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Dorothy Parker's Broadway Career: A Comprehensive Exploration of Her 1918-1923 Output

Samuel Ward

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Published in Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway 1918 1923 Kevin C Fitzpatrick

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Dorothy Parker was a prolific and influential American writer who made a significant contribution to Broadway theater in the early 20th century. Her plays, reviews, and essays were known for their wit, sophistication, and sharp social commentary.

Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918–1923

by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	804 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
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Print length	:	514 pages

Parker's Broadway career began in 1918 when she was hired as a drama critic for the magazine Vanity Fair. In this role, she wrote incisive and often scathing reviews of the latest Broadway productions. Her reviews were highly respected and feared by theater producers and actors alike.

In addition to her work as a critic, Parker also wrote several plays during this period. Her first play, The Lady in the Drifter, was produced in 1918. The play was a critical and commercial failure, but it established Parker as a playwright to be reckoned with.

Parker's second play, Close Harmony, was produced in 1924. The play was a critical and commercial success, and it cemented Parker's reputation as one of the leading playwrights of her generation.

Parker's Broadway career came to an end in 1923 when she left Vanity Fair to focus on her writing. However, her legacy as a playwright and theater critic continues to inspire and influence theater artists today.

Parker's Plays

Parker wrote four plays during her Broadway career: The Lady in the Drifter (1918),Close Harmony (1924),The Coast of Illyria (1925),and Ladies of the Corridor (1925).

The Lady in the Drifter is a one-act play about a young woman who falls in love with a drifter. The play is a bittersweet comedy that explores the themes of love, loss, and social class.

Close Harmony is a three-act play about a group of friends who are trying to make it in show business. The play is a funny and heartwarming look at the challenges and rewards of creative life.

The Coast of Illyria is a three-act play about a group of expatriates who are living in Europe. The play is a witty and sophisticated comedy that explores the themes of identity, love, and loss.

Ladies of the Corridor is a one-act play about a group of women who are living in a boarding house. The play is a poignant and funny look at the lives of women in the early 20th century.

Parker's Theater Criticism

Parker was a gifted theater critic who wrote over 200 reviews for Vanity Fair. Her reviews were known for their wit, sophistication, and sharp social commentary.

Parker was not afraid to criticize the work of even the most established playwrights and actors. She was especially critical of plays that she felt were trite, sentimental, or melodramatic.

Parker's theater criticism was highly respected and feared by theater producers and actors alike. It was said that a bad review from Parker could kill a show overnight.

Parker's Legacy

Dorothy Parker was a groundbreaking playwright and theater critic who made a significant contribution to Broadway theater in the early 20th century. Her wit, sophistication, and sharp social commentary continue to inspire and influence theater artists today.

Parker's plays are still performed regularly around the world. Her theater criticism is still read and studied by aspiring theater critics and playwrights.

Parker was a true pioneer of American theater. Her work helped to shape the development of modern American drama and theater criticism.

Dorothy Parker: Complete Broadway, 1918–1923

by Kevin C. Fitzpatrick

4.8 out of 5