Learn how enslaved African Americans in Richmond, Virginia, established what a historian in this clip calls “quasi-free communities, where they etched out lives for themselves, that paved the way forward.”  This resource is part of the How the Monuments Came Down collection, created by Virginia Public Media.

Discover the differing approaches to memorialization among African Americans and white southerners, in Richmond, Virginia, in the years immediately after the Civil War.  This resource is part of the How the Monuments Came Down collection.

Discover how African American political organizing in Richmond, Virginia, in the first decades after the Civil War, secured a measure of power amid ongoing fights against injustice.   

Discover how white southerners in Richmond, Virginia, honored General Robert E. Lee through a monument of his likeness unveiled in the former Confederate capital in 1890. 

Discover John Mitchell, Jr. and Maggie L Walker, two African American leaders in Richmond, Virginia, whom a historian in this clip refers to as “the vanguard” of Black resistance to white supremacy there. 

Learn why white city leaders in Richmond, Virginia, in the early 20th century, embraced the nationwide “City Beautiful” movement through the construction of Monument Avenue, a grand boulevard lined with statues to Confederates. 

Learn why blackface minstrelsy in the early 20th century sought to “parody and caricature Black ambition and achievement,” as explained by historians in this clip. Note to Teachers: The video clip, Caricatures of African Americans, includes depictions of blackface; in an effort to provide authentic and transparent resources about the historical experiences of Black Americans, these moments were not censored. 

Learn about Jackson Ward, a historic African American neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia, and why white city leaders supported the construction of an interstate highway through its center in the 1950s. 

This resource provides an introduction to theatre and its physical spaces, designed to provide students with a broad historical and cultural perspective. 

This module resource focuses on the actor and the craft of acting, covering key aspects such as the profession's nature, different approaches, Stanislavski's influence, practical techniques, and the routine of an actor's career.(Title Image Attribution: Theatre by Kevin Spencer is licensed CC BY-NC 2.0)

This resource provides an overview of the collaborative nature of theatre production, introducing various roles and occupations essential to creating a performance. It highlights the concept of theatre as a collective effort involving many individuals working together, mentioning troupes and repertory. Key roles detailed include producers, directors, actors, designers, builders, crew, stage managers, house managers, playwrights, and composers, each contributing to the production's success.(Title Image Attribution: Theatre by Kevin Spencer is licensed CC BY-NC 2.0)

This resource provides an overview of theatre using interactive elements, historical context, quotes from theatre practitioners, and video examples of various theatrical styles from around the world. Student engagement is encouraged through surveys, discussions, and reflective exercises. 

This resource explores the dynamic role of the audience in theatre, challenging traditional perceptions and fostering deeper analysis. The module investigates the historical origins of the term 'audience' and encourages reflection on the transformative power of live theatre through TED talks and video analyses to help students critically examine the relationship between theatre and its diverse audiences.(Title Image Attribution: Theatre by Kevin Spencer is licensed CC BY-NC 2.0)

This module resource explores the role of drama critics and practices dramatic analysis by reflecting on live theatre and film experiences, considering the social and personal significance, artistic quality, theatrical expression, and entertainment value of performances.(Title Image Attribution: Leading Ladies Paris Community Theatre Paris Tx by Amy Claxton is licensed CC BY 2.0)

This resource provides an overview of the roles and processes involved in theater design, focusing on the contributions of theatre designers, the design process, and the evolution of scenic design.Title Image Attribution: Leading Ladies Paris Community Theatre Paris Tx / Amy Claxton / CC BY 2.0

This module resource covers the various aspects of theatrical design, including costumes, makeup, sound, puppets, projections, special effects, and digital technologies. (Title Image Attribution: Leading Ladies Paris Community Theatre Paris Tx by Amy Claxton is licensed CC BY 2.0)

This resource provides an overview of the director's role in theatrical productions and traces the evolution of directing from ancient Greek playwrights to contemporary practices and highlights key figures and movements as well as the shift from realism to antirealism. (Title Image Attribution: Leading Ladies Paris Community Theatre Paris Tx by Amy Claxton is licensed CC BY 2.0)

These module resources cover essential playwrighting terminology, emphasizing the distinction between "playwright" and "playwrite," and exploring the nature of plays as action blueprints rather than traditional literature. Users will be introduced to prominent playwrights such as Lauren Gunderson, Tony Kushner, David Henry Hwang, and Suzan-Lori Parks, and learn about them through various  activities, including reading assignments, dialogue writing exercises, and personal reflections.(Title Image Attribution: Leading Ladies Paris Community Theatre Paris Tx by Amy Claxton is licensed CC BY 2.0)

This module resource covers definitions of plays and drama, Aristotle's contributions to theatre theory, the classification of plays by duration and genre, and his components of tragedy. Assignments include reading short plays, creative story retelling, and developing research skills.(Title Image Attribution: Typewriter by Charlene N Simmons is licensed CC BY-NC 2.0)