Download or read book Theatre, Society and the Nation written by S. E. Wilmer and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-09-23 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theatre has often served as a touchstone for moments of political change or national definition and as a way of exploring cultural and ethnic identity. In this book Steve Wilmer selects key historical moments in American history and examines how the theatre, in formal and informal settings, responded to these events. The book moves from the Colonial fight for independence, through Native American struggles, the Socialist Worker play, the Civil Rights Movement, and up to works of the last decade, including Tony Kushner's Angels in America. In addition to examining theatrical events and play texts, Wilmer also considers audience reception and critical response.