This anthology investigates the evolution and impact of female playwrights on the development of modern drama during the critical transition period between the 1880s and the 1930s. Katherine E. Kelly, a scholar of theater history, compiles a diverse selection of international plays to demonstrate how women utilized the stage to challenge social norms and experiment with dramatic form. By contextualizing these works within their specific cultural and political climates, the collection argues that women were central, rather than peripheral, to the emergence of modern theatrical movements.

Scholars and theater historians frequently cite this anthology as a foundational resource for understanding the contributions of women to the early modern stage. The text is noted for its academic rigor and its ability to provide visibility to playwrights who were previously excluded from traditional dramatic canons.