Description
Book SynopsisHow is the individual and the nation' constructed and promoted in American theatre? How does theatre enable a nation to invent and reinvent itself? Who are the people' in We the People'?
This brief study examines the intersection of the USA's sense of self with its theatre, revealing how the two have an entangled history and a shared identity.
Through case studies of six canonical plays and musicals, such as Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), Oklahoma! (1943), Angels in America (1991), and Hamilton (2015), Theatre and the USA demonstrates how all six of these plays sparked controversy, spoke to their moment, and became canonical texts, arguing that that the histories of these plays are the history of the USA's theatrical infrastructure.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements 1. We the People 2. The People Transformed: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) 3. The People Producer Their Stories: “Sunday Morning in the South” (1925) and “Soldadera” (1936) 4. The People’s Memories:
Oklahoma! (1943) 5. An Epic People:
Angels in America (1991) 6. Who Tells the People’s Story?:
Hamilton (2015) Further Reading
