American Theatre: Historical Trends in Depicting 'Madness'

History Speaks in Edgar: American Theatre: Historical Trends in Depicting ‘Madness’ What audiences see on stage can both inform and reflect the larger cultural views on mental illness. Sarah Rudolph will discuss theatre and pathology at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at the Edgar High School Auditorium, 203 E. Birch St., in Edgar. This presentation is part of the History Speaks in Your Town series presented by the Marathon County Historical Society and the Continuing Education office of UW-Stevens Point at Wausau. People once gazed in upon asylum patients confined within fenced-in yards as a form of entertainment. While no longer afforded such entertainment, Americans continue to find fascination in madness, mental illness, eccentricities, and pathology. Focused on the evolution of theatrical representations, this presentation will trace the various portrayals of mental illness over time and how they have coincided with larger cultural impressions of pathology. Dr. Sarah Rudolph has taught and directed theatre on Wausau's UW campus for nearly three decades, and she has pursued research and creative work helping to illuminate depictions of mental illness within a social context. This talk is free and open to the public. All donations are appreciated. Registration is not required. The Historical Society is grateful to Janke Book Store and to Compass Properties for their sponsorship of the History Speaks series, and to the Murco Foundation and the Larry and Elsie Lohr Fund for their support for History Speaks In Your Town. For more information, please call the Marathon County Historical Society at 715-842-5750.