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Since the War of Independence, after which America gained its freedom from British rule, there have been 46 presidencies, including the current president Joe Biden in 2022. However, there have only been 45 presidents, as Grover Cleveland is the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms. While many of these men have drifted into the background of American history, several have received legendary status for varying reasons. As such, some presidents have become popular figures to be featured on stage in plays, musicals, and even operas. This guide explores how these presidents have been portrayed and the key events from their presidencies that have transferred into stage plots. It will also consider how the concept of the American presidency has been examined through a theatrical lens.

Terminology

• American Revolution: The revolt of the American colonies against Great Britain, beginning in 1775 with the Battles of Lexington and Concord and ending at Yorktown in 1781.
• Civil War: A civil war in the United States fought between the Union and the Confederacy from 1861 to 1865.
• Watergate Scandal: A huge political scandal involving the administration of President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974, ultimately leading to Nixon's resignation.
• Satire: A form of comedy that presents ridiculous extremes in order to make a point about society or human nature.
• New Deal: A series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that aimed to restore prosperity to Americans.
• Cold War: A period of political tension between the United States and Russia and Russian allies that developed after World War II.

Key Dates & Events

1. George Washington (1789-1797)
2. John Adams (1797-1801)
3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
4. James Madison (1809-1817)
5. James Monroe (1817-1825)
6. John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)
7. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
8. Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
9. William Henry Harrison (1841-1841)
10. John Tyler (1841-1845)
11. James K. Polk (1845-1849)
12. Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
13. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
14. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
15. James Buchanan (1857-1861)
16. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
17. Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
18. Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
19. Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
20. James A. Garfield (1881-1881)
21. Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)
22. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)
23. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
24. Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)
25. William McKinley (1897-1901)
26. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
27. William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
28. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
29. Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
30. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
31. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
33. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
35. John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
36. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
37. Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974)
38. Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)
39. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
40. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
41. George Bush (1989-1993)
42. Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
43. George W. Bush (2001-2009)
44. Barack Obama (2009-2017)
45. Donald Trump (2017-2021)
46. Joe Biden (2021-Present Day)