Early History
Provincetown is widely recognized also associated with the birthplace of modern American theater. Eugene O’Neill, considered the father of modern American theater, mounted his first play on an East End Provincetown wharf in 1915.

Recent History
Writers like John Dos Passos, Weldon Kees, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, and Michael Cunningham found inspiration in Provincetown. Many actors and musicians spent their early years performing on Provincetown stages, including Billie Holiday, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Richard Gere, Julius Monk, and Barbara Streisand.

Today, the tradition is carried on at Provincetown Theater, the well-known venue featuring the New Provincetown Players theater company.