This volume investigates the complex intersection of gender identity and performance practice within the context of theater, media, and cultural representation. Editors Jane de Gay and Lizbeth Goodman compile a diverse array of primary source materials and critical essays to examine how gender is constructed, subverted, and performed. The text provides a framework for understanding the historical and theoretical shifts in how bodies and identities are staged in both traditional and experimental performance spaces.

Experts and academics frequently cite this reader as a foundational resource for students and researchers in performance studies. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a comprehensive overview of the field's evolution.