The O'Neill bookcover

The O'Neill

The Transformation of Modern American Theater

Jeffrey Sweet 

(Author)

Preston Whiteway 

(Unknown Contribution)

Michael Douglas 

(Foreword by)
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Description

A lavishly illustrated celebration of the fifty-year history of the most influential theatrical organization in America, the O'Neill Theater Center

"At the O'Neill, we were all engaged with full-hearted passion in sometimes the silliest of exercises, and all in service of finding that wiggly, elusive creature, a new play."--Meryl Streep

"I would not be who or where I am today without the O'Neill."--Michael Douglas

As the old ways of the commercial theater were dying and American playwriting was in crisis, the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center arose as a midwife to new plays and musicals, introducing some of the most exciting talents of our time (including August Wilson, Wendy Wasserstein, and Christopher Durang) and developing works that went on to win Pulitzer Prizes and Tony Awards. Along the way, it collaborated with then-unknown performers (like Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Courtney Vance, and Angela Bassett) and inspired Robert Redford in his creation of the Sundance Institute. This is the story of a theatrical laboratory, a place that transformed American theater, film, and television.

Product Details

PublisherYale University Press
Publish DateMay 27, 2014
Pages336
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconHardback
EAN/UPC9780300195576
Dimensions11.3 X 8.9 X 1.1 inches | 3.3 pounds

About the Author

Jeffrey Sweet is an award-winning playwright and theater historian whose previous books include Something Wonderful Right Away, a history of the famed Second City improvisational theater. He serves on the Council of the Dramatists Guild and is one of the most active participants in the Chicago theater renaissance.

Reviews

"A wonderful, over-sized book . . . that cmombines archival photos with excellent text."--Joe Meyers, The Connecticut Post--Joe Meyers "The Connecticut Post"
"Accompanied by fascinating archival photographs, this sweeping history of the country's foremost new play laboratory is as striking as it is informative. Theatre buffs will marvel at the effect the O'Neill has had on American culture--launching everyone from August Wilson to Meryl Streep--and the unlikely stories that led to its creation."--TDF Stages magazine-- "TDF Stages magazine"
"The O'Neill is famous among show folk, but [The O'Neill] will give civilian theater buffs a chance to share the 'O'Neill experience' vicariously."--Ethan Mordden, The Wall Street Journal--Ethan Mordden "The Wall Street Journal"
"This handsome tribute to the venerable Eugene O'Neill Theater Center combines Jeffrey Sweet's knowledgeable text with a marvelous array of black-and-white photographs."--The Washington Post-- "The Washington Post"

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