Theatre as Human Action

This book is designed for the college student who may be unacquainted with many plays and has seen a limited number of theatre productions. Focusing primarily on four plays--Macbeth, A Raisin in the Sun, Rent, and You Can't Take It with You--this textbook aims to inform the student about theatre arts, stimulate interest in the art form, lead to critical thinking about theatre, and prepare the student to be a more informed and critical theatregoer. At the beginning of the text, each play is described with plot synopses (and suggested video versions), and then the four representative works are referred to throughout the book. This second edition also features revised and expanded chapters throughout, including on the technical aspects of theatre, the role of the audience and critic, and the diversity of theatre today.