Staging Stigma is a captivating excursion into the bizarre world of the American freak show. Chemers critically examines several key moments of a performance tradition in which the truth is often stranger than the fiction. Grounded in meticulous historical research and cultural criticism, Chemers analysis reveals untold stories of freaks that will change the way we understand both performance and disability in America. This book is a must-have for serious students of freakery or anyone who is curious about the hidden side of American theatrical history.

MICHAEL MARK CHEMERS is Assistant Professor of Dramatic Literature, Carnegie Mellon University, USA.

Foreword Introduction: The Ugly Word Staging Stigma Prurience and Propriety Enlightenment and Wonder Pathology and Prodigy Exploitation and Transgression Conclusion: God's Own Artwork