ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN DRAMA

While ethnicity spawned numerous comic stereotypes on variety stages,legitimatedrama depicted its share of first-generation Americans or recent immigrants, either for comic relief or to liven uputilityroles and only rarely to make a social statement. Plays likeStreet Scene, Gods of the Lightning, The Front Page, andThey Knew What They Wantedbring together characters from various ethnic backgrounds, all treated with respect despite lingering clichés.EdwardHarrigan's Mulligan Guard plays and others likeSquatter Sovereignitydepicted New York City's Lower East Side "melting pot."

The juxtaposition ofIrishand Jewish occurs in numerous plays, epitomized byAbie's Irish RosebyAnne Nichols. Aaron Hoffmanalso focused affectionately upon Jewish and Irish characters in comedies likeTwo Blocks Away. Italians and Russians tended to be found in comedies, while Asians began to appear inmelodramaslikeThe Shanghai Gestureafter the turn of the century. Plays about African American characters or folk life appeared with increasing frequency in the 1920s.

See alsoDialect role; Emmet, J. K.; Irish stage character;Potash and Perlmutter;Strongheart; Yiddish theatre.