Rank Ladies: Gender and Cultural Hierarchy in American Vaudeville

A disrobing acrobat, a female Hamlet, and a tuba-playing labor activist — all these women come to life in Rank Ladies. In this comprehensive study of women in vaudeville, Alison Kibler reveals how female performers, patrons, and workers shaped the rise and fall of the most popular live entertainment at the turn of the century.
Kibler focuses on the role of gender in struggles over whether high or low culture would reign in vaudeville, examining women’s performances and careers in vaudeville,...