Author Approved "In this compact and highly readable volume, Theresa Saxon introduces readers to a wide breadth of over four hundred years of American theatre and performance history. Given that mandate, Saxon's choice to draw upon a wide range of sources not generally available in theatre history texts and to highlight the early performance histories of Native Americans and African Americans is particularly noteworthy and commendable." Lisa Merrill, Ph.D., Professor of Performance Studies, Hofstra University, USA [Add BAAS series logo ] blurb] American Theatre History, Context, Form Theresa Saxon Presents American theatre history as long, rich, diverse and critically compelling The standard history of America's Puritan heritage, with its emphasis on theatre bans and rigorous policing of performance activities, has stood in the way of a fully developed understanding of theatre in America. Whilst critics have, in recent years, developed our knowledge of American theatre, the predominant focus has been the twentieth century. This book sets out to redress that critical imbalance. Close examination of America's theatre history reveals a diverse, stimulating and relevant body of work, one that is crucial to understanding the range of cultural and social developments across the nation. Drawing on Native American and African non-print cultures, the author explores performance histories in America not predicated on colonial record. This analysis draws performance dramas into contact with theatre and demonstrates that the rich and compelling diversity of theatre in American is, and always was, more than a replication of imported European forms. Key Features * Looks at the long history of American theatre from pre-colonial Native American performance rituals to the end of the twentieth century * Pays attention to generally overlooked pre-20th-century dramatic forms * Examines theatre in conjunction with performance history and ritual drama * Locates American thea