''Theatre Arts Magazine'', sometimes titled ''Theatre Arts'' or ''Theatre Arts Monthly'', was a magazine published from November 1916 to January 1964. It was established by author and critic

Sheldon Warren Cheney Sheldon Warren Cheney (June 29, 1886 – October 10, 1980) was an American author and art critic, born at Berkeley, California, the son of Lemuel Warren Cheney (1858–1921), California lawyer and writer, and May L. Cheney (1862–1942), Appointmen ...

History

Cheney established the magazine as a quarterly publication with the support of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, which provided him with a workspace and financial support. The society's support proved short-lived. When the United States entered

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, censorship of German art became common. Cheney criticized this practice in the magazine's August 1917 issue, leading the society to drop its support. Cheney responded by moving the magazine to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. Cheney served as the magazine's editor until 1921, with several co-editors being added as of volume three. With Cheney's departure, Edith J.R. Isaacs took over as the lead editor. In 1924, the name of the magazine changed to ''Theatre Arts Monthly'', and its frequency of publication increased to match the new title. In 1939 the name was changed again to ''Theatre Arts''. As an editor, Isaacs included arts such as music and dance in her view of "theatre". She supported the

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and the establishment of the

American National Theater and Academy The American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) is a non-profit theatre producer and training organization that was established in 1935 to be the official United States national theatre that would be an alternative to the for-profit Broadway houses ...

. She publicized emerging artists, including Martha Graham,

Robert Edmond Jones Robert Edmond Jones (December 12, 1887 – November 26, 1954) was an American scenic, lighting, and costume designer. He is credited with incorporating the new stagecraft into the American drama. His designs sought to integrate scenic elem ...

, Jo Mielziner,

Donald Oenslager Donald Oenslager (March 7, 1902 – June 11, 1975) was an American scenic designer who won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design. Biography Oenslager was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and attended Harvard University, graduating in 1923. He beca ...

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Nobel Prize in Literature, literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama tech ...

, and

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel '' The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and '' The Skin of Our Teeth'' — ...

. In 1945 the magazine was purchased by

Robert W. Dowling Robert W. Dowling (September 9, 1895 – August 28, 1973) was a real estate investor and philanthropist in the New York City area. Dowling College was named for him. Biography Robert Whittle Dowling was born in New York City. His father Robert Em ...

and

Henry Steeger Henry Steeger III (May 26, 1903, New York City – December 25, 1990) was an American magazine editor and publisher. He co-founded Popular Publications in 1930, one of the major publishers of pulp magazines, with former classmate Harold S. Goldsmi ...

. Isaacs retired due to health issues in 1946, and Rosamond Gilder took over as editor. Across three years, Dowling and Steeger lost some $60,000. By the beginning of 1948, they were prepared to close the magazine down, but instead, they sold it to another publication, ''Stage'', which merged with it, keeping the ''Theatre Arts'' name.

Charles MacArthur Charles Gordon MacArthur (November 5, 1895 – April 21, 1956) was an American playwright, screenwriter and 1935 winner of the Academy Award for Best Story. Life and career MacArthur was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven chil ...

became the editor. Byron Bentley took over as editor and publisher in 1962.

References

Works cited

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External links

{{Commons category, Theatre Arts Magazine
Library of Congress for ''Theatre Arts Magazine'' (1916-1923)

Library of Congress for ''Theatre Arts Monthly'' (1924-1939)

Library of Congress for ''Theatre Arts'' (1939-1964)

WorldCat for ''Theatre Arts Monthly'' (1924-1939)

WorldCat for ''Theatre Arts'' (1939-1964)
* Handley, John Guy (1960)
"A History of 'Theatre Arts' Magazine: 1916-1948."
LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 622 Visual arts magazines published in the United States Monthly magazines published in the United States Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1916 Magazines disestablished in 1964 Magazines published in Detroit Magazines published in New York City Theatre magazines