The History Of North American Theater: From Pre-columbian Times To The Present

All the world's a stage. Yet the multicultural dimension of our own continent's stage has largely remained an untold story. It begins with the ancient traditions of Mexican and Native U.S. and Canadian societies, for whom theater was religious expression. The first Caribbean theater, the theater of New France (Quebec), and the stage of the American colonies followed.

In this comprehensive and magisterial History of North American Theater, Felicia Hardison Londre and Daniel Watermeier chronicle these cultures, in addition to all the great playwrights and drama from 17th-century Mexico to minstrelsy and vaudeville, down to Broadway and the experimental theaters of our own time. Enhancing this majestic story are 300 illustrations depicting the full range and richness of the American theatrical heritage.