tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post4159320420055402707..comments2023-09-29T03:39:03.460-04:00Comments on Gratuitous Violins: Women and playwrightingEstherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-83616787035970029982009-06-28T19:39:50.632-04:002009-06-28T19:39:50.632-04:00Hey Monica,
I've been in a caregiving situati...Hey Monica,<br /><br />I've been in a caregiving situation so I definitely relate to August: Osage County. While my situation is only partially similar to Barbara's, I think Letts has beautifully illuminated women in the "sandwich" generation, torn between caring for their spouse, their children and their parents. So it really resonated with me. In fact, my only criticism of the play is that the male characters get a bit of a short shrift!Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-5528310887356530652009-06-28T19:29:59.907-04:002009-06-28T19:29:59.907-04:00Hey Katie,
You should put down your thoughts in a...Hey Katie,<br /><br />You should put down your thoughts in a blog post sometime. <br /><br />I think there are some plays with great roles for women - dating back to antiquity. I saw a production of Antigone at Trinity Repertory Company here in Providence, and it was great. And I hope you get to see August: Osage County on tour sometime because Tracy Letts really has written great roles for women. <br /><br />But I agree, it would be great if there were even more roles for women of all ages and backgrounds and I think female playwrights are part of that.Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-54866551463019263682009-06-28T17:17:12.593-04:002009-06-28T17:17:12.593-04:00I didn't think about it when I wrote about it ...I didn't think about it when I wrote about it on my blog, but the two plays that I have read or have seen that I felt portrayed women in a way that I could really relate to, were both written by men. Those two are "August: Osage County" and "Proof." There are some plays that I feel portray women very well that are written by women, but there are also some plays that I feel portray women in the stereotypical manner. But those two plays are the ones that I relate to and they're both written by men.Monicahttp://fragmentssynapses.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-88773473199296142122009-06-28T14:29:08.603-04:002009-06-28T14:29:08.603-04:00This study is very fascinating. I've thought ...This study is very fascinating. I've thought about it a lot. What frustrates me most about all these classic plays written by men is that there are so few dynamic roles for women in them. Men tend to write male characters just as women tend to create female characters.Katie Ganemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09488131828532333140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-25105800997338907042009-06-27T23:12:08.523-04:002009-06-27T23:12:08.523-04:00Thanks for the comment!
You make a good distincti...Thanks for the comment!<br /><br />You make a good distinction. And I should add that I don't think you can generalize. I know plenty of women who have no trouble being aggressive and plenty of men who aren't very assertive at all.Estherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076517542540421210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912669500934497251.post-76873668726128497922009-06-27T14:10:33.787-04:002009-06-27T14:10:33.787-04:00Interesting thoughts. I agree with most of what yo...Interesting thoughts. I agree with most of what you say, but I don't think the difference is because women have been discouraged from pushing themselves aggressively. I think it's that men are more likely to push themselves aggressively whether or not they're encouraged.Todd Wallingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11308322697380268831noreply@blogger.com