Book excerpt: Covering the turbulent history of American drama from the Civil War to the present day, this classic study offers a fascinating look at the evolution of this vital cultural form. With illuminating analysis of major playwrights and trends, as well as insightful assessments of lesser-known works, this book is an essential resource for anyone interested in American literature or theater. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.