New Humor in the Progressive Era

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

• 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

Finalist for the 2014 George Freedley Memorial Award "First and foremost, The New Humor in the Progressive Era is marvelously entertaining and honors the riotous spirit of some of the greatest performers of the early twentieth century. At the same time, Rick DesRochers makes an important contribution to theatre and performance scholarship, American cultural studies, and histories of comedy and clowning. Thoroughly researched and compellingly written, this book is a seriously good read." - James F. Wilson, City University of New York, USA "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)