By: Wendy Tran, Hanna Tannous, Josh Willie American Theatre By: Wendy Tran, Hanna Tannous, Josh Willie Period 6

Important Historical Events/Dates Early 1700s: American Theatre Born 1716- first American Theatre built 1812- the first time a Shakespearean play, A Winter’s Tale, was performed in Philadelphia 1921- first time African American, Charles Gilpin, played a lead role in a White Company

Important Historical Events/Dates 19th century- Minstrel shows: whites pretending to be blacks 20th century- Vaudeville was common, influenced by singers that performed between acts in a play musical theater was created

Locations First American Theatre located in Williamsburg, Virginia 19 century: 4 theatre cities in America- Philadelphia, New York, Charleston, Boston

Famous Authors/Playwrights Lorraine Hansberry(1930-1965): first black playwright, wrote “A Raisin in the Sun” Alice Childress(1920-1994): woman black playwright, wrote “Florence,” “Just A Little Simple,” and many others

Theatre House or Stage Area 1879: Began to advance in stage technology Audience Stage was thrust in auditorium arranged on sides of acting area like today

Make-Up Water-soluble make-up instead of poisonous lead oxide Limelight was created already so it could show on their faces instead of applying lead

Plays written during this time The Odd Couple, and Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon The Iceman Cometh, and Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene O’Neal