Carey Purcell, "From Aphra Behn to Fun Home: A Cultural History of Feminist Theater" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019)
Theatre has long been considered a feminine interest for which women consistently purchase the majority of tickets, while the shows they are seeing typically are written and brought to the stage by men. Furthermore, the stories these productions tell are often about men, and the complex leading roles in these shows are written for and performed by male actors. Despite this imbalance, the feminist voice presses to be heard and has done so with more success than ever before.\xa0\nIn\xa0From Aphra Behn to Fun Home: A Cultural History of Feminist Theatre\xa0(Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2019),\xa0Carey Purcell\xa0traces the evolution of these important artists and productions over several centuries. After examining the roots of feminist theatre in early Greek plays and looking at occasional works produced before the twentieth century, Purcell then identifies the key players and productions that have emerged over the last several decades.\xa0\nThis book covers the heyday of the second wave feminist movement\u2014which saw the growth of female-centric theatre groups\u2014and highlights the work of playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Pam Gems, and Wendy Wasserstein. Other prominent artists discussed here include playwrights Paula Vogel Lynn and Tony-award winning directors Garry Hynes and Julie Taymor. The volume also examines diversity in contemporary feminist theatre\u2014with discussions of such playwrights as Young Jean Lee and Lynn Nottage\u2014and a look toward the future.\nAndy Boyd\xa0is a playwright based in Brooklyn, New York. He is a graduate of the playwriting MFA at Columbia University, Harvard University, and the Arizona School for the Arts.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices\nSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies