FEDERAL THEATER PROJECT was the largest and most ambitious effort mounted by the Federal Government to organize and produce theater events. It was an effort to provide work for unemployed professionals in the theater during the Great Depression and was administered from Washington, DC but its many companies stretched the full breadth of the nation. It functioned between 1935 to 1939 under the direction of Hallie Flanagan and its primary aim was the reemployment of theater works workers on public relief rolls including actors, playwrights, directors, designers, vaudeville artists and stage technicians. It was also hoped that the project would result in the establishment of theater so vital to community life that it would continue to function after the FTP program was completed. The Federal Theater Policy Board, made up of ten people who met every four months, decided on policies and plays for the next four months, reviewed regional reports, and advised the director. At one time the FTP employed around 12,700 people with nine out of every ten of these workers coming from relief rolls. About fifty percent of the personnel were actors while others were ancillary staff required for any production. Theater companies operated in at least forty cities in twenty-two states. Stage productions fell into many categories including but not limited to new, classical, children's, revues and musical comedies, vaudeville, circus, dance productions, stock, modern foreign, former Broadway productions, puppet and marionette, and ethnic plays. "The Living Newspaper" was an interesting component with theatrical productions focusing on the news of the day in the country. In addition to performances, educational opportunities in theater were sponsored, collaboration with CCC camps, radio coordination, and other related activities were provided. Unfortunately the entire project was shut down on June 30, 1939 after a congressional investigation that focused on the project being communistic. Later the Library of Congress received the records of this project. These materials were placed on loan at George Mason University in 1974 but in 1994 the collection was returned to the Library of Congress and is housed in the Library's Music Division. Flanagan's memoirs of the WPA Federal Theater Project are included in her book, "Arena: The History of the Federal Theater", NY: Arno Press, 1980. Also John Houseman wrote "Run-Through", NY: Simon and Shuster, 1974. The musical play, "The Cradle Will Rock" was scheduled to open in New York City on June 30, 1939 and the amazing story about how the theater project people refused to give in to censorship is in that opening/closing performance which can be viewed by watching the movie and video documentary created recently by Hollywood producer, Tim Robbins.

 

-- By Kathy Flynn, Executive Director, NNDPA