"This new and updated Guide, with over 2,700 cross-referenced entries, covers all aspects of the American theatre from its earliest history to the present. Entries include people, venues and companies scattered through the U.S., plays and musicals, and theatrical phenomena. Additionally, there are some 100 topical entries covering theatre in major U.S. cities and such disparate subjects as Asian American theatre, Chicano theatre, censorship, Filipino American theatre, one-person performances, performance art, and puppetry. Highly illustrated, the Guide is supplemented with a historical survey as introduction, a bibliography of major sources published since the first edition, and a biographical index covering over 3,200 individuals mentioned in the text."--BOOK JACKET.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 edition. Excerpt: ... OF ELOCUTION BY ALFRED AYRES.c-.y-.-.. AUTHOR OF "l'HE ORTHOEPIST," "THE VERBALIST' 11 THE MENTOR, ' ETC. 44 Art is the perfection of nature."--Sir Thomas Browne. "The perfection of art is to conceal art."--QuiNTILIAN. FUNK & WAGNALLS NEW YORK 1386 LONDON IO AND 12 DRV STREET 44 FLEET STREET All Rights Reserved. Entered, according to Act ot Congress, in the year 1886, by FUNK & WAGNALLS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C, PREFACE. This is the shortest treatise on the Art of Reading that has ever been written in the English language; yet, short as it is, it is of more practical value than are all the others--which is not saying much in its praise, for all the others are of no practical value whatever. The mode of procedure herein recommended, in order to become skilled in elocution, is wholly unlike anything that has hitherto found its way into print. Yet what is here is older than the oldest of the venerable " systems " that have come down to us from former generations, for what is here dates back to the time when men began to exchange ideas by means of a spoken language. Then, as ever, the sensible man--spoke he his own language or that of another--spoke naturally, and not as the elocution of the books, and of most teachers of the art, would have us speak, for that tends to make only bow-wowers and sing-songers. New York, March, 1886. Alfred Ayres. THE ESSENTIALS OF ELOCUTION. Elocution is the art of speaking language so as to make the thought it expresses clear and impressive. This is best done by speaking the language as we should speak it if the thought were ours, and the language came to.us as we givTe it utterance. If the thought were ours, and we extemporized the language to express it, we should...

First Published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.