Voices from the Federal Theatre / Bonnie Nelson Schwartz and the Educational Film Center ; foreword by Robert Brustein.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schwartz, Bonnie Nelson.

Contributor:

Educational Film Center (Annandale, Va.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Federal Theatre Project (U.S.).

Physical Description:

xxii, 218 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm + 1 DVD (sound, black and white & color : approximately 110 min. ; 4 3/4 in.)

Place of Publication:

Madison : University of Wisconsin Press, [2003]

Summary:

The Federal Theatre Project, a 1930s relief project of the Roosevelt administration, brought more theater to more people in every corner of America than at any time in U.S. history. The project had units in every region of the country, including groundbreaking African American troupes, and staged productions ranging from daring dramas like "the Voodoo Macbeth, Waiting for Lefty, and "Cradle Will Rock to musicals, vaudevile, and puppet shows. It was canceled in a firestorm of controversy that gave birth to the damning question: "Are you now or have your ever been a member of the Communist Party?" This book documents that vibrant, colorful, politically explosive time, which gave rise to bitter debates about the role of government in American art and culture. It includes interviews with such Federal Theatre actors, playwrights, directors, designers, producers, and dancers as Arthur Miller, Studs Terkel, Jules Dassin, Katherine Dunham, Rosetta Lenoire, John Houseman, and many others.

Contents:

Hallie's Comet: The Federal Theatre / Robert Brustein xi

I. The Actors

Perry Bruskin, Children's Theatre Unit, New York 5

Jeff Corey, Federal Theatre, New York 11

Jules Dassin, Children's Theatre Unit, New York 17

Rosetta LeNoire, Negro Theatre Unit, New York 21

Norman Lloyd, Living Newspaper Unit, New York 27

Alan Peters, Touring Federal Theatre, Chicago 37

John Randolph, Children's Theatre Unit, New York 43

Studs Terkel, Federal Theatre, Chicago 47

II. The Producers

John Houseman, Negro Theatre Unit, Project 891, New York 99

Woodie King, Jr., New Federal Theatre, New York 105

Robert Schnitzer, Federal Theatre Project Administrator, Washington, D.C.; Northeast Regional Director, Treasure Island, California 111

III. The Writers

Arthur Miller, Federal Theatre Playwrighting Division 139

IV. The Variety Artists

Bob Baker, Marionette Unit, Los Angeles 155

Katherine Dunham, Federal Theatre Dance Unit, Chicago 161

Virginia Wren, Federal Theatre Circus and Vaudeville Units, Boston 167

V. Other Voices

Clinton Turner Davis, Director, Conjur Man Dies Re-creation, New Federal Theatre, New York 189

Lincoln Diamant, Federal Theatre Audience Member, New York 193

Richard Eyre, Former Director, National Theatre of Great Britain 197.

Participant:

Accompanying DVD hosted by Judd Hirsch.

Credits:

Accompanying DVD videographed by Bryan Reichhardt ... [et al.], edited by Dan Rose, music composed and arranged by Fred Karnes. Also includes interviews, photographs and posters.

Notes:

Includes index.

Accompanying DVD has title: Who killed the Federal theatre? / a production of the Educational Film Center and Bonnie Nelson Schwartz. Copyright 2002.

Contains:

Who killed the Federal Theatre?

ISBN:

0299183203

0299183246

OCLC:

52001815