American Theatre A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1930-1969

This book concludes Gerald Bordman's survey of American non-musicaltheater. It deals with the years 1930 to 1970, a period when the production ofnew plays was declining, but, at the same time, a period when American dramafully entered the world stage and became a dominant presence. Despite thelooming presence of the film industry, this period was a golden age rich inplays, playwrights, and performers. From Eugene O'Neil's A Long Days Journeyinto Night and Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire to Arthur Miller'sDeath of a Salesman and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Americantheater finally reached adulthood both dramatically and psychologically. Inaddition, many brilliant acting careers were launched or climaxed on theAmerican stage, including Henry Fonda and Jessica Tandy, and foreign stars,Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Bordman's study covers every Broadwayproduction, and, increasingly in the 1950s and 1960s, every major off- Broadwayshow. His discussion moves season by season and show by show in chronologicalorder; he offers plot synopses and details the physical production, directors,players, theaters, and newspaper reviews. Bordman stops at 1970, because, in hisview, the decline in quantity and quality had reached an all time low, withBritish playwrights providing the only memorable dramas on the English-speakingstage. This book and the preceding volumes of The American Theatre stands as thestandard history of American drama in all its aspects.

Gerald Bordman is the author of many books, including American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle, Jerome Kern: His Life and Music, and Days to be Happy, Years to be Sad: The Life and Music of Vincent Youmans.