Liberty Theatres of the United States Army, 1917-1919.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Durham, Weldon B.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Liberty theaters.

World War, 1914-1918.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (229 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Jefferson : McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers, 2006.

Summary:

This book delves into the history of Liberty Theatres established by the United States Army during World War I, from 1917 to 1919. It explores the role these theatres played in the social and cultural life of soldiers in training camps across the United States. The author, Weldon B. Durham, critically examines the objectives and outcomes of the Commission on Training Camp Activities (CTCA), which aimed to use theatre and movies as tools for social control and moral upliftment of troops. The book highlights the gap between the CTCA’s proclaimed goals and the actual practices in theatre management and programming. It also underscores the broader impact of these recreational initiatives on military and civilian life, marking a significant shift in American military and cultural history. The text is intended for historians and readers interested in military history, theatre, and early 20th-century American social dynamics. Generated by AI.

Contents:

Cover

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. The American Theatre and the U.S. Army on the Threshold of Modernity

2. Old Soldiers

3. Camp Life Reforms in World War I

4. The Purpose and Form of the Commission on Training Camp Activities

5. Commercial Theatres or Government Theatres?

6. Mobilizing the Commercial Theatre

7. Tents, Theatres and More Theatres

8. Money Matters

9. Discord

10. The Iron Hand

11. The Tightened Rein

12. Camp Shows

Tent Chautauqua

Musical Comedy, Tabloid Musical Revues and Burlesque

Comedies and Melodramas

Response to Touring Musicals, Comedies and Dramas

Minstrel, Speciality and Concert Performers

Motion Pictures

Vaudeville

Stock Companies

Soldier Shows

13. The Federal Government and the Entertainment Industry

14. Demobilization and Army Theatre Since World War I

15. Amateurs and Professionals: Conscience and Commerce

Appendix A. Liberty Theatre Openings and Closings

Appendix B. Liberty Theatre Expenses Generated by AI.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Part of the metadata in this record was created by AI, based on the text of the resource.

ISBN:

9781476620978

1476620970

OCLC:

1463085917