This study describes the development of theater, amateur and professional, in the South during the forty-five-year period preceding the Civil War. Dormon establishes the nature of southern theatrical activity as reflected in programing, production, and audience composition and behavior. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.