America

Episode number 3 of Series “Changing stages”.
Third episode in the six-part series “Changing stages”, written and presented by Richard Eyre, about the history of theatre in the 20th century. Whilst Britain was staging its satirical and often light-hearted societal plays in the decades leading up to the 50s, American theatre had grown, changed and developed its own unique style mirroring the mood and social changes of the time. In this episode, Richard Eyre takes us on that historical journey from Provincetown in 1916 where New York writers, poets, playwrights and political activists from Greenwich Village gathered together in small beach shacks exchanging ideas, philosophising, and creating serious political and social works, through to Broadway and New Orleans and the golden age of musicals, vaudevilles, burlesque and finally to Hollywood and the 1950s. Explores the effect and influence on American theatre and American playwrights through the Great Depression, two world wars, McCarthyism, the elusive “American dream” and the collision of race and cultures, and features biographical essays on Eugene O’Neil, Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Lorraine Hansberry. Through film excerpts and stills, including “The Iceman cometh” and “A Long day’s journey into night” (O’Neil); “Waiting for Lefty” and “Awake and sing” (Odets); “Death of a salesman” and “The Crucible” (Miller); “A Streetcar named desire” and “The Glass menagerie” (Williams); “A Raisin in the sun” (Hansberry) Eyre demonstrates the contribution and impact each of these playwrights made on the American psyche. Eyre also discusses the birth of the American musical, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein and the important place this art form has in American culture. Includes interviews with Arthur Miller, Jason Robards, Arthur Laurents, Luise Rainer, Clifford Odets, Hal Prince, Kim Hunter, Tennessee Williams and others. Contains some b&w footage. For more information see www.pbs.org/wnet/changingstages.