This study examines the pedagogical potential of Critical/Reflective Readers Theater (CRRT) in teaching American literature to non-native English speakers in Taiwan. Implemented within a semester-long course at National Kaohsiung Normal University, the 18-week CRRT program integrated performance, collaborative script adaptation, and reflective writing to complement traditional lecture-based instruction. Data collected from pre- and post-program surveys, self/peer evaluations, and student portfolios revealed that CRRT enhanced learner motivation, fostered independent critical thinking, and deepened cultural awareness. While the approach successfully engaged students in literature as an active process, teacher-guided close reading remained necessary for nuanced textual comprehension. The results shown in the surveys indicate that in a CRRT classroom the learners feel more motivated and are able to acquire a framework of the text after each group's performance. Students participating in oral reading activities are able to formulate independent thinking and fulfill a mission with their own knowledge base grounded a comparatively cross-cultural awareness. Yet, detailed close reading of the texts and teacher's guided tutoring are still needed in the classroom for a better understanding of the materials. The findings suggest that CRRT offers an effective, adaptable model for enriching literary pedagogy in global contexts where English is taught as a foreign language. In prospect, non-native English educators need to adopt an eclectic approach in the teaching of American Literature, that is, a combination of traditional tutoring and student-centered oral performances, and stress the importance for training of critical thinking and literary analysis.