The Lively Years: 1920-1973 (The Brooks Atkinson Series)

Brooks Atkinson's (1894-1984) long shadow fell on the Broadway theatre district for decades. He was a voice that kept the "Broadway" in Times Square, even when it appeared that the star of this Mecca of Entertainment would dim. Though Broadway changed over time in content and grandeur, his focus on the writing and the acting was clear and motivating for both the players and the audience. A "Brooks Atkinson" hoorah meant money for the producer and playwright, fame for the stars, and entertainment for the crowds, while his razzie foretold a quick decline in attendance and, often, a kiss of death for the production.The Lively Years describes those plays that from 1920-1973 shifted in focus. No longer solely concerned about contrived but happy endings, the theatre grew by showing the warts of society and people who are never as perfect as we would prefer.As a consequence, "The theatre not only reflected but also created public opinion;" and its plays became "pertinent to the human tradition."