Shakespeare, Once and Future American
What have centenary commemorations of our most popular playwright had to say about us and our aspirations?
Theatre History
This Month in Theatre History (July 2016)
From the last Ziegfeld Follies to At the Foot of the Mountain’s rise to national prominence, July was a hot month for theatre.
Breaking ‘Ground’: How the Speech Came to Be and What It Set in Motion
In igniting fierce debates about casting, funding, and racial equity, August Wilson’s 1996 keynote anticipated many of the arguments we’re still having.
This Month in Theatre History (June 2016)
From sibling performing groups to the opening of Westport Country Playhouse to Elaine May’s return to NYC theatre, June was bustin’ out all over with notable dates.
Young, Gifted, Black: Lorraine Hansberry After Her Moment in the ‘Sun’
Though best remembered for a single great family drama, in her short and brilliant life she produced other writing well worth a second look.
Tummler Aches and Growing Pains
A pair of new books reveals how Joel Grey and the Yiddish theatre both drew on Jewish stage traditions of gravitas as well as schmaltz.
This Month in Theatre History (May 2016)
From theatre fires to epic outdoor performances to the Broadway premiere of ‘Shuffle Along,’ May had many theatrical milestones.
This Month in Theatre History (April 2016)
From a gender-bending actress in the early 19th century to female playwrights on Broadway in the 1920s, April is a month of milestones.
Rap: Broadway’s New Jazz?
From ‘Shuffle Along’ to ‘Hamilton,’ a look at how black music has shaped the sound of U.S. musical theatre.
The Landscape of Memory: Letters From Playwright Adrienne Kennedy
Cast in two one-acts by the legendary writer, a Juilliard Drama student reached out and found a very forthcoming correspondent.
