Early American theatre from the revolution to Thomas Jefferson : into the hands of the people

Author / Creator

Nathans, Heather S

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Summary

"Theater has often served as a touchstone for moments of political change of national definition and as a way of exploring cultural and ethnic identity. Heather Nathans examines the growth and infl...

"Theater has often served as a touchstone for moments of political change of national definition and as a way of exploring cultural and ethnic identity. Heather Nathans examines the growth and influence of the theater in the development of the young American Republic, from the Revolution through to the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800. Theater was a dangerous profession in the post-Revolutionary period - for actors, for audiences members, and for playwrights. In this book, Nathans discusses the challenges faced by the artists who produced the theater and the people who participated in it. From William Dunlap, author of Andre and the "Father of American Drama," to Susanna Rowson, creator of Slaves in Algiers, and one of the first successful female authors on the American stage, she traces the controversy that surrounded the birth of a uniquely American drama." "Unlike many works on the early American theater, this book explores the lives and motives of the people working behind the scenes to establish a new national drama. Some of the most famous figures in American history, from George Washington to Sam Adams, from John Hancock to Alexander Hamilton, battled over the creation of the American theater. The book traces their motives and strategies - suggesting that for many of these men, the question of whether or not Americans should go to the playhouse meant the difference between the success and failure of the Revolutionary mission."--BOOK JACKET.

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