A womanless wedding is a traditional community "ritual of inversion" performance, popular in the United States in the early 20th century.[1][2] In this comic ritual, the all male cast would act out all roles of a traditional wedding party – including those of bridesmaids, flower girls, and the mother of the bride – while dressed in gowns and dresses.[3] The event often raised money for charities, civic organizations, and churches.[1]
The performances were so popular that scripts were developed around the idea, and the do-it-yourself theatrical productions were passed along from city to city.[1] Some of the stagings included impersonations of notable people, such as Henry Ford and Charlie Chaplin.[1] The performances were often performed by known groups, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps.[4]
- ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
npr-20150616was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Southern masculinity : perspectives on manhood in the South since Reconstruction. Friend, Craig Thompson. Athens: University of Georgia Press. 2009. ISBN 978-0820336749. OCLC 647878931.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Kemp, Bill (July 12, 2015). "Staged 'womanless weddings' once drew crowds". The Pantagraph. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
- ^ Johnson, Colin R. (Summer 2007). "Camp Life: The Queer History of "Manhood" in the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1937". American Studies. 48 (2): 19–35. doi:10.1353/ams.0.0016. S2CID 144301569.