A History of African American Theatre [Paperback]

The first definitive account of African-American performance and theatre from slavery to the present.This is the first definitive history of African-American theatre. The text embraces a wide geography, investigating companies from coast to coast as well as the anglophone Caribbean and African American companies touring Europe, Australia and Africa. This history represents a catholicity of styles--from African ritual to European forms, from amateur to professional, and from political nationalism to integration. The volume covers all aspects of performance, including minstrel, vaudeville, and cabaret acts, as well as shows written by Whites that used black casts.This is the first definitive history of African-American theatre. The text embraces a wide geography, investigating companies from coast to coast as well as the anglophone Caribbean and African American companies touring Europe, Australia and Africa. This history represents a catholicity of styles--from African ritual to European forms, from amateur to professional, and from political nationalism to integration. The volume covers all aspects of performance, including minstrel, vaudeville, and cabaret acts, as well as shows written by Whites that used black casts.This definitive history of African-American theatre embraces companies from across the U.S., as well as the anglophone Caribbean and African-American companies touring Europe, Australia and Africa. Representing a catholicity of styles, from African ritual to European forms, amateur to professional, and political nationalism to integration, the volume covers all aspects of performance. It includes minstrel, vaudeville, and cabaret acts, as well as shows written by whites that used black casts.List of illustrations; Foreword Lloyd G. Richards; Preface James V. Hatch; Acknowledgments; List of abbreviations; Introduction Errol G. Hill; 1. Slavery and conquest: background to black theatre Errol G. Hill; 2. The African Theatre to Uncle Tom's Cabin Erroll l"