Samuel Beckett's Theatre in America

When Alan Schneider agreed to direct the American premiere of Samuel Beckett's first published play, Waiting for Godot, in 1955, neither man knew that the play would be an unequivocal flop, nor that it would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship. Over the next thirty years, Schneider directed every major play Beckett wrote, including twelve American premieres and five world premieres. All told, the two worked together on more than thirty-five productions between 1956 and 1984. This book is a study of Schneider's collaboration with Beckett, with a focus on his American and world premieres. Assembling together for the first time a wealth of primary source material, Bianchini reconstructs each theatre production from the earliest stages of planning through opening night. These reconstructions are carefully situated within the wider historical context of American theatre in the mid-to-late 20th century, to reveal the story of how Beckett, thanks largely to the pioneering work of Alan Schneider, was introduced to American audiences.