Mid to Late Twentieth Century

By the mid-twentieth century, American drama finally began to gain

international recognition on a large scale. The two most influential
playwrights of this period, besides O’Neill, were Arthur Miller (1915–2005)
and Tennessee Williams (1911–1983). Works such as Miller’s modern
tragedy Death of a Salesman (1949) and William’s classic dysfunctional
family drama A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) remain some of the most
performed plays in theatre.

Both of these writers used their plays to delve deeply into the American
psyche, developing complex characters that explored the plight of the
working class, difficult family dynamics, and the ins and outs of the human
condition.

The mid-twentieth century also saw a rise in the success of African-American

playwrights, including Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959),
Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman (1964), and August Wilson’s Fences (1985).

As the century progressed, American drama continued to diversify, evolving

into the complex body of work we see today. Playwrights of the 60s, 70s, and
80s continued to tackle many important social issues of the day, including the
civil rights movements, the Vietnam war, and the AIDS crisis.

Theatre also became increasingly experimental and creative, with American

dramatists taking advantage of different structures, literary forms, and
advances in theatrical performance.