Theatre in the United States: Volume 1 - Documentary History

In this review of Theatre in the United States: Volume 1, the reviewer finds a scholarly, document-rich account ideal for researchers and serious theatre students; the single biggest reason to buy is its assembly of primary sources tracing American theatre from colonial times to the First World War. The volume reads less like a conventional narrative and more like a curated archive, so readers seeking firsthand documents, contemporary reports and architectural descriptions will appreciate the depth and editorial context provided throughout.

Key Features

• Chronological scope: Covers theatre in the North American colonies through 1915, allowing readers to follow development across three clear historical sections.
• Primary documents: Presents letters, business records, newspaper reports and memoir excerpts that give direct contemporary perspectives on theatrical life.
• Topical chapters: Documents are organized into chapters on business practice, acting, buildings, drama, design and audience behavior for focused research.
• Editorial commentary: Each section includes introductions and commentary that place documents in context and guide interpretation for scholars and students.
• Pictorial material: Includes numerous pictorial items and architectural descriptions that complement textual sources and illustrate historical settings.

Who It's For

The volume is best for historians, graduate students, theatre practitioners researching historical practice, and librarians building a collection of primary sources on American theatre. It serves as a reference text for courses in theatre history and for anyone needing original documents rather than a secondary survey.

It is less suitable for casual readers wanting a breezy narrative history or for those seeking contemporary criticism or performance reviews of modern productions; those audiences should look for interpretive histories focused on synthesis and modern appraisal rather than documentary compilation.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comprehensive assembly of primary sources gives direct access to period voices and records useful for original research.
• The organization into topical chapters and introductions makes navigating documents practical for focused study.
• Pictorial and architectural descriptions add valuable visual context rarely found in a single volume.

Cons

• The format is documentary and archival, which may feel dense and less readable for general-audience history readers.

Specifications

Title	Theatre in the United States: Volume 1
Subtitle	Theatre in the Colonies and the United States: A Documentary History
Editor/Author	Barry Witham
Chronological coverage	From colonial beginnings up to the First World War (to 1915)
Content types	Documents, letters, business records, newspaper reports, memoirs, pictorial items
Organization	Three chronological sections with introductions, chapters on business, acting, buildings, drama, design, audience

Our Verdict

For researchers and students who need primary sources on early American theatre, this volume is excellent value because it gathers diverse documentary material and frames it with informed commentary. Its archival approach makes it indispensable for scholarly work, though casual readers should be prepared for dense, document-driven reading rather than a flowing narrative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this volume include visual material?
Yes. The book contains numerous pictorial items and architectural descriptions to accompany the textual documents.

What time period does Volume 1 cover?
Volume 1 covers theatre in the North American colonies through the First World War, up to about 1915.

Is this a narrative history or a document collection?
It is primarily a documentary history: a curated collection of primary sources with introductions and commentary rather than a continuous narrative.