The Show Must Go On! American Theater in the Great Depression

The Plays

Public domain. There are no known restrictions.

Photograph of Hallie Flanagan with papers and a CBS radio microphone.

George Mason University Libraries Special Collections & Archives

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

The Federal Theatre Project was founded in 1935 under the aegis of the Works Progress Administration. Established as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal, it aimed primarily to provide relief to out-of-work actors and theater professionals by funding of theatre performances across the country and secondarily to bring relevant art in form of theatre to all Americans, particularly those who were suffering economically during the Depression. At its peak, it employed over 12,000 workers nationwide. Under the leadership of Vassar College theater professor Hallie Flanagan, the Federal Theatre Project aimed to establish itself as a national theater program. Breaking with the past, it adopted a new, innovative, and inclusive approach to theater production--or as Flanagan put it, “re-thinking rather than remembering.” The goal was to create quality, entertaining productions but Flanagan, in particular, also emphasized theater’s value in educating and engaging audiences in social issues.
It was this willingness—and in many cases eagerness—to engage with social issues that ultimately planted the seeds of the project’s demise. Since its inception, it had operated under increasingly severe financial limitations, as well as hostility from certain members of Congress and sections of the press opposed to Roosevelt’s New Deal. Although it survived drastic budget cuts in 1937, its treatment of social issues served to intensify the opposition through the gaze of the House of Un-American Activities Committee. The project had become a political issue and, as support waned, a 1939 Congressional hearing cut funding completely—a final curtain call for the project after four years.

Wallace R. Stark, appearing before the Dies Un-American Committee about communism in the Federal Theatre Project

Title from unverified caption data received with the Harris & Ewing Collection.Date based on date of negatives in same range. Gift; Harris & Ewing, Inc. 1955. General information about the Harris & Ewing Collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.hec

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

The Federal Theatre Project

Theater before the crash

Impact on African American Theatre

Legacy

[Map showing] research service to 40 Federal Theatre units, research service to 5 Federal Theatre regions, research on the subject of the American theatre in 48 states /  Research Department, National Service Bureau, Federal Theatre Project.

Pen and ink and watercolor. On verso: No. 1. Copy annotated in blue, red, and green to show areas of research service, mounted on board. Scale not given.

Library of Congress Geography and Map Division

Although it operated as a national initiative, the Federal Theatre Project established regional administrations throughout the country. These regional centers adapted themselves to the needs of their local communities addressing issues of both national and local significance. Within each region, production was divided between different units, each one tackling different themes and genres. Vital to the success of this decentralized organization was the work of the National Service Bureau. It helped coordinate efforts across the country by writing and translating plays, sharing research and resources and providing a crucial support structure, especially to smaller projects.
These regional centers established a nationwide exchange of plays as productions began touring the country. Swing Mikado left Chicago for New York. Haiti traveled to Boston from New York. The 1936 adaptation of Sinclair Lewis’ anti-fascist play, It Can’t Happen Here, went even further, opening with twenty-two simultaneous productions, each one catering to a particular local community. Alongside these exchanges between regional hubs, traveling caravan theaters brought performances to remote areas, which would not otherwise have opportunity to see live performances. By the late 1930s the Federal Theatre Project had established itself as a national theater both of and for the people.

This chart outlines the organizational relationships between different jobs at the New York City Federal Theatre Project office.

Federal Theatre [on] Treasure Island "Swing mikado" A cast of 100 : Sensational success : Hot from New York : The big hit of the Golden Gate International Exposition.

Poster for Federal Theatre Project presentation of "Swing Mikado" at the Golden Gate International Exposition, on Treasure Island, San Francisco, Calif., showing a woman dancer. Part of the Work Projects Administration Poster Collection (Library of Congress).

The Show Must Go On! American Theater in the Great Depression

A Localized National Theater

A Localized National Theater