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Top Girls was written by Caryl Churchill. This play highlights one of the most recent plays that deals with issues in society. Specifically, the play looks at how women are treated. The story follows a woman named Marlene trying to gain success. However, as she tries to rise to the top, she has to make sacrifices in her life (Concord Theatricals). This story helps Churchill represent the struggles women face all around the world. -
The Wooster Group was started to bring a new age of theatre. They collaborated with a full ensemble of artists to create works of art outside the mainstream. They also reprise old works of art by adding new aspects to them. One of the most famous arts they reimagined was the crucible in 1983. -
This performance written by Tony Kushner highlights a variety of issues that were happening in the 1990s. Its story includes the AIDS crisis, the struggle of being LGBTQ, and the issues some face with the issue of injustice. The performance contains signs of human suffering, while also containing the use of divine intervention (Bryon 2023). The angels that are seen throughout the story help bring a sense of hope to the story and to real life. This helps the show become a key play written today. -
Blasted was written by Sarah Kane and premiered in 1995. Kane's goal was to bring the violence in the world to light. The play contained many acts of violence and grotesque imagery. The Guardian commented on Kane's work as, "The anger directed at the violence in her work showed a detachment from what we were seeing on the news, the war crimes we were doing nothing about" (Tripney 2024). Kane's plays help show a unique approach to theatre. However, this format also helps her share the truth. -
Fuerza Bruta was created in 2003 by Diqui James and Gaby Kerpel. Its name translates to "Brutal Force" and the performance appeals to the audience's senses. For instance, visual effects can be seen all around the audience as various actions are done at the same time. The performance is also dialogue free as it focuses on the audience's hearing and eyesight. These attributes help show this performance as a new age art style. The idea came from a group of people with a dream (Fuerza Bruta). -
McDonagh brings a darker side of theater to the stage. His plays have an edgy style and deal with the presence of morality. However, this dark tone does not take away from the performance's success. For instance, his production, The Pillowman, was nominated for multiple Tony Awards (Ostberg 2023). His plays and films also produced an anti nationalist movement due to his punk rock themes. In conclusion, McDonagh brings an edgy tone to the new age of drama. -
Tracy Letts is an American playwright who has played a key role in reshaping modern day theatre. His plays deal with complex issues while still displaying complex stories. One of his most common plays is Osage County. After commenting on his Tony award, Ebsco stated that, "Letts continues to create thought-provoking works that resonate with audiences, reflecting the complexities of human existence" (Ballaro 2024). Letts focuses on telling an impactful story that has true motives. -
A British company named Punchdrunk started a revolutionary type of production. Instead of the audience being stationary, they were able to roam through a multiple story hotel in New York. While they were walking around, they could come across actors putting on different scenes that they could choose to follow. The McKittrick Hotel's website describes the performance as, "An award winning theatrical experience that tells Shakespeare's Scottish tragedy" (The McKittrick Hotel). -
Hamilton was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda also acted as the lead role in the production. The play follows the founding father, Alexander Hamilton, during the start of America. This play is considered a modern day classic due to it winning numerous awards and having a famous soundtrack. It is also the first Broadway musical to make more than four Million dollars in one week (Weil 2020). Overall, Hamilton has cemented its name for one of the most famous plays in recent times. -
Sarah Ruhl is an American playwright who has revolutionized modern theater. Her productions help answer questions about us humans. Concord Theatrical Productions stated that, "Sarah skillfully balances questions which often, in other hands, seem to be mutually exclusive. She interrogates what it is to be human, to love, to lose, to be alone and isolated" (Concord Theatricals 2016). In conclusion, Ruhl's stories combining poetry and theater help etch her name as an impactful playwright. -
Due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Many theatres were not open to the public. This led to the use of technology to allow the public to watch plays new and old. For example, the play Hamilton was released on Disney Plus on July 3rd (Weil 2020). This happened in the middle of the 2020 lockdown, a year before it was planned to be released. The release date was pushed up to help individuals stay entertained during the pandemic. While it also helped bring new people to the theatrical scene.