2022 SETC Young Scholars Award Winners GRADUATE WINNER: GARRET LEE MILTON Absurd Audiences: Considering Reception Theories for the Premieres of Waiting for Godot Garret Lee Milton
theories to the French world premiere of
(he/him) is a play-
Waiting for Godot in 1953 at the Théâtre de
wright, theatre
Babylone, the expurgated London premiere
scholar and edu-
in 1955 at the Arts Theatre, and the notori-
cator from Wash-
ous failure of the American premiere in
ington, DC. He is
1956 at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in
currently a doctoral
Miami. Each one of these global premieres
graduate student
experienced vastly different popular
in the College of
and critical receptions, and the theories
Visual and Performing Arts at Texas Tech
applied herein illuminate the contribut-
University, where he also teaches theatre
ing factors and prove to be quite helpful
appreciation and playwriting.
when assessing the historical, artistic and
Abstract: Much has already been said
cultural perspectives of the audiences who
about Samuel Beckett and Waiting for
would have been present. By analyzing the
Godot, but what this paper examines are the
audiences and their sociopolitical spheres
audiences who were present at the various
of influence, this paper demonstrates how
premieres of this polarizing play. What this
audience receptivity is responsible for
essay proposes is a consideration and appli-
the perplexing and volatile premieres of
cation of contemporary audience reception
Waiting for Godot.
UNDERGRADUATE WINNER: BERIT SCHÖNEGGE Between Colonial Imposition and Native Christianity: Nahuatl Theatre “Under?” the Influence of Spanish Occupation and Catholic Mission
50 x Southern Theatre x Spring-Summer 2022
B er it S c hönegge
The Franciscans took multiple conscious
( s h e/ h e r) i s a n
steps to build up an understanding. The
international
closest thing Europe offered to Aztec
exchange student
temple rituals was religious theatre. The
f rom Un iver sit y
friars specifically authorized scripts, but
Leipzig, currently
they were translated and copied, as well as
studying at Hobart
performed by the Nahues themselves for
and William Smith
their altepetl (“community”). Translation
Col lege s. She i s
processes, metaphorical differences, and
pursuing a BA in musicology and a
cultural and religious misunderstandings
concentration in theatre studies.
issued shifts of power. The paper combines
Abstract : This paper seeks to map
Postlewait’s “(Re)construction” of events,
out the field of tension that brought
Burkhart’s “Native Christianity,” broader
forth Nahuatl-Christian theatre. When
postcolonial approaches, and the Cultural
Franciscan friars arrived in “New Spain”
Transfer Theory (Espagne/Werner) in
in 1524, the Aztec empire had already disin-
order to interweave theatrical practice and
tegrated – Mexico was under colonial rule.
historiography. Between Native agency
Both friars and Nahues were shocked upon
and Spanish oppression, it stresses the
witnessing each other’s religious practices.
importance of multifaceted approaches
To successfully indoctrinate the native
and findings, when trying to understand
population, common ground was needed.
the art form’s intricate power complexity.
