Women and American Theater

The University at Albany's website has a wonderful article up about the recent book Women Writers of the Provincetown Players. The book, edited by UAlbany Professor Emerita of English Judith E. Barlow, is a collection of thirteen short plays by women that were originally produced by the Provincetown Players. Here's an excerpt from the article, including part of the interview with Judith:

"What made the Provincetown Players different from anyone else was that they performed American plays," said Barlow. As a result, they had a tremendous impact on the development of modern theater. In seven years, they produced almost 100 plays by some 50 artists, a large number of which were written by women.

Thirteen of the 29 people listed in the group's incorporation papers were female. Barlow shines a light on a one-act play from each of the female Players.

The Players were mostly white, middle class, and had some college education. But they considered themselves radical bohemians and performed in an abandoned wharf down the street from Glaspell's house on Commercial Street in Provincetown, Mass. They included an anarchist friend of Emma Goldman who sold tickets, and they questioned accepted notions about birth control, marriage, spinsters and the double standard.

Read the full article here and order a copy of the book here.

Celebrating Vera and the Ambassador

SUNY Press was pleased to welcome Vera and Donald Blinken to Albany last week. Friday at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, the Blinkens discusssed their recently published memoir, Vera and the Ambassador, describing their experiences with the U.S. diplomatic effort in Hungary during the Clinton Administration. Watch the video here.

On Saturday the Blinkens spoke at the University at Albany as part of the weekend-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the SUNY system. It was a homecoming of sorts for Donald: before serving as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary he was Chair of the SUNY Board of Trustees. Donald and Vera were kind enough to sign books for those in attendance before and after the luncheon. It was a wonderful day filled with goodwill and generosity—thank you, Vera and Donald, for visiting and for giving so freely of your time.