"Extremely well written, and exceedingly well informed, this is a work that opens a variety of important questions in sophisticated and theoretically nuanced ways. It is hard to imagine a better tour guide than Fuchs for a trip through the last thirty years of, as she puts it, what we used to call the avant-garde. " Essays in Theatre

..". an insightful set of theoretical takes on how to think about theatre before and theatre after modernism." Theatre Journal

"In short, for those who never experienced a postmodern swoon, Elinor Fuchs is an excellent informant." Performing Arts Journal

..". a thoughtful, highly readable contribution to the evolving literature on theatre and postmodernism." Modern Drama

"A work of bold theoretical ambition and exceptional critical intelligence.... Fuchs combines mastery of contemporary cultural theory with a long and full participation in American theater culture: the result is a long-needed, long-awaited elaboration of a new theatrical paradigm." Una Chaudhuri, New York University

"What makes this book exceptional is Fuchs acute rehearsal of the stranger unnerving events of the last generation that have in the cross-reflections of theory determined our thinking about theater. She seems to have seen and absorbed them all." Herbert Blau, Center for Twentieth Century Studies, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

"Surveying the extraordinary scene of the postmodern American theater, Fuchs boldly frames key issues of subjectivity and performance with the keenest of critical eyes for the compelling image and the telling gesture." Joseph Roach, Tulane University

..". Fuchs makes an exceptionally lucid and eloquent case for the value and contradictions in postmodern theater." Alice Rayner, Stanford University

"Arguably the most accessible yet learned road map to what remains for many impenetrable territory an obligatory addition to all academic libraries serving upper-division undertgraduates and above." Choice

"A systematic, comprehensive and historically-minded assessment of what, precisely, post-modern theatre is, anyway." American Theatre

In this engrossing study, Elinor Fuchs explores the multiple worlds of theater after modernism. While The Death of Character engages contemporary cultural and aesthetic theory, Elinor Fuchs always speaks as an active theater critic. Nine of her Village Voice and American Theatre essays conclude the volume. They give an immediate, vivid account of contemporary theater and theatrical culture written from the front of rapid cultural change."

Of the 15,000 nursing homes in the United States, how many are places you'd want to visit, much less live in? Now that people are living longer and more of the population are elderly, this question is more important than ever, particularly for people with disabilities. We must transform long-term care into an experience we and our loved ones can face without dread. It can be done. The Penelope Project shows how by taking readers on an ambitious journey to create a long-term care community that engages its residents in challenging, meaningful art-making. At Milwaukee's Luther Manor, a team of artists from the University of Wisconsin's theatre department and Sojourn Theatre Company, university students, staff, residents, and volunteers traded their bingo cards for copies of The Odyssey. They embarked on atwo-year project to examine this ancient story from the perspective of the hero who never left home: Penelope, wife of Odysseus. Together, the team staged a play that engaged everyone and transcended the limits not just of old age and disability but also youth, institutional regulations, and disciplinary boundaries. Inviting readers to see through the eyes of residents, students, artists, staff, family members, and experts in the fields of education, long-term care, and civically engaged arts practice, thisbook underscores the essential role of the arts and humanities in living richly. Waiting, as Penelope waited, need not be a time of loss and neglect. The Penelope Project boldly dreams of how to make late life a time of growth and learning. If you dream of improving people's lives through creative endeavors, this book providespractical advice.