The course will explore this literature through the lens of the current moment, with a strong focus on issues of social justice and equity.
THEA 398 Special Topics: Black Theatre and Social Justice
3 credit hours (Meets via Zoom Tuesdays and Thursdays
10am-12:30pm + additional asynchronous components )
About Denise Chapman, Theater/Playwright (Omaha):
Denise Chapman graduated from Creighton University with a BA in theatre. She went on to receive her MFA from the Theatre Conservatory at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. After graduation, she performed with Qwest Educational Programs touring elementary and middle schools in the greater Chicago land area and worked as a Solo performing artist. She returned to Omaha in 2006 and worked with Blue Barn’s Witching hour for three years as Co-Artistic director/ensemble member and at the Omaha Community Playhouse as the director of education and outreach. Currently she is the Producing Artistic Director of Theatre at The Union for Contemporary Art and an adjunct professor at Metro Community College and the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Denise began writing plays as a part of her theatre practice after her time at Creighton University. Later, inspired by her graduate school teacher Bruce Kirle who said, "Don’t leave your narrative in the hands of people on the outside looking in." She deepened this practice with solo performance work and eventually worked with the Great Plains Theatre Conference and Metro Community Theatre to create new work for Playfest, a new work festival that uses theatre as a catalyst for dialogue within our community, using stories that bridge our human experiences. https://www.dechapman.com/
More details at: https://www.dechapman.com/