The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights (Guides to Contemporary Drama) - Hardcover

Bloomsbury

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1472520076 ISBN 13: 9781472520074

Publisher: Methuen Drama, 2013

Synopsis

Unrivalled in its coverage of recent work and writers, The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights surveys and analyses the breadth, vitality and development of theatrical work to emerge from America over the last fifty years. This authoritative guide leads you through the work of 25 major contemporary American playwrights, discussing more than 140 plays in detail. Written by a team of 25 eminent international scholars, each chapter provides: · a biographical introduction to the playwright's work; · a survey and concise analysis of the writer's most important plays; · a discussion of their style, dramaturgical concerns and critical reception; · a bibliography of published plays and a select list of critical works. Among the many Tony, Obie and Pulitzer prize-winning playwrights included are Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner, Suzan-Lori Parks, August Wilson, Paula Vogel and Neil LaBute. The abundance of work analysed enables fresh, illuminating conclusions to be drawn about the development of contemporary American playwriting.

About this title

Review:

"One interesting phenomenon, emphasized in several chapters, is that while similar anthologies include only those plays that opened and ran on Broadway, this collection emphasizes many that opened off Broadway or in regional theatres across the country. The chapters are all interesting and leave the reader wanting more. ... It is highly recommended for inclusion in college and university libraries, as a supplementary reading source for courses and for anyone interested in an introduction to twentieth-century American playwrights and their plays." --Sharon Marie Britton, Director, Mildred F. Sawyer Library, Suffolk University, Reference Reviews

About the Author:

Martin Middeke is Professor and Chair of English Literature at the University of Augsburg, Germany. Peter Paul Schnierer is Professor and Chair of English Literature at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Christopher Innes is a Professor of English at York University, Canada, and holds the Canada Research Chair in Performance and Culture. Matthew Roudané is Professor and Chair of English at Georgia State University, USA.

About this edition

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1472520076
• ISBN 13: 9781472520074
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 504
• Editor: Martin Middeke, Peter Paul Schnierer, Christopher Innes, Matthew C. Roudané