The Federal Theatre Project

Millions of people across the country roamed the streets in search of jobs, hoping to find some way to get the money they needed to feed their families. The Great Depression in the United States during the 1930s affected not only those who worked in jobs requiring physical labor, but those involved with theatre and the arts as well. The Federal Theatre Project was one of the Works Progress Administration (WPA)'s projects that was created to help deal with the economic turmoil caused by the Great Depression. Thousands of artists, whether it was in the form of writing, music, or performing arts, were put out of work. The Federal Arts projects were created to reinstate jobs for unemployed artists as well as create displays of art for the public. "The Federal Theatre Project, directed by the former head of the Vassar College Experimental Theatre, Hallie Flanagan, was the most important, the most controversial, and hence, the shortest-lived of the Federal One Projects" (Gerdes, 155). Though the Federal Theatre Project caused a large amount of controversy among people in America, it was very important because during its short life it supplied jobs for many people working in the arts and it brought free theatre to America.

By 1935, there were almost fifteen million unemployed people in the United States, about forty thousand of those being people who were formerly employed in theatre. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps was created to give urban men jobs doing hard physical labor such as building roads or buildings. The WPA created the Federal One Projects, or Federal Arts Projects, in order to create job opportunities for those involved with art instead of physical work. The Federal Theatre Project was one of the larger of the projects, giving ten thousand actors minimum wage jobs. Not only did it effect the actors involved, it effected the general public by attracting millions of people from across country to the public performances. The Federal Theatre Project supplied jobs directly related to the stage such as actors and directors, but it also supplied other jobs related to theatre such as set and lighting design, choreographers, voice instructors, costume designers, and makeup artists.

The Federal Theatre Project first began under the Emergency Relief Act of April, 1935, under the direction of Hallie Flanagan. Harry Hopkins, one of the founders of the program, hired Flanagan to direct the project because he had heard about the success of her current project at that time, the experimental theatre at Vassar College. "The Federal Theatre Project director was dedicated to building a truly national theatre, one that would provide food for thought as well as for the actors stomachs" (Gerdes, 155). Flanagan was a very dedicated director who wanted to do more than simply help give jobs to the many unemployed theatre people in America. Her intense passion for the theatre caused her to care deeply about the project's success, not only in lowering the intense unemployment numbers, but in bringing wonderful shows to the American public.

Along with the financial problem associated with Elmer Rice, there were many aspects of the Federal Theatre Project which sparked controversy and debate in society. One of these aspects was one of the units of the project, the Negro Theatre Project. Before this project, very few negroes were allowed any type of place in theatre or jobs relating to theatre. White unions and the prejudice against African Americans during this decade prevented most negroes from even stepping foot into a theatre, let alone perform or be involved with an actual show.

The creation of The Negro Theatre Project, sometimes referred to as "negro units", changed the restrictions on African American relation with the theatre. Rose McClendon, a well-known black actress, and John Houseman, a famous theatre producer, headed this project and truly believed that it would be accepted by society. Most of the population received this development as predicted by McClendon and Houseman, but there was still a small percentile that opposed it. Rallies and protests were commonly found outside of theatres on opening nights of shows featuring African American actors. These events were normally small and easily ignored by the public.

"Far more than other government agencies of the Depression era, the Theatre Project treated black Americans as highly capable, basically equal human beings" (Gerdes, 156). Directors and those given the task of casting for a show were now given the opportunity to look at talent over skin color. This project created sixteen negro units across the country where, though the casts were still mainly segregated, the roles cast were not. This means that African Americans were no longer confined to "negro roles", which were commonly extras or roles that had no significance at all. Black playwrights and blacks involved in lighting and set design were given job opportunities through the negro units as well.

Another conflict that arose in society during the time of the Federal Theatre Project was the debate over a style of theatre called the Living Newspapers. Living Newspapers were a type of experimental theatre that Flanagan had previously used at Vassar College. These shows were dramas that dealt with current political happenings and issues that were impacting society. "Acclaimed by reviewers, attacked by conservative congressmen, the Living Newspapers blended song, dance, film, sermons, pageantry, and skits to create theatre whose purpose was not only to entertain but to stir audiences to civic action" (Gale). Because politics were very controversial subjects in society, the Living Newspapers not only helped persuade audiences to act or think a certain way about political problems, but it caused controversy and debate between people. Political views in America varied among households, so depending on a person's views and opinions, they would either see a shows message of political persuasion correct or offending.

Living Newspapers were a way for the theatre people to express their views on current issues in society and were used as a type of propaganda. They were heavily researched and made to be extremely historically accurate in order to try and reach their goal of persuading and shaping the minds of society. The first Living