
This Is A Chronological Review Of Both The Plays And The People That Brought The World Of Homosexuals, Bisexuals, Transexuals, Metrosexuals, And The Sexually Fluid To The American Stage. The Plays--which Take In A Few Foreign Imports--treat Strong Gay Content (e. G., The Boys In The Band Or The Killing Of Sister George), Or Minor Gay Content (season In The Sun, The Nervous Set), Or Even A Phrase In Passing (as In New Faces Of 1956's Joke About Rome's Piazza Di Spagna, So Niche That Perhaps Fifty People Got It During The Show's Six-month Run). I Have Included As Well Plays That Portray Gay Through Dog Whistles (such As Bell, Book And Candle, In Which The Witches Are Really Gay People) And Even Plays Whose Sense Of Parody Or Outright Camp (such As Little Mary Sunshine Or Johnny Guitar) Are At Least Gay-adjacent. As For The People In The Book--writers, Actors, Creatives-- I Have Included Profiles Of Some Who, Though Gay, Had Little Interest In Portraying Gay Lives--edward Albee, For Example, Even As His Influence Not As A Writer About Gay But Rather As A Writer Who Is Gay Was Extremely Broad, So Conclusive That He Takes Pride Of Place At The End Of This Volume. These So To Say Pre-stonewall Eminences--actor-manager Eva Le Gallienne Is Another One--are As Much A Part Of The Chronicle As Such Overtly Gay-in-content Writers As Terrence Mcnally-- Provided By Publisher.
This book investigates the historical evolution and representation of LGBTQ+ identities, themes, and figures within the context of the American theatrical tradition. Ethan Mordden, a prolific chronicler of Broadway history, utilizes his extensive knowledge of stage productions to trace how queer life moved from coded subtext and camp sensibilities to overt thematic exploration. The work argues that the influence of gay writers, actors, and creatives was foundational to the development of the American stage, even when their work did not explicitly address gay subject matter.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Readers frequently note the conversational yet scholarly tone Mordden employs to navigate complex theatrical history. Experts highlight this as a comprehensive resource for understanding the intersection of queer identity and the evolution of 20th-century American drama.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2023-01-01
ISBN-10:
0190063114
ISBN-13:
9780190063115
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