Heroines of the Modern Stage

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the actress was no longer merely a performer. She was a phenomenon. In this pioneering volume, Forrest Izard documents the lives and careers of the women who transformed the English and American stage, from international icons like Sarah Bernhardt and Helena Modjeska to less celebrated contemporaries whose contributions proved equally vital. Written in 1915 as part of the Modern Heroines Series, the book addresses a curious gap: despite the profound impact of these women, no accessible collection of their stories yet existed. Izard presents Bernhardt not just as a theatrical genius but as a complex personality whose eccentricities and ambition embodied the spirit of modern performance. The result is both an invaluable historical record and a testament to the actresses who dared to redefine what an actress could be.