Kenneth Goodman

September 19, 1883 (age 34)

Chicago, Illinois, United States

At Princeton, Goodman was an editor of the Tiger. On leaving Princeton, he returned to Chicago and managed the local interests of the Sawyer-Good-man lumber company. At the same time, he carried on his literary work, which absorbed more and more of his time, turning definitely to the dramatic field with a special concentration on the form of the one-act play. The association of his father with the Art Institute led Kenneth Goodman into the dramatic activities there. He played in some of the productions of the Donald Robertson Players, the forerunners of the civic- drama movement in Chicago, and wrote his first plays, in collaboration with Thomas Wood Stevens, for the annual festival productions of the Institute. These were published in 1914 as Masques of East and West following a number of local printings, beginning in 1911, of dramatic works under the imprint of the Stage Guild, an organization in which Goodman was the leading spirit. In 1912, he was active in the organization of the Chicago Theatre Society and wrote for its production a translation of Paul Ernest Hervieu’s La Course du Flambeau. His first volume of original plays, Quick Curtains, was published in 1915. This included “The Game of Chess, ” which had been very successfully produced by B. Iden Payne in his Chicago season of 1912-13, with Walter Hampden and Whitford Kane in the major parts, and his first play, “Dust of the Road, ” many times performed by various community-theatre organizations. All these plays were written for immediate production, and were at once in demand by various little theatres both in England and America. One of the harlequinades, “A Man Can Only Do His Best, ” was given at the Gaiety Theatre, Manchester, in 1914; and one of the plays written with Ben Hecht, “The Hero of Santa Maria, ” was among the early successes of the Washington Square Players in New York. This volume was followed by More Quick Curtains in 1920. In 1925, seven years after Goodman’s death, a volume of plays written in collaboration with Ben Hecht was published under the title, The Wonder Hat. At the outbreak of the war, Goodman took an active interest in the navy-recruiting problem, was commissioned first lieutenant, and became senior aide to Commander William Moffett, at Great Lakes Station. While serving at Great Lakes Station, he contracted pneumonia and died after a brief illness.

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Works

book

Ephraim and the Winged Bear: A Christmas-Eve Nightmare in One Act,

Back of the Yards, a Play in One Act

( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)

About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings in humans and their institutions are held up to ridicule with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government, or society itself into reform. While satire is generally meant to be humorous, its greater purpose is generally constructive social criticism. Also in this Book Poetry is a literary form that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language (e.g. phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre) to enhance the prosaic ostensible meaning, or generate an alternative meaning. Poetry uses numerous devices such as assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm are sometimes used to achieve musical or incantatory effects. Poetry's long history dates back to prehistorical times ehen hunting poetry was created in Africa. And in this Book Drama texts refer to the mode of fiction represented in the performance of a play in a theater, on radio or on television. Drama is viewed as a genre of poetry, with the dramatic mode being contrasted with the epic and the lyrical modes ever since Aristotle's Poetics (335 BC). The term "drama" itself derives from the Greek word meaning "action”. In the English language the word "play" or "game" was a standard term used to describe drama until William Shakespeare's time. The enactment of drama in a theater, performed by actors on a stage before an audience is often combined with music and dance. In opera, the drama is generally sung throughout, whilst in musicals it includes both spoken dialogue and songs. About us Leopold Classic Library has the goal of making available to readers the classic books that have been out of print for decades. While these books may have occasional imperfections, we consider that only hand checking of every page ensures readable content without poor picture quality, blurred or missing text etc. That's why we: • republish only hand checked books; • that are high quality; • enabling readers to see classic books in original formats; that • are unlikely to have missing or blurred pages. You can search "Leopold Classic Library" in categories of your interest to find other books in our extensive collection. Happy reading!

Holbein in Blackfriars : an Improbable Comedy

(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)

Stage Guild Plays. A Man Can Only Do His Best; A Fantastic Comedy in One Act

( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)

Ryland, a comedy

(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

Barbara: A Play in One Act,

The glorious gateway of the West : an historic pageant of the story of Fort Wayne, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to the sisterhood of states

(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

The daimios head

(This reproduction was printed from a digital file created...)

Dust of the Road; A Play in One Act

( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)

The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act

(The Game of Chess A Play in One Act.)

The Hero of Santa Maria; a Ridiculous Tragedy in One Act

(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)

Quick Curtains

Masques of east and west

(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

A man can only do his best; a fantastic comedy in one act

(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

Kenneth Sawyer Goodman

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playwright

Background

Kenneth Sawyer Goodman was born on September 19, 1883, at Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of William Owen and Erna (Sawyer) Goodman, and grandson of Senator Philetus Sawyer of Wisconsin.

Education

Goodman was educated in the public schools of Chicago, at the Hill School, where he was associated in dramatic activities with Edward Sheldon, and at Princeton, where he graduated with the class of 1906.

Career

At Princeton, Goodman was an editor of the Tiger. On leaving Princeton, he returned to Chicago and managed the local interests of the Sawyer-Good-man lumber company. At the same time, he carried on his literary work, which absorbed more and more of his time, turning definitely to the dramatic field with a special concentration on the form of the one-act play.

The association of his father with the Art Institute led Kenneth Goodman into the dramatic activities there. He played in some of the productions of the Donald Robertson Players, the forerunners of the civic- drama movement in Chicago, and wrote his first plays, in collaboration with Thomas Wood Stevens, for the annual festival productions of the Institute.

These were published in 1914 as Masques of East and West following a number of local printings, beginning in 1911, of dramatic works under the imprint of the Stage Guild, an organization in which Goodman was the leading spirit.

In 1912, he was active in the organization of the Chicago Theatre Society and wrote for its production a translation of Paul Ernest Hervieu’s La Course du Flambeau.

His first volume of original plays, Quick Curtains, was published in 1915. This included “The Game of Chess, ” which had been very successfully produced by B. Iden Payne in his Chicago season of 1912-13, with Walter Hampden and Whitford Kane in the major parts, and his first play, “Dust of the Road, ” many times performed by various community-theatre organizations.

All these plays were written for immediate production, and were at once in demand by various little theatres both in England and America. One of the harlequinades, “A Man Can Only Do His Best, ” was given at the Gaiety Theatre, Manchester, in 1914; and one of the plays written with Ben Hecht, “The Hero of Santa Maria, ” was among the early successes of the Washington Square Players in New York.

This volume was followed by More Quick Curtains in 1920. In 1925, seven years after Goodman’s death, a volume of plays written in collaboration with Ben Hecht was published under the title, The Wonder Hat.

At the outbreak of the war, Goodman took an active interest in the navy-recruiting problem, was commissioned first lieutenant, and became senior aide to Commander William Moffett, at Great Lakes Station.

While serving at Great Lakes Station, he contracted pneumonia and died after a brief illness.

Achievements

Goodman was a leader in the organization of the Senior Council. His interest in the drama, and in the artistic progress of Chicago, prompted his parents to give to the Art Institute the splendid Kenneth Sawyer Goodman Memorial Theatre, which was opened to the public in 1925. The Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois is named for him.

Works

Ephraim and the Winged Bear: A Christmas-Eve Nightmare in One Act, Ephraim and the Winged Bear: A Christmas-Eve Nightmare in One Act,

Back of the Yards, a Play in One Act Back of the Yards, a Play in One Act

Holbein in Blackfriars : an Improbable Comedy Holbein in Blackfriars : an Improbable Comedy

Stage Guild Plays. A Man Can Only Do His Best; A Fantastic Comedy in One Act Stage Guild Plays. A Man Can Only Do His Best; A Fantastic Comedy in One Act

Barbara: A Play in One Act, Barbara: A Play in One Act,

$The glorious gateway of the West : an historic pageant of the story of Fort Wayne, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana\'s admission to the sisterhood of states The glorious gateway of the West : an historic pageant of the story of Fort Wayne, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana\'s admission to the sisterhood of states$ The daimios head The daimios head

Dust of the Road; A Play in One Act Dust of the Road; A Play in One Act

The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act

The Hero of Santa Maria; a Ridiculous Tragedy in One Act The Hero of Santa Maria; a Ridiculous Tragedy in One Act

Masques of east and west Masques of east and west

A man can only do his best; a fantastic comedy in one act A man can only do his best; a fantastic comedy in one act

book
- Back of the Yards, a Play in One Act
  ( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)
- Stage Guild Plays. A Man Can Only Do His Best; A Fantastic Comedy in One Act
  ( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)
- Dust of the Road; A Play in One Act
  ( About the Book Satire is a genre of literature where vi...)
- The daimios head
  (This reproduction was printed from a digital file created...)
- Holbein in Blackfriars : an Improbable Comedy
  (Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
- The Hero of Santa Maria; a Ridiculous Tragedy in One Act
  (Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
- Ryland, a comedy
  (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
- The glorious gateway of the West : an historic pageant of the story of Fort Wayne, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to the sisterhood of states
  (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
- Masques of east and west
  (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
- A man can only do his best; a fantastic comedy in one act
  (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
- The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act
  (The Game of Chess A Play in One Act.)
- Ephraim and the Winged Bear: A Christmas-Eve Nightmare in One Act,
- Barbara: A Play in One Act,
- Quick Curtains

Connections

Goodman married Marjorie Robbins on June 12, 1912, and left two children.

Father:: William Owen Goodman
Mother:: Erna Sawyer Goodman
Grandfather:: Philetus Sawyer
Wife:: Marjorie Robbins

References

Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, a chronology & annotated bibliography

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School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

book

Ephraim and the Winged Bear: A Christmas-Eve Nightmare in One Act,

Back of the Yards, a Play in One Act

Holbein in Blackfriars : an Improbable Comedy

Stage Guild Plays. A Man Can Only Do His Best; A Fantastic Comedy in One Act

Ryland, a comedy

Barbara: A Play in One Act,

The glorious gateway of the West : an historic pageant of the story of Fort Wayne, commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of Indiana's admission to the sisterhood of states

The daimios head

Dust of the Road; A Play in One Act

The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act

The Hero of Santa Maria; a Ridiculous Tragedy in One Act

Quick Curtains

Masques of east and west

A man can only do his best; a fantastic comedy in one act

Kenneth Sawyer Goodman

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Works

book

Connections

References

Born

Died

Resting place

Nationality

Awards

At Princeton

on the editorial board of the Nassau Literary Magazine.

Goodman was a winner of the Baird Poetry Prize