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Anna Deavere Smith as an Anthropologist in Theatre: Searching for New American Characters in Human Drama

  • Journal of Modern English Drama
  • Abbr : JMBARD
  • 2006, 19(2), pp.83-99
  • Publisher : 한국현대영미드라마학회
  • Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Literature > Contemporary English Drama

Yonghee Lee 1

1강원대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Lee, YongheeIn this paper, I underscore Anna Deavere Smith's methodology to create a performance script and her re-enactment in order to search for new American characters in drama. She discloses what is unseen in "traditional" American theatre. By criticizing the fact that one voice (white's) has dominated in American history, performance artist Smith has made an effort to mirror diversified contemporary American society. To embrace and include multifaceted aspects and opinions about an incident or social drama, she realizes the significance of listening to the unvoiced's voices. Smith selects issue-bearing social drama such as L.A. commotion and the Crown Heights riots and by means of interviews she endeavors to grasp a broad spectrum of a particular incident.In her performance and script, there is neither definite answer nor solution. Also there is neither definite victim nor criminal. Instead, she presents how often a dominant voice has ignored and buried different voices about the incident. By doing solo performance, Smith transforms from one character to another who talks about different perspective and stands for different social status. Therefore, Smith's body itself becomes a contested space where multiple voices may be clashed and negotiated. Hoping that America becomes nosier, Anna Deavere Smith leaves her safe house of identity to talk with the ignored and unvoiced, carrying her tape recorder. Through conducting a number of interviews, she is searching for new American characters in human drama.Key Words Anna Deavere Smith, Interview, Anthropology, Theatre, Performance Studies

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