America’s First Influencer: The Early US Theatre

Please join Springfield College Professor Paul Thifault, author of The Routledge Introduction to American Drama, for a lively discussion of some of the best (and strangest) plays to appear on the early US stage. With a look at comedies, romances, and tragedies, we’ll see how the theatre helped a young US nation make sense of its past, present, and future. 

Paul Thifault specializes in American literature and enjoys working with students interested in careers in publishing, law, communications, and education. He is currently co-editor of Resources for American Literary Study, a journal of archival research in its sixth decade of publication. His scholarly interests include U.S. drama, Native American studies, and early American fiction. His recent book,The Routledge Introduction to American Drama, examines U.S. plays from the 18th century to the present.