It's heartening to learn how many of these structures still fulfill respectable dramatic and communal functions, but the book's chief value may be to help local people learn a bit of the heritage of these places to better the chances for preservation of the many buildings now vacant or used as warehouses. Both text and the eighty pictures testify to a love of theater in surprising places. American Studies

A major contribution to the history of American theatre, this book records in one volume all available data about theatres built in this country before 1915. The first comprehensive reference work of its kind, the Directory of Historic American Theatres identifies 886 theatres ranging from forgotten second-floor opera houses to elaborate performance centers still in use today. The data collected here is based on exhaustive questionnaire and follow-up mailings to historical societies, libraries, theatres, and individuals involved in historic preservation.