The New York Concert Saloon: The Devil's Own Nights: 14 (Cambridge Studies in American Theatre and Drama, Series Number 14) - Softcover

McNamara, Brooks

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521036992 ISBN 13: 9780521036993

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2007

Synopsis

In this book Brooks McNamara explores the world of the concert saloon in New York from the Civil War to the early years of the twentieth century. A concert saloon is defined as an establishment offering various kinds of entertainment, including alcohol, with some also providing gambling and prostitution. All of these saloons employed 'waiter girls' to sell drinks and sit with male customers and all had bad reputations. McNamara focuses on the theatrical aspects of the concert saloon and examines the sources of saloon shows, the changes in direction during the century, the performing spaces and equipment, as well as the employees and patrons. McNamara paints a picture of a lively and theatrically fascinating environment and his work sheds light on our understanding of American popular theatre. The book contain informative illustrations and will be of interest to historians of theatre, popular culture and American social history.

About this title

Review

' ... full of interest ...' The Stage

Book Description

McNamara explores the world of the American concert saloon, establishments offering theatrical shows, alcohol, and sometimes gambling and prostitution. McNamara focuses on the period from the Civil War to the early twentieth century and examines sources of the shows, performing spaces and equipment, as well as employees and patrons.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0521036992
• ISBN 13: 9780521036993
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 172