Description

Book Synopsis

Some of the most raucous evenings in the history of theater are chronicled in this lively discussion of occasions when theater-makers changed the course of theatrical, and sometimes world, history. Covering a wide range of events from the inauspicious opening of Oedipus Rexin Athens, to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C., to the violence-riddled performance of Halla Bol in New Delhi, this book offers detailed and studied observations of specific minutes, hours, and days on the stage. For each staging covered, the author examines the reactions of critics and the public and tells the inside story, identifies the key players, and examines why these events still resound today.



Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents
  • Preface
  • Of Murder and Premonitions
  • Chapter 1. Who Is Dead in the White House? Our American Cousin, Ford's Theatre, Washington, April 14, 1865
  • Chapter 2. A Night at the Adelphi: Secret Service, Adelphi Theatre, London, December 16, 1897
  • Chapter 3. A Beauty That Cannot Be Conveyed: Machinal, Plymouth Theatre, New York, September 7, 1928
  • Chapter 4. All Hell Broke Loose: Halla Bol, Janya Natya Manch, Jhandapur, India, January 1, 1989
  • Brave New Theaters
  • Chapter 5. Free Theater: The Serenade, Théâtre Libre, Paris, December 23, 1887
  • Chapter 6: The Slavyanski Bazaar: The Moscow Art Theatre, June 22, 1897
  • Chapter 7. A Wonderful, Heretical Play: The Seagull, Moscow Art Theatre, Moscow, December 17, 1898
  • Chapter 8. La Mama: One Arm, Café La Mama, New York, July 27, 1962
  • Riotous Behavior
  • Chapter 9. Old Price: Macbeth, Covent Garden Theatre, London, September 18, 1809.
  • Chapter 10. A Cut-Throat Competition: Macbeth, Astor Place Opera House, New York, May 10, 1849
  • Chapter 11. Round Dance: La Ronde, Deutsches Volkstheater, Vienna, February 7, 1921
  • Chapter 12. Oh, What an Arse You Have! Oh! Calcutta!, Eden Theater, New York, June 17, 1969
  • Theatrical Quarrels
  • Chapter 13. La Querelle: The Rehearsal at Versailles, The Palace at Versailles, October 14, 1663
  • Chapter 14. Nora's Incomprehensible Act: A Doll's House, Royal Theatre, Copenhagen, December 21, 1879
  • Chapter 15. A Mighty Personage: Ubu Roi, Théâtre de l'Œuvre, Paris, December 10, 1896
  • Chapter 16. A Purse to the Jaw: The Little Foxes, National Theatre, New York, February 13, 1939
  • Theater Out of Doors
  • Chapter 17. Second Prize: Oedipus Tyrannus, The City Dionysia, Athens, March 427 bc
  • Chapter 18. Moving the Globe: The Globe Theatre, London, December 28, 1598
  • Chapter 19. Good Cheer: The Theatre of Neptune, Port Royal, New France, November 14, 1606
  • A Tale of Two Countries
  • Chapter 20. In the Palm of One's Hand: The Frozen Deep, Tavistock House, January 5, 1857
  • Chapter 21. First Knight: The Bells, Lyceum Theatre, London, November 25, 1871
  • Chapter 22. The Meininger: Julius Caesar, Friedrich Wilhelm Municipal Theatre, Berlin, May 1, 1874
  • Chapter 23. Genius or Madman? The Ring of Nibelung, Bayreuth Festspielhaus, Germany, August 13, 1876
  • Political Theater
  • Chapter 24. Threepenny: The Threepenny Opera, Theatre am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin, August 31, 1928
  • Chapter 25. Coughing and Sighs: The Song of the Chaste Wife, Shinkyō Theater Company, Japan and Korea, March 1938
  • Chapter 26. Acid Test: Marat/Sade, Aldwych Theatre, London, August 20, 1964.
  • Reactions to War
  • Chapter 27. Marinetti: The Feasting King, Théâtre de l'Œuvre, Paris, April 3, 1909
  • Chapter 28. Dada: Dada Early Spring, Cologne, April 1920
  • Chapter 29. Ill Omens: The Glass Menagerie, Civic Theatre, Chicago, December 26, 1944
  • Chapter 30. Waiting: Waiting for Godot, San Quentin Prison, California, November 19, 1957
  • The Angry 1950s
  • Chapter 31. Look Back: Look Back in Anger, Royal Court Theatre, London, May 8, 1956
  • Chapter 32. The Man Who Discovered Pinter: The Room, University of Bristol, England, May 1957
  • Chapter 33. Hansberry: A Raisin in the Sun, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, March 11, 1959
  • True North
  • Chapter 34. Spittle in the Face: Richard III, Stratford Festival, Stratford, Canada, July 13, 1953
  • Chapter 35. 1967: Fortune and Men's Eyes, Colours in the Dark, and The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, Canada, 1967
  • Chapter 36. Dogged Intrepidity: Paper Wheat, St. Thomas Wesley Hall, Saskatoon, March 18, 1977
  • Chapter 37. Highway: The Rez Sisters, Native Earth Theatre, Toronto, November 26, 1986
  • After 2000
  • Chapter 38. Howl of Pain: 4.48 Psychosis, Royal Court Theatre, London, June 23, 2000
  • Chapter 39. The Revolution: Hamilton, Richard Rodgers Theater, New York, November 11, 2016
  • Chapter 40. One of Those Stories: Come from Away, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York, March 12, 2017
  • Epilogue
  • Chapter Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index

Nights That Shook the Stage

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A Paperback by Dwayne Brenna

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    Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc
    Publication Date: 1/31/2024 12:05:00 AM
    ISBN13: 9781476689784, 978-1476689784
    ISBN10: 1476689784
    Also in:
    Theatre studies

    Description

    Book Synopsis

    Some of the most raucous evenings in the history of theater are chronicled in this lively discussion of occasions when theater-makers changed the course of theatrical, and sometimes world, history. Covering a wide range of events from the inauspicious opening of Oedipus Rexin Athens, to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C., to the violence-riddled performance of Halla Bol in New Delhi, this book offers detailed and studied observations of specific minutes, hours, and days on the stage. For each staging covered, the author examines the reactions of critics and the public and tells the inside story, identifies the key players, and examines why these events still resound today.



    Table of Contents
    • Table of Contents
    • Preface
    • Of Murder and Premonitions
    • Chapter 1. Who Is Dead in the White House? Our American Cousin, Ford's Theatre, Washington, April 14, 1865
    • Chapter 2. A Night at the Adelphi: Secret Service, Adelphi Theatre, London, December 16, 1897
    • Chapter 3. A Beauty That Cannot Be Conveyed: Machinal, Plymouth Theatre, New York, September 7, 1928
    • Chapter 4. All Hell Broke Loose: Halla Bol, Janya Natya Manch, Jhandapur, India, January 1, 1989
    • Brave New Theaters
    • Chapter 5. Free Theater: The Serenade, Théâtre Libre, Paris, December 23, 1887
    • Chapter 6: The Slavyanski Bazaar: The Moscow Art Theatre, June 22, 1897
    • Chapter 7. A Wonderful, Heretical Play: The Seagull, Moscow Art Theatre, Moscow, December 17, 1898
    • Chapter 8. La Mama: One Arm, Café La Mama, New York, July 27, 1962
    • Riotous Behavior
    • Chapter 9. Old Price: Macbeth, Covent Garden Theatre, London, September 18, 1809.
    • Chapter 10. A Cut-Throat Competition: Macbeth, Astor Place Opera House, New York, May 10, 1849
    • Chapter 11. Round Dance: La Ronde, Deutsches Volkstheater, Vienna, February 7, 1921
    • Chapter 12. Oh, What an Arse You Have! Oh! Calcutta!, Eden Theater, New York, June 17, 1969
    • Theatrical Quarrels
    • Chapter 13. La Querelle: The Rehearsal at Versailles, The Palace at Versailles, October 14, 1663
    • Chapter 14. Nora's Incomprehensible Act: A Doll's House, Royal Theatre, Copenhagen, December 21, 1879
    • Chapter 15. A Mighty Personage: Ubu Roi, Théâtre de l'Œuvre, Paris, December 10, 1896
    • Chapter 16. A Purse to the Jaw: The Little Foxes, National Theatre, New York, February 13, 1939
    • Theater Out of Doors
    • Chapter 17. Second Prize: Oedipus Tyrannus, The City Dionysia, Athens, March 427 bc
    • Chapter 18. Moving the Globe: The Globe Theatre, London, December 28, 1598
    • Chapter 19. Good Cheer: The Theatre of Neptune, Port Royal, New France, November 14, 1606
    • A Tale of Two Countries
    • Chapter 20. In the Palm of One's Hand: The Frozen Deep, Tavistock House, January 5, 1857
    • Chapter 21. First Knight: The Bells, Lyceum Theatre, London, November 25, 1871
    • Chapter 22. The Meininger: Julius Caesar, Friedrich Wilhelm Municipal Theatre, Berlin, May 1, 1874
    • Chapter 23. Genius or Madman? The Ring of Nibelung, Bayreuth Festspielhaus, Germany, August 13, 1876
    • Political Theater
    • Chapter 24. Threepenny: The Threepenny Opera, Theatre am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin, August 31, 1928
    • Chapter 25. Coughing and Sighs: The Song of the Chaste Wife, Shinkyō Theater Company, Japan and Korea, March 1938
    • Chapter 26. Acid Test: Marat/Sade, Aldwych Theatre, London, August 20, 1964.
    • Reactions to War
    • Chapter 27. Marinetti: The Feasting King, Théâtre de l'Œuvre, Paris, April 3, 1909
    • Chapter 28. Dada: Dada Early Spring, Cologne, April 1920
    • Chapter 29. Ill Omens: The Glass Menagerie, Civic Theatre, Chicago, December 26, 1944
    • Chapter 30. Waiting: Waiting for Godot, San Quentin Prison, California, November 19, 1957
    • The Angry 1950s
    • Chapter 31. Look Back: Look Back in Anger, Royal Court Theatre, London, May 8, 1956
    • Chapter 32. The Man Who Discovered Pinter: The Room, University of Bristol, England, May 1957
    • Chapter 33. Hansberry: A Raisin in the Sun, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, March 11, 1959
    • True North
    • Chapter 34. Spittle in the Face: Richard III, Stratford Festival, Stratford, Canada, July 13, 1953
    • Chapter 35. 1967: Fortune and Men's Eyes, Colours in the Dark, and The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, Canada, 1967
    • Chapter 36. Dogged Intrepidity: Paper Wheat, St. Thomas Wesley Hall, Saskatoon, March 18, 1977
    • Chapter 37. Highway: The Rez Sisters, Native Earth Theatre, Toronto, November 26, 1986
    • After 2000
    • Chapter 38. Howl of Pain: 4.48 Psychosis, Royal Court Theatre, London, June 23, 2000
    • Chapter 39. The Revolution: Hamilton, Richard Rodgers Theater, New York, November 11, 2016
    • Chapter 40. One of Those Stories: Come from Away, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York, March 12, 2017
    • Epilogue
    • Chapter Notes
    • Bibliography
    • Index

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