Performing Arts

Marian Anderson was a beloved, influential contralto singer of opera, spiritual and other popular music. Her achievements in music and civil rights are well-known, but there are interesting facts about the great American singer that you may not know.

Harry Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Bucharest in 1874. He set a high benchmark for every escapologist who came after him. He was the ultimate showman and salesman.

Samuel Beckett's renowned absurdist drama "Waiting for Godot" is an apt illustration of the existentialist crisis that modern humankind faces.

There are some very strange things going on in the world of art that defy rational explanations for ordinary people. Performance art is one of them.

Find out about Charles "Buddy" Bolden, who invented jazz, yet very few people know him. His musical ingenuity continues to influence us all.

The past is now past, but the future of circus continues—in traditional shows, venues, and in new, varied exhibitions. As a forever fan of CIRCUS, this author writes about circus life—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Learn methods for drawing a crowd to your free comedy show, even if it’s your first time putting on one.

Read on for an accessible explanation of the incongruity theory of comedy.

This is a brief look at the theme of madness in Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet." This article addresses whether or not Hamlet and Ophelia were truly mad and briefly examines the driving force behind their displays of madness.

Susan Glaspell’s "Trifles" brings attention to the political and social differences between men and women in the early 1900s. Trifles may seem like a simple story, but it is rich with symbolism and nuances of gender differences, giving a glimpse of the insignificance of women in a man’s world.

Fear is a powerful motivator that can inspire hysteria, paranoia, and intolerance, as seen in "The Crucible."

Although women do not have the same status they had when kabuki was first born, they still play an important role.

This article delves into the use of witchcraft as a way to get revenge or "get back" at enemies in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible."

A critical essay on the symbols and images used by Synge, drawing from both classical and Biblical archetypes, in "Riders to the Sea."

“Love is an act of nature” is the major theme of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," as shown by the young lovers and the Fairy King and Queen.

Studying Indian poetry? Interested in women writers? Here's an introductory study of contemporary women poets of India that identifies dominant and recurrent traits which make these poets individualistic yet connected by a unique bond of creative sisterhood.

It’s often said there are only seven types of jokes but among those that expound on this theme there seems little agreement on exactly what those seven are.

They called her “The Divine Sarah.” She went from the daughter of a courtesan to an internationally known actress to a legend. Sarah Bernhardt was a primadonna who could’ve taken over the world.

Possibly Tom Stoppard's best-known play, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” offers an amusing and provocative twist on Shakespeare's “Hamlet.”

Critical analysis of Lucky's speech in Act I of "Waiting for Godot."

"Madame Butterfly" is one of the most popular operas of all time. But the ending has a twist—the final chord is unusual. So why did Puccini choose to end his own favourite opera this way?

This article offers an analysis of whether Act 1 of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" is successful as an exposition. What is an exposition, and why would we care about the success of the first act as such? Read on for my full explanation and analysis.

Willy Loman is a complex character in "Death of a Salesman," whose victimhood is made universal by Arthur Miller. Is Willy Loman a tragic figure or simply a fool who deserves his eventual consequences?

In his play "The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus," Christopher Marlowe shows many dramatic techniques through the style of his writing, a few of which we are going to analyze from the work.

"Walsh" by Sharon Pollock is a contemporary Canadian play. It focuses on the real-life conflict between General Walsh and Chief Sitting Bull in Alberta.

A century ago, a German magician was the highest-paid performer of his time, and scarcely anybody knows his name today.

This article examines madness in "Othello" by Shakespeare by providing a psychological analysis of Othello and Iago.

This article contains an analysis of Harold Pinter's 'The Homecoming' with particular attention to the glass of water scene.

What is comedy? How is it used in literature? Learn how to define comedy and about different types of comedy, including classical, romantic, sentimental, and more.

Explore the myths and facts surrounding the ninjas in Japan.

Samuel Beckett’s "Waiting for Godot" presents a conflict between religious beliefs and existential philosophy. See an analysis of the play and learn about its theme of existentialism.

What is the true definition of tragedy in dramatic literature? Let's weigh Aristotle's definition against three tragedies written in different centuries.

From Apsara (Cambodia) to Tinikling (Philippines), explore the diverse traditional folk dances of Asia.

Character, thematic, and social analysis of "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams. This play has several intriguing themes worth discussing.

What does "to be or not to be" mean? The line from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is one of the most famous of all time, but few know its meaning within the context of the play.

Learning about Renaissance music? You'll need to know a few important differences. Read on to learn the similarities and differences between motets and madrigals.

A discussion of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The question of who is at fault for the tragedy is often debated. Here is an argument that it is Gertrude's fault.

Dance, exercise, and body language can be written down in a special script called choreology or movement notation. How does it work?

Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 4, Scene 4 of William Shakespeare's epic masterpiece is one of the most thrilling speeches of the entire work. This article breaks down the entire speech, analyses the points, and explains the deep character arcs that happen over the course of this single speech.

In the classic Marlowe play, Dr. Faustus makes a bargain with Mephistopheles: twenty-four years of unlimited power for the price of his soul. Unfortunately, Faustus learns too late that he received the raw end of the deal, but he turns his back on any chance of redemption.

This is a short summary and analysis of "Hamlet" and a list of all seven of Hamlet's soliloquies with original text and interpretation.

Struggling to understand Hamlet? Read the original text, a summary, modern translation, and interpretations of the seventh and last soliloquy of William Shakespeare's Hamlet in this article.

Studying "Hamlet"? "Hamlet" is a famous play written by William Shakespeare. Read the original text and the summary of the sixth soliloquy here.

This article provides a summary of Prince Hamlet's fifth soliloquy, "'Tis now the very witching time of night," including line-by-line analysis and literary devices.

Over 400 years later, Shakespeare's "To be or not to be" soliloquy is as relevant as ever, forcing us to face the mysteries of life and death.

Studying William Shakespeare? You'll need to analyze his soliloquies. See the original text of the second soliloquy from "Hamlet," with a summary and analysis.

Wondering what "soliloquy" means? If you're a writer, you'll need to know. This article covers the definition, purpose, and importance of soliloquies (with a video example).

Hamlet's tragedy comes from a number of places. First is the death of his father. The second cause of Hamlet's tragedy is his mother's behavior. Instead of sharing her son's grief and supporting him through it, she has remarried with indecent haste.

"Death of a Salesman's" Willy Loman was a low man. He led a sorrowful life and accomplished little but had big dreams. Here is an analysis of the man behind the story.

Of all the characters in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Fortinbras is perhaps the strangest. Oddly enough, though, Fortinbras is a stabilizing force in the action of the play, and he also functions as a framing device for the play itself.