{"product_id":"theatre-in-the-united-states-volume-1-documentary-history","title":"Theatre in the United States: Volume 1 - Documentary History","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChronological scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e Covers theatre in the North American colonies through 1915, allowing readers to follow development across three clear historical sections.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary documents:\u003c\/strong\u003e Presents letters, business records, newspaper reports and memoir excerpts that give direct contemporary perspectives on theatrical life.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTopical chapters:\u003c\/strong\u003e Documents are organized into chapters on business practice, acting, buildings, drama, design and audience behavior for focused research.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEditorial commentary:\u003c\/strong\u003e Each section includes introductions and commentary that place documents in context and guide interpretation for scholars and students.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePictorial material:\u003c\/strong\u003e Includes numerous pictorial items and architectural descriptions that complement textual sources and illustrate historical settings.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComprehensive assembly of primary sources gives direct access to period voices and records useful for original research.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe organization into topical chapters and introductions makes navigating documents practical for focused study.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePictorial and architectural descriptions add valuable visual context rarely found in a single volume.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe format is documentary and archival, which may feel dense and less readable for general-audience history readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheatre in the United States: Volume 1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubtitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheatre in the Colonies and the United States: A Documentary History\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEditor\/Author\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBarry Witham\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChronological coverage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFrom colonial beginnings up to the First World War (to 1915)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eContent types\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDocuments, letters, business records, newspaper reports, memoirs, pictorial items\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrganization\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThree chronological sections with introductions, chapters on business, acting, buildings, drama, design, audience\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this volume include visual material?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The book contains numerous pictorial items and architectural descriptions to accompany the textual documents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat time period does Volume 1 cover?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVolume 1 covers theatre in the North American colonies through the First World War, up to about 1915.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a narrative history or a document collection?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is primarily a documentary history: a curated collection of primary sources with introductions and commentary rather than a continuous narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Barry Witham","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48242858918107,"sku":"0521102154","price":51.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/81d6BI2GdgL._SL1360.jpg?v=1770726616","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/theatre-in-the-united-states-volume-1-documentary-history","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}