By tracing the effects of unprecedented immigration, the advent of the new woman, and the little-known vaudeville careers of performers like the Elinore Sisters, Buster Keaton, and the Marx Brothers, DesRochers examines the relation between comedic vaudeville acts and progressive reformers as they fought over the new definition of "Americanness."

Finalist for the 2014 George Freedley Memorial Award

The New Humor in the Progressive Era vividly illuminates a critical era in America's social and cultural history that might also shed light on our own. DesRochers writes in clear, accessible prose, and this book will be of interest to those interested in America's social and cultural history, as well as specialists in theatre history and popular entertainment. (Cheryl Black, The Journal of American Drama and Theatre, jadtjournal.org, Vol. 28 (2), June, 2016)

DesRochers's work in The New Humor in the Progressive Era excites conversation and inquiry, and it invites us to reconsider vaudeville as an important site for studies of American identity. In this smart and informed analysis, Rick DesRochers turns a spotlight on the vaudeville stage and invites us to listen to the rebellious voices of its clowns and comics and to trace its lasting legacy in American culture. (Ann M. Ryan, Studies in American Humor, Spring, 2016)

Autorentext

Rick DesRochers is Associate Professor and Director of Theatre and Multi-Media Performance at Lehman College, City University of New York, USA.

Inhalt

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