The first multi-volume history of the American theatre to have been published, The Cambridge History of American Theatre is an authoritative and wide-ranging history of American theatre in all its dimensions from theatre buildings to playwriting, directors, and designers. Engaging the theatre as a performance art, a cultural institution, and a fact of American social and political life, the History, recognizes changing styles of presentation and performance, and addresses the economic context that conditions the drama presented. Volume One brings together the work of ten major authorities on American theatre and drama. Like each of the three volumes, volume one includes an extensive overview and timeline followed by chapters on specific aspects of American theatre up to c. 1870. The American Society for Theatre Research has awarded the Barnard Hewitt Award for Outstanding Research to The Cambridge History of American Theatre, Volume 1.