Staging the War

Surveys of American drama have traditionally moved directly from the Depression era to the post-war period, neglecting a crucial time in American history - the war years. 'Staging the War: American Drama and World War II' redresses this neglect by examining American theatre from 1935 to 1955. In this comprehensive study, Albert Wertheim considers the influence of Nazism, Fascism, and U.S. involvement in World War II on American drama, and drama's effect on shaping attitudes toward the war.He first considers American plays produced in the years leading up to American involvement in World War II, paying close attention to attempts to build public awareness of Nazism, Fascism, and their effects on Europe. He then turns his attention to the war years, considering not only plays produced in response to the war but also those produced by the U.S. government as part of the war effort. Wertheim examines World War II radio plays as well before ending with a study of plays that responded to the war and were produced in the decade following it.