The Piscator Notebook

'Theater legend Malina has written one of the most interesting studies of the avant-garde theatrical movement published in the last several years.' - CHOICE
Judith Malina and The Living Theatre have been icons of political theatre for over six decades. What few realise is that she originally studied under one of the giants of twentieth century culture, Erwin Piscator, in his Dramatic Workshop at The New School in New York. Piscator founded the Workshop after emigrating to New York, having collaborated with Brecht to create "epic theatre" in Germany.
The Piscator Notebook documents Malina's intensive and idiosyncratic training at Piscator's school. Part diary, part theatrical treatise, this unique and inspiring volume combines:
complete transcriptions of Malina's diaries from her time as a student at the Dramatic Workshop, as well as reproductions of various of Piscator's syllabi and teaching materials;
notes on Malina's teachers, fellow students - including Marlon Brando and Tennessee Williams - and New School productions;
studies of Piscator's process and influence, along with a new essay on the relationship between his teaching, Malina's work with the Living Theatre and "The Ongoing Epic";
an introduction by performance pioneer, Richard Schechner.
The Piscator Notebook is a compelling record of the genealogy of political theatre practice in the early 20th Century, from Europe to the US. But it is also a stunningly personal reflection on the pleasures and challenges of learning about theatre, charged with essential insights for the student and teacher, actor and director.
'Piscator is the greatest theatre man of our time.' - Bertolt Brecht

Malina, Judith

Foreword: by Richard Schechner Part 1: Weimar to The Dramatic Workshop Personal History Erwin Piscator: Germany to New York City The Founding of The Dramatic Workshop, 1940 The Studio Theatre The Teachers of Piscator's School Margrit Wyler Reiken Ben-Ari Chouteau Dyer Leo Kerz Paul Zucker Gloria Montemuro Alexander Ince Hans Sondheimer Henry Wendriner The Students George Bartenieff Anna Berger Sylvia Miles Marlon Brando Bea Arthur Howard Friedman Piscator's Students My Personal Struggle to Enter The Dramatic Workshop Valeska Gert Lunar Bowels: an Audition Piece Part 2: The Notebook Part 3: The Ongoing Epic End of the Notebook and First Workshop Plays Julian Beck By Any Other Name and Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theatre Piscator's Basic Question: The Role of the Audience Becoming a Director: A Confession The Inspiration of Joseph Urban's Architecture Eleanor Fitzgerald The Classes The March of Drama Theatre Research Theatre Research Critique The Plays The Sheepwell (Fuente Ovejuna) Franklin Roosevelt's Death Lysistrata The Spook Sonata Hannele's Way to Heaven The Aristocrats Agamemnon The Circle of Chalk The Flies Tonight We Improvise - Pirandello: Breaking into the Audience Kandinsky's Great Insight Piscator and the Audience Objective Acting Between Two Worlds Piscator: Success and Failure Piscator's Return to Germany - and to Berlin Eric Bentley Piscator's Influence Piscator's Influence: The Work of The Living Theatre Afterword: Political Theatre, Theatrical Politics: Epic Theatre in the 21st Century