African American Performance and Theater History: A Critical Reader

by Harry J. Elam Jr., David Krasner (Director)

African-American Performance and Theatre History is an anthology of critical writings that explores the intersections of race, theater, and performance in America. Assembled by two respected scholars in black theater and composed of essays from acknowledged authorities in the field (Joseph Roach and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. among other), this volume is organized into four sections representative of the ways black theater, drama, and performance past and present interact and enact continuous social, cultural, and political dialogues. The premise behind the book is that analyzing African-American theater and performance traditions offers insight into how race has operated and continues to operate in American society. The only one-volume collection of its kind, this volume is likely to become the central reference for those studying black theater.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theatre

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 18, 2000

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of essays on a wide variety of topics within the scope of African American theater history. Of note: "Uncle Tom's Women," and a great piece of Lorraine Hansberry and the usefulness of "A Raisin in the Sun" as a political tool during and after the Black Power movement (includes very interesting criticism of her work by Amiri Baraka).