It was a spring day in Paris in 1780, and Michael Barada, was 20. As he sauntered along a fashionable street, very gay in the silk, ribbons and ruffles of a young French gallant of the court of Louis XVI ... So begins the charming story of Michael Barada and his chance meeting with the lovely Omaha maiden, Laughing Buffalo. This romantic fairytale was told to the US congress in 1934 in a bill granting my grandfather and other descendants of Laughing Buffalo membership in the Omaha tribe. The bill never passed but this unlikely fairytale became part of our history. Am I part Omaha? Is Laughing Buffalo my great grandmother? And if this story isn't true what is her real story? Antoine's Legacy is my search for the truth and my Omaha roots.
Staging Francebetween the World Wars aims to establish the nature and significance of the modernist transformation of French theater between the world wars, and to elucidate the relationship between aesthetics and the cultural, economic, and political context of the period. Over the course of the 1920s and 30s, as the modernist directors elaborated a theatrical tradition redefined along new lines: more abstract, more fluid, and more open to interpretation, their work was often contested, especially when they addressed the classics of the French theatrical repertory. This study consists largely of the analysis of productions of classic plays staged during the interwar years, and focuses on the contributions of Jacques Copeau and the Cartel because of their prominence in the modernist movement and their outspoken promotion of the role of the theatrical director in general. Copeau and the Cartel began on the margins of theatrical activity, but over the course of the interwar period, their movement gained mainstream acceptance and official status within the theater world. Tracing their trajectory from fringe to center, from underdogs to elder statesmen, this study illuminates both the evolution of the modernist aesthetic and the rise of the metteur-en-scène, whose influence would reshape the French theatrical canon.
"New Orleans has long been America's most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions, spirituality, and voudou in the US. There is a mysterious spiritual underbelly hiding in plain sight in New Orleans, and this book shows us where it is, who the characters are, where they come from, and how they persist and manifest today"--
Raymond Sickinger’s biography of Antoine Frédéric Ozanam is more than a chronological account of Ozanam’s relatively brief but extraordinary life. It is also a comprehensive study of a man who touched many lives as a teacher, writer, and principal founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Ozanam’s life encompassed a particularly turbulent time in French history, and he was a witness to two major political upheavals—the overthrow of the Bourbon dynasty that brought Louis Philippe to power in 1830, and the end of Louis Philippe’s “Bourgeois Monarchy” as a result of the 1848 Revolutions. This book examines Ozanam’s life in a number of ways. First, it explores the various roles he played throughout his life—son, sibling, student, member of and an inspiration for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, spouse and father, scholar, and spokesperson for the common people. Second, it examines the lessons he learned in his life, including the importance of friendship, the meaning of solidarity, and the role and purpose of suffering, among many others that he shares with those who study his thought and work. It concludes with an account of Ozanam’s enduring legacy. Antoine Frédéric Ozanam feared that he would not have a fruitful career, but his legacy remains a powerful testimony to his greatness. This book will interest scholars wishing to know more about Ozanam and the period in which he lived, as well as a wider audience, including those who are aware of or are members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
This "Big Book of Fictional Mythological Stories" is a collection of some of the most fascinating and engrossing mythological tales from around the world. Compiled from different cultures and traditions, these stories offer a unique insight into the diverse range of human beliefs and experiences. From the ancient Greek and Roman pantheons to the Norse and Egyptian gods, from the Hindu epics to the folklore of the Native American tribes, this book offers a rich tapestry of myths and legends that span across time and geography. The stories in this book are not mere retellings of the old myths; they are fresh and original interpretations that explore the timeless themes and motifs of the mythological genre. The author of these stories have taken the familiar characters and events from the myths and breathed new life into them, creating narratives that are both faithful to the sources and imaginative in their retelling. In this book, you will find stories that range from the familiar to the obscure, from the tragic to the humorous, from the epic to the intimate. You will encounter characters like Zeus, Odin, Vishnu, and Quetzalcoatl, as well as lesser-known deities and heroes from different cultures. You will witness battles between gods and demons, quests for immortality, and journeys through the underworld. You will also find stories of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption, all told with the richness and depth of mythological storytelling. One of the goals of this book is to highlight the universality of mythological storytelling. Despite the differences in culture and language, the themes and motifs of myths and legends are often strikingly similar. From the hero's journey to the creation myth, from the flood story to the trickster tale, these stories reflect the common concerns and aspirations of humanity. They remind us that, no matter where we come from, we share a common heritage of storytelling that has been passed down from generation to generation. Another aim of this book is to showcase the versatility and adaptability of mythological storytelling. The authors of these stories have taken the old myths and infused them with new perspectives, voices, and themes, making them relevant and accessible to contemporary readers. He has used the timeless language and imagery of myth to explore modern concerns and issues, such as identity, gender, race, and politics. He has also challenged the traditional narrative structures and conventions of myth, creating stories that are innovative and surprising.
Some of the most raucous evenings in the history of theater are chronicled in this lively discussion of occasions when theater-makers changed the course of theatrical, and sometimes world, history. Covering a wide range of events from the inauspicious opening of Oedipus Rexin Athens, to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C., to the violence-riddled performance of Halla Bol in New Delhi, this book offers detailed and studied observations of specific minutes, hours, and days on the stage. For each staging covered, the author examines the reactions of critics and the public and tells the inside story, identifies the key players, and examines why these events still resound today.
This volume assesses the contributions of André Antoine, Konstantin Stanislavski and Michel Saint-Denis, whose work has influenced theatre and training for over a century. These directors pioneered Naturalism and refined Realism as they experimented with theatrical form including non-Realism. Antoine and Stanislavski's theatre direction proved foundational to the creation of the director's role and artistic vision, and their influential ideas progressively developed through the stylized theatre of Saint-Denis to the innovative contemporary theatre direction of Max Stafford-Clark, Declan Donnellan and Katie Mitchell.
The story of Antoine is emblematic of countless enslaved people whose lives and contributions have been overlooked. Antoine, the enslaved gardener of Oak Alley Plantation, was the first person to successfully propagate the pecan tree yet he exists only as a footnote in the bigger story of Oak Alley Plantation. His pioneering work enabled large groves of trees to be planted creating a lucrative commercial crop and though his horticultural achievement has long been legend, virtually nothing is known about his life. Historian Katy Morales Shannon utilizes extensive research and period documents to expose his story and explore the lives of the enslaved community in which he lived. The life of this truly revolutionary enslaved man is revealed through the lives of his family and friends, the community they built, and the bonds they forged during their enslavement and their life as free people.
"With graceful prose and biographical narrative, Philip Burnham brings to life Clarence Three Stars, one of the most significant Native American activists of his generation"--
