Sweet Mystery

Sweet Mystery provides a new look into early twentieth century American theatre through one of its most prolific playwrights. The story of Rida Johnson Young (ca. 1869-1926) is told here in full by author Ellen Peck, who uses original typescripts, correspondence, reviews, and other archival materials to contextualize her work and its influence on her time and ours.

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Rida Johnson Young (ca. 1869-1926) was one of the most prolific female playwrights of her time, as well as a lyricist and librettist in the musical theater. She wrote more than thirty full-length plays, operettas, and musical comedies, 500 songs, and four novels, including Naughty Marietta, Lady Luxury, The Red Petticoat, and When Love is Young . Despite her extensive output, no significant study of her work has been produced. This book looks at her musical theater works with in-depth analyses of her librettos and lyrics, as well as her working relationships with other writers, performers, and producers, particularly Lee and J. J. Shubert. Using archival materials such as original typescripts, correspondence, and reviews, the book contextualizes her work in the early twentieth century professional theater and provides a window into the standard practices of writing and production of the era.