Thornton Wilder

[linklarkinlovesme]

Thornton Wilder#1

Posted: 3/24/09 at 10:46pm

Hey guys. I have to write a paper about Thornton Wilder and explain why he is significant to theatre. Within the paper. What are your thoughts on this? Why is he significant?

Thanks!

[Prisoner 24601]

re: Thornton Wilder#2

Posted: 3/26/09 at 1:09am

I suggest reading some of his plays if you haven't already, finding reviews from productions of those plays, reading books on Wilder and his work, and looking into playwrights that have made significant accomplishments in the same areas as Wilder. Let your research guide you to why Wilder is significant and then once you have an idea of your argument use what you've learned to support it; it will be relatively self-contained and therefore much easier to write. With a topic this broad, you'll want specific evidence rather than generalized opinions without support in order to keep you focused on your claim.

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[WOSQ]

re: Thornton Wilder#2

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:36am

In The New Yorker, issue dated March 16, 2009, there is a review of the current production of Our Town that has some other information in it. It is a good place to start and then read that play plus The Skin of Our Teeth, The Long Christmas Dinner and The Happy Journey/Trenton & Camden. Those are his big four plays. The last two are one-acts.

He also wrote novels and probably short stories.

You might really go into archives and read reviews of his plays in various productions.

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