约翰·钦纳里的著作《评剧》是首部用英语全面介绍评剧的作品。整部书详细回顾了评剧发展的历史文化背景,能够使我们了解评剧观众的人口学特征以及评剧反映的时代背景。《评剧》一书分五章。第一章名为“成兆才——中国乡村的莎士比亚”,追溯了评剧的乡村起源及其早期在城市的发展以及评剧之父成兆才的传记和作品;第二章名为“当家花旦的崛起”,介绍第一批评剧名角与他们的故事;第三章名为“1949年之前和之后的剧院生活”,介绍了评剧发展的历史背景;第四章描述和分析了评剧的音乐和作曲家;第五章由三部重要评剧作品的译本组成。
		
	
	Chapter One
	CHENG ZHAOCAI, A CHINESE VILLAGE SHAKESPEARE
	The Pingju Drama's Rural Origins
	Cheng Zhaocai, Founding Father of Pingju
	Tangshan Laozi
	Cheng Zhaocai's Early Plays
	Yangshan and Tianjin
	The Move to the Northeast
	Cheng Zhaocai, the Playwright
	Chapter Two
	THE RISE OF THE PRIMA DONNA
	The First Pingju Actresses
	Bai Yushuang
	Other Outstanding Actresses of the 1930s and 1940s
	Chapter Three
	THEATRE LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER 1949
	Pre-1949 Theatre Life
	Eastern and Western Pingju
	Pingju in the PRC
	Chapter Four
	PINGJU MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
	Postscript
	Appendix
	TRANSLATIONS OF THREE OF CHENG ZHAOCAI'S PLAYS
	Widow Ma's Inn
	The Flower Matchmakers
	Humped Dragon