An American theatre : the story of Westport Country Playhouse, 1931-2005 /

This oversized volume is a hybrid--part copiously illustrated coffee-table book, part documented and clearly written history of one of the country's oldest summer theaters, part celebration of the 2005 reopening of the Connecticut theater after a long-needed renovation-- but it actually provides more than a record of this theater's illustrious past. Although a better overview of the uniquely American summer-theater phenomenon can be had in Martha Schmoyer LoMonaco's outstanding Summer Stock (CH, Dec'04, 42-2136), which covers some of the same ground, this study offers a detailed case study of one of the more successful, and still operating, summer theaters. Somerset-Ward places the theater in historical context, offering chapters and sidebars that cover tangential topics such as the Theatre Guild and the career of founder Lawrence Langner. A few unfortunate misspelled names (Edmund for Edmond, Holbrooke for Holbrook) and some fanciful or naive comments on historical moments are distracting, but these are exceptions in an otherwise lovely book. A good supplement to LoMonaco's book, this volume includes appendixes (e.g., a year-by-year play list) and notes but no bibliography. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Large collections supporting American culture and theater history; upper-division undergraduates through faculty and general readers. D. B. Wilmeth emeritus, Brown University

In this history of America's love affair with regional theater and intimate look at one of the country's last surviving original summer stock theaters, author and arts consultant Somerset-Ward (Angels & Monsters) commemorates the Westport Country (CT) Playhouse's 75th anniversary. Reminiscent of the story of the Provincetown Players found in Barbara Ozieblo's Susan Glaspell: A Critical Biography, his account offers a happy balance of history, anecdote, and interview and is illustrated by a generous photographic record. After opening with a brief history of Westport, CT, and early American theater in general, the author covers the Playhouse's various eras, from its early beginnings and rise during the height of summer stock to its escalating budgets to its 21st-century renaissance as a performing arts center under the inspired leadership of actress Joanne Woodward, who, along with husband Paul Newman, provides the foreword. The list of playwrights and actors who populate these pages reads like a who's who of Broadway and Hollywood, underscoring this theater's unique place in American history. Highly recommended for all theater collections.-Laura A. Ewald, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.