1. Americanization: Progressive Era Reformers, Cultural Critics, and Popular Comic Entertainments -- 2. Putting It Over in American Vaudeville -- 3. The New Humor: Ethnic Acts and Family Acts -- 4. The Marx Brothers Go To School -- 5. The New Woman and the Female Comedian as Social Insurgent -- Epilogue.
Summary:
"The New Humor in the Progressive Era defines this brand of humor and how it was practiced by comic vaudevillians from the 1880s to the early 1920s, vaudeville's golden era. Providing a comprehensive and wide range of comic vaudevillians, a special emphasis is placed on the comedy team and ethnic act of Joe Weber and Lew Fields; the family act of the Three Keatons; the school act of the Marx Brothers; the combination ethnic and family act of Kate and May Elinore, known as the Elinore Sisters; and the burlesque-inspired comedy of May Irwin, Eva Tanguay, and Marie Dressler. This diverse array of performers will be considered in relationship to Progressive-era reformers, cultural critics, and moral authorities, and their attempts to control, censure, and regulate popular comic entertainments on the vaudeville stage"-- Provided by publisher.
Series:
Palgrave studies in theatre and performance history
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.