Critical History of American Drama Series Series Editor, Jordan Miller, University of Rhode Island Twaynes Critical History of American Drama Series provides authoritative, in-depth studies of the historical, technical, and literary development of American drama from its beginnings to the present. Drawing on established historical scholarship and incorporating current critical perspectives, this series represents the most comprehensive survey of the American theater. Each of the volumes in the series is devoted to a specific period, and provides: a detailed chronology listing production dates of significant plays, birth and death dates of major dramatists, and intellectual, cultural, and historical events of the period. original, accessible analyses of plays, playwrights, and literary and theatrical movements. convenient reference features: notes and references, an annotated bibliography, and an index. illustrations bringing theaters, playwrights, and productions to life. Though previously ignored as the nations literary stepchild, the countrys early drama emerges in American Drama From the Colonial Period Through World War I as a dynamic cultural institution in which the social, political, economic, and artistic issues of the moment found representation for diverse, often contentious audiences. Playwrights covered include: William Dunlap Robert Montgomery Bird John Augustus Stone George Aiken Dion Boucicault David Belasco William Dean Howells William Gillette Clyde Fitch Rachel Crothers A well-researched and well-written critical history of Americas developing drama....It is a good answer to critics who take American drama seriously only when ONeill arrives on the scene. The study is well set historically, and well-selected literary examples abound. Recommended for general and academic libraries at all levels. CHOICE Accessible Library Journal
