This volume contains a series of close readings of the central works of gay male drama, as written by American and English playwrights. The plays discussed reflect the transformation of gay men in 20th-century British and American societies.

"Acting Gay" is a series of close readings of the central works of gay male drama written by American and English playwrights. The plays discussed reflect transformations of gay men in 20th-century British and American societies. Part 1 concerns the presentation of the physical aspects of homosexuality, from nudity to drag to AIDS, and their relationship to the norms of the society the audience represents. The second section surveys dramas written between 1930 and 1968 that paradoxically opened a space for homosexual characters while maintaining the closet. The third part of the text focuses on dramas written in the past three decades in which homosexuality is directly presented, reflecting gay history, gay culture and contemporary gay life.