The Tenth Edition of THE ESSENTIAL THEATRE will inspire readers to become excited about theatre. The combined authorship of an authoritative theatre historian and his former student, an active theatre historian himself, provide an excellent understanding of the origins and development of the theatre--ideal for an introductory theatre course. In the 35 years since it was first published, THE ESSENTIAL THEATRE has established a reputation as one of the most comprehensive, authoritative surveys of the theatre in academia. Now in a new full-color format with many representations of current and classic performances, this book will encourage readers to become active theatergoers and fans. THE ESSENTIAL THEATRE, 10e, works in tandem with its companion anthology, PLAYS FOR THEATRE, 10. The scripts in PLAYS serve as a foundation for discussion of the various types of theatrical experience explored in the book.