DRAMA 494 A: Special Studies In Theatre And Drama

This seminar traces the social history of the acting profession from the Emergence of the secular actor as liveried servants in the late 16th Century through the knighting of Sir Henry Irving at the end of the 19th century, to the formation of the first actor's union in the early 20th century and the rise of the modern celebrity.   It considers the process and contributions by which the profession emerged from the disreputable status (what the Romans called "infamia") to that of celebrity.   Along the way it pauses to acknowledge the many dedicated actors and actresses whose personal lives and accomplishments, on stage and off, left the profession more reputable.