npr Furious Improvisation review

A vivid portrait of the turbulent 1930s and the Roosevelt administration as seen through the WPA's Federal Theater Project.

Under the direction of Hallie Flanagan, a daring 5-foot dynamo, the Federal Theater Project managed to turn a WPA relief program into a platform for some of the most cutting-edge theater of its time. This unique experiment by the U.S. government in support of the arts electrified audiences with exciting, controversial productions, created by some of the greatest figures in 20th century American arts—including Orson Welles, John Houseman and Sinclair Lewis. Plays like Voodoo Macbeth and The Cradle Will Rock stirred up politicians by defying segregation and putting the spotlight on the inequities that led to the Great Depression.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• fdr
• theater
• wpa
• depression
• susan
• quinn
• Hallie
• Flanagan
• Harry
• Hopkins