Final answer:
The provided information does not specifically identify the father of the play movement in the United States but discusses pivotal playwrights like Eugene O'Neill, who transformed American theatre and could be considered key figures in any significant dramatic movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual widely regarded as the father of the play movement in the United States is not mentioned within the provided reference material.
However, if we consider 'play movement' to be associated with the development and transformation of drama and theatre in the U.S., one might look at influential figures in American theatre history for potential candidates.
Playwrights like Eugene O'Neill, Henrik Ibsen, and Tennessee Williams brought significant changes to the industry, pushing the boundaries of what theatre could represent, tackling social issues, and creating new dramatic forms.
O'Neill, for instance, is considered America's premier playwright and was awarded four Pulitzer Prizes and a Nobel Prize for Literature for his works that shifted American dramatic theatre into a respected art form globally.
Despite these details, without clarifying the specific scope of the 'play movement,' it is challenging to designate a definitive 'father' of the movement within the confines of the information given. Nonetheless, these playwrights greatly influenced the course of American theatre and could be considered key figures within any transformative movements in U.S. dramatic arts.