The Playwright's Art: Conversations with Contemporary American Dramatists

Book Overview

This collection contains in-depth original and lively interviews with fifteen of America's leading contemporary playwrights--Edward Albee, Robert Anderson, Alice Childress, John Guare, A. R. Gurney, Beth Henley, Henry David Hwang, Larry L. King, Jerome Lawrence, Terrence McNally, Ntozake Shange, Neil Simon, Jean-Claude van Itallie, Wendy Wasserstein, and Lanford Wilson. Taken together, the careers of these dramatists span the entire history of the last fifty years of American theater. The writers talk freely about how they shape a play, how they participate in the production process, and how they feel about film adaptations of their work. The playwrights also dissect the changes that have occurred in the American theater since the Second World War, such as the increased costs of production and tickets, the shift in focus and style of theater critics, the absence of original plays on Broadway, and the growth of regional, off-Broadway, and off-off Broadway theater. The Playwright's Art includes an excellent, comprehensive, historical overview of contemporary American drama by Jackson Bryer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813521297
• ISBN13: 9780813521299
• Release Date: December 1994
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.0" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting Interviews with Playwrights

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting to read the Q & A's with some of Americas greatest playwrights. I especially enjoyed the interviews with Edward Albee, Neil Simon and Wendy Wasserstein. These playwrights answered a variety of questions. Everything from working with actors and directors, to how to handle the critics. Even giving background on how these playwrights got into writing in the first place. There are a variety of topics covered. A very informative book for anyone interested in the art and business of writing plays. You will learn directly from the playwrights experiences and stories.

These interviews can't be beat!

As a theatre major I'm on the constant lookout for good books on modern playwrights. This book is an invaluable resource for theatre lovers. The interview with Terrence McNally is especially wonderful. A must have for active theatre-goers.