Delve into the history of the birthplace of American drama with Sue Mellen, a longtime entertainment columnist for the Cape Cod Times and author of a new book, “A History of Theater on Cape Cod.”

In 1916 a group of artists and writers in Provincetown mounted a production of a one-act play, “Bound East for Cardiff,” by a little-known playwright named Eugene O’Neill. They staged the play in a rickety old theater on a wharf in what was then little more than a sleepy fishing village. From that small harborfront setting the theater scene grew into the constantly expanding universe that it is today, with the theatrical descendants of O’Neill and the Provincetown Players continuing to present classical drama, contemporary hits and new, experimental works to audiences that have come to expect the best.

In her new book, touring theaters from Provincetown to Falmouth, Mellen reveals the rich past behind a unique cultural treasure.

Copies will be available for purchase. For a link and passcode to this online book talk, please email Kaimi at klum@clamsnet.org by Nov. 6.