Description
The introduction provides a broad overview of the social, political, and cultural contexts of artistic practices in mainstream theater from the mid-fifties to mid-seventies. Readers will find detailed examinations of the mainstream's surprising attention to craft and innovation; to the rich exchange between European and American theatres; to the rise of regional theaters; and finally, to popular cultural performances that pushed the conceptual boundaries of mainstream institutions. The book looks afresh at productions of Hair, Cabaret, Raisin in the Sun, and Fiddler on the Roof, as well as German theater, and performances outside the Democratic National Convention of 1968.
About the Author
James M. Harding is Associate Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Maryland.
Cindy Rosenthal is Professor of Drama and Dance at Hofstra University.
Reviews
The Sixties, Center Stage expands our vision of this critical decade, reminding experimental-theater partisans that Broadway, established Off Broadway, high-profile festivals, and the nascent regional theater were sites of equally challenging innovation. Even more important, Harding and Rosenthal aim to dismantle the boundary between the mainstream and the fringe-to demonstrate that there was far easier exchange of ideas, preoccupations, and methods between the two camps than we usually acknowledge."" - Marc Robinson, Yale University
""The editors successfully tackle the dichotomy that has long existed in the scholarly literature about American theater during the turbulent 1960s. Well-written, readable, entertaining, well-organized, and convincing, this book inspires readers to continue their search for ways in which false dichotomies can be exploded in other writings."" - Elizabeth L. Wollman, Baruch College
Book Information
ISBN 9780472053360
Author James M. Harding
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint The University of Michigan Press
Publisher The University of Michigan Press
Weight(grams) 630g