Federal Theatre Project

unemployed workers, Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal program to fund theatre and other live artistic performances. The federal Theatre Project (FTP) was created not only as a cultural activity, but as a relief measure to employ artists, writers, directors, and theatre workers. The FTP unfortunately failed when it’s funding was canceled after congressional objections to their productions. Many projects the FTP provided led to the downfall of the project. The FTP presented over 1,000 performances each month to nearly one million people. An excerpt from the New Deal Cultural Program (text 3) stated that, “78% of the audience were admitted free of charge.” Admitting people in for free, the FTP was…

"Composers must come out into the open; they must fight the battle with other workers" Marc Blitzstein. Blitzstein’s The Cradle will Rock was one of the most powerful pieces of art during the Great Depression ("The Cradle Will Rock", 1). It alone transformed not only Broadway, but also the mentality of the American people during this time of labor, war, and strife. Theatre reached more people during this time than ever before. Under Franklin Delano Roosevelt 's Work Progress Administration 25…

Thursday, October, 22, I was privileged with the opportunity to see the production La Muerte Bila, written in collaboration with the cast, and directed by Rebecca Marinez. The play was performed at the lovely Milargo Theater in Portland, Oregon. La Muerte Baila takes place in the afterlife, a place that is neither heaven nor hell. The standout performers in the play were Alejandro, played by Jonathan Hernandez, and La Muerte, played by Sofia May-Cuxim. La Muerte Baila is much different from most…

play closed, Hester’s son tell his mother he knows what word was written on the wall. He goes on to call her a “slut” several times until Hester loses her mind and ends up killing her son. This represented Hester taking control of her life. She had been easily used all of her life and allowed others to shape her future, killing her son represented her taking control of her life again. To continue, the University of Illinois Department of Theatre brought In the Blood to the university to showcase…

dancing, fencing, singing and other skills as well. All of these components allow for them to play a wide range of roles in an assortment of theatrical forms. Actors must also develop observation and imagination in order to create convincing and believable characters. Taking all of these skills into consideration an actor must also possess concentration, allowing them to shut out all distractions and adopt their characters fully. When actors train in these areas along with a few others to gain…

How uniformity, deep levels of comprehension, and the yearning to enlighten people intertwine together make theatre everlasting. Even the spelling of theatre compared to theater had a level of comprehension resonating in it. While the term theater is more synonymous with American English, theatre is commonly known on a global scale. While theater can be perceived a form of entertainment and profitable venue, theatre is much more complex than those qualities. Theatre is an art form. Theatre,…

Introduction What makes a play worthy of being staged? What guarantees that an audience will want to see this production or connect with it? There’s a wide range of elements that go into a dramatic play that have been examined time and time again and interpreted in different ways. Aristotle and David Ball have both examined the structures of theatrical plays and what makes them substantial, however the two don’t agree on many topics. After reading a translation of Poetics by Aristotle and David…

Screen and stage entertainment are very different; although, they seem to have strikingly similar characteristics and have many comparable features that some do not even realize. Stage provides live entertainment that creates a bond with the audience that can be the same plot but performed so differently each time. Screen is filmed entertainment that can have special effects and captivate every single detail but has no real connection to the audience. Usually, how a person feels about stage…

Gabler debuted at the Residenzentheater in Munich, Germany. Hedda Gabler has been adapted to screen several times since it's original 1891 run, though the majority of English translated versions remained televised adaptations. The most notable stage to screen adaptation is the 1975 remake which was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and stared Peter Eyre, Patrick Stewart, Glenda Jackson as the titular character. This version garnered critical acclaim from the New York Times and The Saturday…

Jerzy Grotowski was an innovative theatre director whose practice and theories has contributed significantly to contemporary theatre practice and actor training. In order to access a broad understanding of Grotowski, this essay will examine his life and the historical context in which he developed his practices. The lineages of actor training that influenced Grotowski will be briefly analysed, and then we will discuss Grotowski’s artistic journey over the course of his life, I will then discuss…