Call for Book Chapters: Setting the Scene of American Drama: The Importance of Place in the Works of Twentieth-Century American Dramatists

Vernon Press invites chapter proposals for an edited collection entitled Setting the Scene of American Drama: The Importance of Place in the Works of Twentieth-Century American Dramatists, under contract with Vernon Press and scheduled for delivery on 1 December 2027.

This edited collection examines the importance of setting and location in the works of major twentieth-century American dramatists, including Thornton Wilder, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, and August Wilson. The collection seeks to explore how place shapes dramatic meaning, characters, themes, and the broader world of the play.

The list of dramatists is not exhaustive. Proposals addressing other significant American playwrights are welcome, as are comparative chapters that consider a series of American playwrights in dialogue with one another. The central requirement is that the chapter's theoretical framework engages with place and/or setting.

Scope of the Call

Proposals may consider a particular work or a collection of works by an American playwright through the lens of location and/or setting.

Possible questions include, but are not limited to:

• How does setting impact meaning in a particular work?

• How can a discussion of scenic environment help us make sense of the world of the play?

• How does location inform the larger themes at work in a particular play?

• How are characters shaped by the place in which their stories unfold?

• What might the connection between place and American dramaturgy be?

• Why might location be uniquely important to American plays?

Proposals addressing other approaches to the relationship between place, setting, and American drama are also welcome, provided that the theoretical framework centers on place in some way.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit proposals of up to 300 words.

Proposals should include:

• A chapter proposal of up to 300 words

• A short biographical note

• Contact information

Please also indicate whether your contribution will require the inclusion of images or other supplemental material.

Completed chapters will be 5,000–8,000 words, including citations. Draft chapters will be due 1 June 2027. Please note that submissions are not compensated.

Proposals should be sent to the editor Kelly Aliano at kel.irene.aliano@gmail.com by 1 November 2026.

About the Collection

Setting the Scene of American Drama: The Importance of Place in the Works of Twentieth-Century American Dramatists considers the role of place in American dramatic writing, with particular attention to how location and scenic environment contribute to the meaning, themes, characters, and dramaturgy of individual works.