Women and Dramatic Production 1550-1700

by Alison Findlay, Gweno Williams, Stephanie Hodgson-Wiright

Findlay (English, Lancaster U.), Hodgson-Wright (humanities and social sciences, U. of Sunderland), and Williams (literature, U. College of Ripon and York St. John) present a chronology of the participation of women in dramatic productions in England during the late 16th and 17th centuries. Challenging the traditional view that women were not participants in professional productions (and therefore not a part of theater at the time), the authors cite numerous examples of non- traditional performance settings, both private and public. The work of several female playwrights is discussed, and the authors describe the eventual inclusion of women in the professional theater. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000