American Avant-Garde Theatre

This stunning contribution to the field of theatre history is the first in-depth look at avant-garde theatre in the United States from the early 1950s to the 1990s. American Avant-Garde Theatre offers a definition of the avant-garde, and looks at its origins and theoretical foundations by examining:
*Gertrude Stein
*John Cage
*The Beat writers
*Avant-garde cinema
*Abstract Expressionism
*Minimalism There are fascinating discussions and illustrations of the productions of the Living Theatre, the Wooster Group, Open Theatre, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre and Performance Group. among many others. Aronson also examines why avant-garde theatre declined and virtually disappeared at the end of the twentieth century.

Booknews

Aronson (theatre, Columbia U.) offers a definition of the avant-garde, and looks at its origins and theoretical foundations through the works of authors and whole movements such as Gertrude Stein, John Cage, The Beat writers, abstract expressionism, and minimalism. B&w photographs from productions of the Living Theatre, the Wooster Group, Open Theatre, individual performance artists, and Performance Group highlight the discussion of the rise and eventual fall of avant-garde theatre in the U.S. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Arnold Aronson is Professor of Theatre at Columbia University, USA.