Staging America: Twenty-First-Century Dramatists

Staging America is an essential read for theatre scholars and students, exploring the lives and works of 8 award-winning playwrights who reflect the social, religious, sexual, and national diversity of American society. It is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com, funded by Knowledge Unlatched.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book, titled "Staging America: Theatrical Visions and Social Perspectives," is a fascinating exploration of the lives and works of eight award-winning playwrights who have contributed significantly to the American theater in the 21st century. The book is available for free online at www.bloomsburycollections.com and is funded by Knowledge Unlatched.

The book highlights the cultural shifts of 21st-century America and captures the experiences of playwrights who have emerged in this era, when the theater itself and the society it engages with have undergone significant changes. The playwrights featured in the book include Ayad Akhtar, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Young Jean Lee, and Quiara Allégría Hudes, among others. Each chapter is dedicated to a single playwright, providing a comprehensive overview of their career, a detailed description and critical evaluation of their work, and a sense of their reception.

Christopher Bigsby, the author of the book, engages in a dialogue with the plays, drawing on primary sources such as the playwrights' own commentaries and notes, as well as contemporary reviews. This approach allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the plays and the social, religious, sexual, and national diversity of American society that they reflect.

Staging America is an essential read for theater scholars and students alike. It offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the contemporary American playwright and provides valuable insights into the cultural and social contexts in which their works are created.

In conclusion, "Staging America: Theatrical Visions and Social Perspectives" is a must-read for anyone interested in the American theater and the social and cultural issues that shape it. The book's free online availability and funding by Knowledge Unlatched make it accessible to a wide audience, and its insightful analysis and engaging writing make it a valuable contribution to the field.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 170 x 243 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350200920