cover image Journeys in the Night: Creating a New American Theatre with Circle in the Square

Journeys in the Night: Creating a New American Theatre with Circle in the Square

Theodore Mann, . . Applause, $34.95 (416pp) ISBN 978-1-55783-645-8

In 1951, Theodore Mann and Jose Quintero founded New York City's Circle in the Square, which valued risk taking and innovation. It was instrumental in staging the classics, while showcasing such American playwrights as Jules Feiffer and Terrence McNally. At the same time, it was a training ground for American actors, many of whom, like Dustin Hoffman and Jason Robards, got their starts there. Mann's memoir chronicles his life and that of the theater, which began in Greenwich Village and is credited with giving birth to the off-Broadway movement The amazing array of actors and directors who graced Circle's stage reads like a theatrical Who's Who. The downside is that many chapters are unnecessarily long. And by mixing in his reminiscences, the book becomes a bit disjointed, lacking a smooth narrative flow. Still, his memory is encyclopedic, and the joy he takes in his profession is palpable. (Nov.)