ponnuswami, Meenakshi (1995).
684:archive.indianculturalforum.in
1:
678:Jain, Shweta (July 9, 2016).
558:Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
530:Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
153:Half the Sky Feminist Theatre
611:Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
443:Pizzato, Mark (2019-05-02).
605:Aikman, Lisa (2015-05-13).
471:"Women's Theatre Companies"
907:
846:Howlround Theatre Commons
371:"Feminism Reconsidered".
248:, and Sensible Footwear.
836:Women in Theatre Journal
345:"Sphinx Theatre | About"
630:Scott, Shelley (2014).
582:Bennett, Susan (1992).
866:Sphinx Theatre Company
749:– via ProQuest.
704:Pandey, Indu (2016).
503:University of Toronto
195:In the United Kingdom
137:Sarasvati Productions
891:20th-century theatre
562:Athabasca University
534:Athabasca University
165:Groundswell Festival
139:and Nellie McClung,
119:(since rebranded as
741:(1). Hecate Press.
349:sphinxtheatre.co.uk
129:Le Theatre Parminou
784:"Feminist theatre"
526:"Feminist Theatre"
373:Feminist Spectator
59:how to be human."
659:Feminism In India
456:978-3-030-12727-5
375:. August 1, 2007.
205:Royal Albert Hall
151:, and Hamilton's
121:Théâtre Espace Go
105:Company of Sirens
101:Nightwood Theatre
898:
886:Feminist theatre
825:
823:
821:
801:
800:
798:
796:
776:
770:
769:
757:
751:
750:
730:
721:
720:
718:
716:
710:
701:
695:
694:
692:
690:
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
650:
644:
643:
627:
621:
620:
618:
617:
602:
596:
595:
579:
573:
572:
570:
569:
550:
544:
543:
541:
540:
521:
515:
514:
512:
510:
505:. pp. 18–19
500:
491:
485:
484:
482:
481:
467:
461:
460:
440:
434:
433:
431:
429:
412:
406:
405:
403:
401:
386:
377:
376:
368:
359:
358:
356:
355:
341:
335:
334:
332:
330:
315:
309:
308:
306:
304:
289:
280:
279:
271:
185:Jana Natya Manch
32:Michelene Wandor
20:Feminist theater
906:
905:
901:
900:
899:
897:
896:
895:
876:
875:
832:
819:
817:
808:
805:
804:
794:
792:
778:
777:
773:
759:
758:
754:
732:
731:
724:
714:
712:
708:
703:
702:
698:
688:
686:
677:
676:
672:
663:
661:
652:
651:
647:
629:
628:
624:
615:
613:
604:
603:
599:
581:
580:
576:
567:
565:
552:
551:
547:
538:
536:
523:
522:
518:
508:
506:
498:
493:
492:
488:
479:
477:
469:
468:
464:
457:
442:
441:
437:
427:
425:
414:
413:
409:
399:
397:
395:Exeunt Magazine
388:
387:
380:
370:
369:
362:
353:
351:
343:
342:
338:
328:
326:
317:
316:
312:
302:
300:
291:
290:
283:
276:Theatre Journal
273:
272:
268:
263:
254:
242:Scarlet Harlets
234:Queen Christina
220:Caryl Churchill
197:
173:
90:
65:
56:
40:Caryl Churchill
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
904:
902:
894:
893:
888:
878:
877:
874:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
831:
830:External links
828:
827:
826:
803:
802:
771:
752:
722:
696:
670:
645:
622:
597:
574:
545:
516:
486:
475:Works by Women
462:
455:
435:
407:
378:
360:
336:
310:
281:
265:
264:
262:
259:
253:
250:
201:United Kingdom
196:
193:
181:street theatre
172:
169:
149:Maenad Theatre
109:The Clichettes
89:
86:
64:
61:
55:
52:
36:Martha Boesing
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
903:
892:
889:
887:
884:
883:
881:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
833:
829:
815:
811:
807:
806:
791:
790:
785:
781:
780:Aston, Elaine
775:
772:
767:
763:
756:
753:
748:
744:
740:
736:
729:
727:
723:
707:
700:
697:
685:
681:
674:
671:
660:
656:
649:
646:
641:
637:
633:
626:
623:
612:
608:
601:
598:
593:
589:
585:
578:
575:
563:
559:
555:
554:"Urban Curvz"
549:
546:
535:
531:
527:
520:
517:
504:
497:
490:
487:
476:
472:
466:
463:
458:
452:
448:
447:
439:
436:
424:
423:
418:
411:
408:
396:
392:
385:
383:
379:
374:
367:
365:
361:
350:
346:
340:
337:
325:
321:
314:
311:
299:
295:
288:
286:
282:
277:
270:
267:
260:
258:
251:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
226:
221:
217:
212:
210:
206:
202:
194:
192:
190:
186:
182:
178:
170:
168:
166:
162:
161:Women in View
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
125:Imago Theatre
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
87:
85:
81:
79:
75:
69:
62:
60:
53:
51:
47:
43:
41:
37:
33:
25:
23:
21:
16:Theatre genre
818:. Retrieved
813:
795:December 28,
793:. Retrieved
789:Drama Online
787:
774:
765:
755:
738:
734:
713:. Retrieved
711:. p. 49
699:
687:. Retrieved
683:
673:
662:. Retrieved
658:
648:
639:
635:
625:
614:. Retrieved
610:
600:
591:
587:
577:
566:. Retrieved
564:. 2016-09-13
557:
548:
537:. Retrieved
529:
519:
507:. Retrieved
502:
489:
478:. Retrieved
474:
465:
449:. Springer.
445:
438:
428:December 26,
426:. Retrieved
422:The Guardian
420:
410:
400:December 26,
398:. Retrieved
394:
372:
352:. Retrieved
348:
339:
329:December 26,
327:. Retrieved
323:
313:
303:December 26,
301:. Retrieved
297:
275:
269:
255:
233:
228:(1976), and
223:
215:
213:
198:
174:
91:
82:
70:
66:
57:
48:
44:
29:
19:
18:
841:The Kilroys
820:26 December
816:. 1973–2013
814:Archive hub
238:Clean Break
225:Vinegar Tom
199:One of the
145:Urban Curvz
78:Teatro Luna
54:Variability
880:Categories
664:2020-08-07
616:2020-08-07
568:2020-08-07
539:2020-08-07
480:2020-05-04
354:2023-09-22
261:References
252:Challenges
747:1839-4213
715:August 7,
689:August 7,
509:August 7,
88:In Canada
246:RashDash
230:Pam Gems
218:(1976),
171:In India
163:and the
133:Winnipeg
157:FemFest
141:Calgary
99:-based
97:Toronto
26:History
768:: 290.
745:
735:Hecate
453:
189:Mysore
127:, and
113:Quebec
93:Canada
76:, and
63:Global
743:eISSN
709:(PDF)
499:(PDF)
177:India
822:2019
797:2019
717:2020
691:2020
511:2020
451:ISBN
430:2019
402:2019
331:2019
305:2019
107:and
232:’s
222:’s
143:'s
135:'s
123:),
115:'s
882::
812:.
786:.
782:.
764:.
739:13
737:.
725:^
682:.
657:.
640:35
638:.
634:.
609:.
592:13
590:.
586:.
560:.
556:.
532:.
528:.
501:.
473:.
419:.
393:.
381:^
363:^
347:.
322:.
296:.
284:^
167:.
159:,
131:,
111:,
80:.
38:,
34:,
824:.
799:.
719:.
693:.
667:.
642:.
619:.
594:.
571:.
542:.
513:.
483:.
459:.
432:.
404:.
357:.
333:.
307:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.