Theatre in Colonies:
Illegal--associated with sinful pleasure, stealing, low-life actors--outlawed by First Continental Congress.
"Come Any Night" Repertory theatre motto, a different play each night.
"Lines of Business" Actors specialized in stock roles (villain, hero, distressed person, comic relief); basic preparation during the day for the night's performance
"Starring"--1810, Entrepreneurs bring George Frederic Cooke, famous English Actor. Makes money and "consecutive nights" replaces "come any night."
"Starring Stock"--resident actors join with traveling stars, provides regional theatre (not NYC) with attractions.
Theatre Syndicates (1870-1910)--as money is made in theatre, wealth becomes concentrated. Klaw and Erlinger, Schubert Bros. Art suffers for the sake of consumerism. Theatre consists of elaborate sets, melodrama.
Workshop 47--George Pierce Baker; Speech/English Professor starts teaching realistic dialogues; catches on with students who develop into noted playwrights. Sidney Howard, Philip Barry, Eugene O'Neill. The class is not appreciated by Harvard, so Baker takes the Workshop to Yale, starts Yale Drama Dept. Previously, drama not considered topic for serious study, unless Shakespearean or Classical. Drama and Speech Departments spin off from English between 1910-20.
New Realism: Drama should capture character's psychology. Realistic Dialogue--everyday people and their problems, accents.
Group Theatre (1935--): Not rehearsing but training. No stars. Stanislavsky method of acting; theatre should deal with current problems, e.g.: depression.
Federal Theatre Project--Part of WPA, under Roosevelt. Hallie Flanagan disperses money thoughout US to support community theatre. 100% of funds goes to salaries for out of work theatre professionals. Community theatre must make links with businesses in community to supply theatre, stage, materials, etc.