Censorship of the American Theatre in the Twentieth Century (Cambridge Studies in American Theatre and Drama, Series Number 16)

John Houchin explores the impact of censorship in twentieth-century American theatre, arguing that theatrical censorship coincided with significant challenges to religious, political and cultural systems. The study provides a summary of theatre censorship in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and analyses key episodes from 1900 to 2000. These include attempts to censure Olga Nethersole for her production of Sappho in 1901 and the theatre riots of 1913 that greeted the Abbey Theatre's production of Playboy of the Western World. Houchin explores the efforts to suppress plays in the 1920s that dealt with transgressive sexual material and investigates Congress' politically motivated assaults on plays and actors during the 1930s and 1940s. He investigates the impact of racial violence, political assassinations and the Vietnam War on the trajectory of theatre in the 1960s and concludes by examining the response to gay activist plays such as Angels in America. John Houchin Explores The Impact Of Censorship In Twentieth-century American Theatre. He Argues That Theatrical Censorship Coincided With Significant Challenges To Religious, Political, And Cultural Systems. Arranged In Chronological Order, This Study Provides A Summary Of Theatre Censorship In The Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries And Then Analyzes Key Episodes From 1900 To 2000. These Include Attempts To Censure Olga Nethersole For Her Production Of Sapho In 1901 And The Theatre Riots Of 1913 That Greeted The Abbey Theatre's Production Of Playboy Of The Western World. Houchin Explores The Efforts To Suppress Plays In The 1920s That Dealt With Transgressive Sexual Material And Investigates Congress' Politically Motivated Assaults On Plays And Actors During The 1930s And 1940s. He Investigates The Impact Of Racial Violence, Political Assassinations, And The Vietnam War On The Trajectory Of Theatre In The 1960s And Concludes By Examining The Response To Gay Activist Plays Such As Angels In America.--jacket. Introduction -- Overture: Theatrical Censorship From The Puritans To Anthony Comstock -- Bad Girls, Tough Guys, And The Changing Of The Guard -- Flappers And Fanatics -- Have You Now Or Have You Ever ... -- Bye, Bye American Pie -- The Past Is Prologue. John H. Houchin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 302-312) And Index. John Houchin explores the impact of censorship in twentieth-century American theatre, arguing that theatrical censorship coincided with significant challenges to religious, political and cultural systems. The study provides a summary of theatre censorship in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and analyzes key episodes from 1900 to 2000. These include attempts to censure Olga Nethersole for her production of Sappho in 1901 and the theatre riots of 1913 that greeted the Abbey Theatre's production of Playboy of the Western World. Houchin explores the efforts to suppress plays in the 1920s that dealt with transgressive sexual material and investigates Congress' politically motivated assaults on plays and actors during the 1930s and 1940s. He investigates the impact of racial violence, political assassinations and the Vietnam War on the trajectory of theatre in the 1960s and concludes by examining the response to gay activist plays such as Angels in America.

Arguing that theatrical censorship coincides with significant challenges to religious, political and cultural traditions, John Houchin explores its impact on twentieth-century American theatre. Along with the well-known example of the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s, other almost equally influential events affected the course of the American stage during the century. After a summary of censorship in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America, Houchin analyzes key political and theatrical events between 1900 and 2000.

Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page viii) Introduction (page 1) 1 Overture: theatrical censorship from the Puritans to Anthony Comstock (page 6) 2 Bad girls, tough guys, and the changing of the guard (page 40) 3 Flappers and fanatics (page 72) 4 Have you now or have you ever... (page 117) 5 Bye, bye American pie (page 173) 6 The past is prologue (page 225) Notes (page 268) Bibliography (page 302) Index (page 313) John Houchin explores the impact of censorship in twentieth-century American theatre, arguing that theatrical censorship coincided with significant challenges to religious, political and cultural systems. This study provides a summary of theatre censorship in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and then analyzes key episodes from 1900 to 2000