The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre

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In addition to some 2,300 compact entries on people, venues, plays, and other theatrical phenomena, almost 100 topical entries are provided, covering theatre in several major U.S. cities and such disparate subjects as Asian-American theatre, theatre architecture, female and male impersonation, magic, costume, Shakespeare on the American stage, unions, Hispanic theatre, stage lighting, and dramatic theory. The entries, arranged alphabetically, provide information not only on mainstream topics but also on marginalized and alternative theatre, popular forms (such as the circus, vaudeville, and burlesque), and key plays from the U.S. theatrical annals. In fact, the breadth of the Guide's coverage helps to redefine the domain of the American theatre. Over 80 experts in the field have contributed entries to the Guide. Useful cross references are provided throughout, linking one essay to another, and approximately 1,000 additional sources are suggested for further reading, both in the entries and in a supplemental bibliography. The entries are also illuminated by 170 illustrations. A biographical index, a special feature of the Guide, lists dates and major occupations for more than 3,000 individuals mentioned in the text. "The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre" will be a useful reference work, both in the United States and around the world, for all those associated with or interested in the theatre.