Sex, Death, Dickens, and the Early American Musical

Authors

  • Laurence Senelick Tufts University

Abstract

This article argues that the stage version of Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop, adapted by John Brougham as Little Nell and the Marchioness, may be the first American book musical. Its enduring success was largely attributed to the performance of Lotta Crabtree in the dual roles from 1866 onwards. If the status of the play is justified, then it may require some scholarly re-visioning of the early history of the American musical.

Author Biography

Laurence Senelick, Tufts University

Professor of Drama and Oratory

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Published

2013-09-26

How to Cite

Senelick, L. (2013). Sex, Death, Dickens, and the Early American Musical. Popular Entertainment Studies, 4(2), 29–41. Retrieved from https://novaojs.newcastle.edu.au/kulumun/index.php/pes/article/view/126

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Section

Articles