This semester, New York University’s “Archives on Stage” series will focus on the work of Richard Foreman, founder of the Ontological-Hysteric Theatre and one of the major American theatre artists of the 20th century. The slate of events begins on September 30 with Richard Foreman’s Work as a Sledgehammer: Criticism, Aesthetics, and the Ontological-Hysteric Legacy, a panel discussion featuring a variety of top-flight names from the American avant-garde theater, including Elizabeth LeCompte, Kate Valk, Tom Sellar, and others. More information about the entire series can be found here.
I have off-and-on written about Foreman’s theater myself and contributed the introduction to Plays with Films, his 2013 collection of late-period plays from Contra Mundum Press, and have sat with him on a panel or two as well. A few years ago I gathered a collection of my writings about Foreman and his theatre; that collection is below. His new play, Suppose Beautiful Madeleine Harvey, will be produced by Object Collection at La MaMa in December. I raise my glass to him and NYU’s series and am delighted that his work continues to garner attention.