What happened in American drama in the years between the Depression and                  the conclusion of World War II? How did war make its impact on the theatre? More                  important, how was drama used during the war years to shape American beliefs and                  actions? Albert Wertheim's Staging the War brings to light the important role played                  by the drama during what might arguably be called the most important decade in                  American history. As much of the country experienced the dislocation of military                  service and work in war industries, the dramatic arts registered the enormous                  changes to the boundaries of social classes, ethnicities, and gender roles. In                  research ranging over more than 150 plays, Wertheim discusses some of the well-known                  works of the period, including The Time of Your Life, Our Town, Watch on the Rhine,                  and All My Sons. But he also uncovers little-known and largely unpublished plays for                  the stage and radio, by such future luminaries as Arthur Miller and Frank Loesser,                  including those written at the behest of the U.S. government or as U.S.O. musicals.                  The American son of refugees who escaped the Third Reich in 1937, Wertheim gives                  life to this vital period in American history.

Staging the War: American Drama and World War II PDF

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