Repository: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title: Federal Theatre Project Collection
Creator: Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)
Collection Number: CTC.1979.02
Extent: 5 Linear Feet (12 document boxes)
Date: 1936-1939
Abstract: The Federal Theatre Project was a New Deal initiative established in 1935 within the Work Projects Administration (WPA). It aimed to provide employment for out-of-work theatre professionals including actors, writers, directors, and designers. Under the dynamic direction of Hallie Flanagan, the project encouraged experimental work in theatres across the country and also staged revivals of European and American classics in regional theatres, attracting large new theatre audiences as a result. The left-leaning political tone of some of the plays drew the attention of the House on Un-American Activities Committee, which prompted an investigation of the Federal Theatre Project that led to its dissolution on July 30, 1939. The Federal Theatre Project Collection includes publications, reports, and programs that reflect the activities of the project between the years of 1936-1939.
Language: English
Author: Margaret Huang.
Publisher: ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

History

The Federal Theatre Project was a New Deal initiative established in 1935 within the Work Projects Administration (WPA). Under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Administration, the Federal Theatre Project aimed to provide employment for out-of-work theatre professionals including actors, writers, directors, and designers during the Great Depression as well as reinvigorating theatre and providing entertainment for a despondent nation.

Under the dynamic direction of Hallie Flanagan, the project encouraged experimental, uncensored, and unrestricted work in theatres across the country and also staged revivals of European and American classics in regional theatres, attracting large new theatre audiences as a result. The plays often reflected current events and controversial issues such as farm-aid policy, syphilis testing, and housing inequity and were extremely popular with audiences. The left leaning political tone of some of the plays drew the attention of the House on Un-American Activities Committee, which prompted an investigation of the Federal Theatre Project that led to its dissolution on July 30, 1939.

The Federal Theatre Project Collection includes publications, reports, and programs that reflect the activities of the project between the years of 1936-1939. The Federal Theatre Project was the first and only initiative of its' kind instituted by the Federal Government to execute the production and administration of theatre on a national scale. Consequently, this program introduced European epic theatre to new audiences never before exposed to live performance and was instrumental in creating socially significant and influential works.

Scope and Content Notes

The Federal Theatre Project Collection consists of various Federal Theatre Project materials such as scripts, programs, reports, and meeting agendas dating between 1935 and 1939. The collection offers a variety of information reflecting the administrative, legal, operational, and live performance activities of the Federal Theatre Project.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Previous Citation

Federal Theatre Project Collection, 1936-1939, CTC.1979.02, Curtis Theatre Collection, Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh

Federal Theatre Project Collection, 1935-1939, CTC.03, The Ford E. and Harriet R. Curtis Theatre Collection, Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Federal Theatre Project Collection, 1936-1939, CTC.1979.02, Curtis Theatre Collection, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Related Material

The following two journal titles are a part of the journal holdings of the Curtis Theatre Collection:

Federal Theatre Bulletin: v. 1, no. 2, 5, 6; v.2, no. 1-4 [currently in process of being catalogued].

The Living Newspaper: v. 1. no. 1-3; v.2, no. 1; v. 3, no. 1; v. 5, no. 5, 9, 18 [currently in process of being catalogued].

Custodial History

The Federal Theatre Project Collection was under the stewardship of the New York Public Library until it was gifted to the Special Collections Department at the University of Pittsburgh in 1979.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the New York Public Library in 1979.

Arrangement

The Federal Theatre Project Collection is arranged by the following series:

Series I. National Service Bureau publications, 1936-1939

Series II. Reports, 1938

Series III. Programs

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds the property rights to the material in this collection, but the copyright may still be held by the original creator/author. Researchers are therefore advised to follow the regulations set forth in the U.S. Copyright Code when publishing, quoting, or reproducing material from this collection without the consent of the creator/author or that go beyond what is allowed by fair use.

Processing Information

This collection was reprocessed by Margaret Huang in March 2013.

Subjects

Corporate Names

National Service Bureau (U.S.)
Federal Theatre Project (U.S.) -- History
Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)

Genres

Theater programs
Bibliographies
Newspapers
Newsletters
Scripts (Documents)

Other Subjects

Theater and state -- United States -- 20th century
Theater and society -- United States -- 20th century
Living newspaper
Theater -- United States
Experimental theater -- United States
Performing arts -- United States

Container List

Series I. National Service Bureau publications, 1936-1939

Scope and Content Notes

This series of National Service Bureau publications includes bibliographies, synopses with production notes, and play scripts covering political, ethnic, holiday, historical, religious, children's and marionette plays. The National Service Bureau was officially established in 1937 by combining the Federal Theatre Project's Play Bureau and Play Policy Board. The National Service Bureau was headquartered in New York City where it supported regional Federal Theatre Project units by providing research material, consultation services, and publications such as those found within this series.

Anglo-Jewish Full Length Plays in English and Yiddish, January 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 1

Anti-war Plays, Anglo-Jewish Part 2 in Yiddish, July 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 2

Anti-war Plays, Foreign and Anglo-Jewish Lists, October 1937

Containers: box 1, folder 3

Anti-war Plays for Community Theatres, October 1937

Containers: box 1, folder 4

Anti-war Plays, Royalty List, November 1937

Containers: box 1, folder 5

Barnum Returns or The New American Museum, May 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 6

A Bibliography of Marionette Plays, 1936

Containers: box 1, folder 7

Brother Mose, A Comedy of Negro Life with Music and Spirituals, September 1937

Containers: box 1, folder 8

The Better Sort or A Girl of Spirit: An Operatical, Comical Farce, 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 9

Catholic Plays, Part 1: For Advanced Groups, November 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 10

Catholic Plays, Part 2 and 3: For Intermediate and Junior Groups, February 1938

Containers: box 1, folder 11

Children's Operettas, June 1937

Containers: box 2, folder 1

Children's Plays

Containers: box 2, folder 2

The Children of Salem, January 1938

Containers: box 2, folder 3

Christmas Plays, November 1936

Containers: box 2, folder 4

Copy of Card File of Commercial Phonograph Recordings on Deposit at the Archive of American Folk Song, February 1937

Containers: box 2, folder 5

The Disappointment or The Force of Credulity, May 1938

Containers: box 2, folder 6

Death Takes the Wheel, Adapted for Buffalo Historical Marionette Theatre

Containers: box 2, folder 7

Donogoo, September 1937

Containers: box 2, folder 8-9

Don Quixote, Adapted for the Marionette Theatre, July 1937

Containers: box 2, folder 10

The Dragon Znee Zee, A Play for Chinese Marionettes, 1937

Containers: box 2, folder 11

Early Spanish One-act Plays in English Translation

Containers: box 3, folder 1

Easter Plays: Biblical Dramas, Modern Dramas, Service Dramas for Churches and Schools, March 1937

Containers: box 3, folder 2

50 Non-royalty Plays, Part 1: One-act Plays, October 1936

Containers: box 3, folder 3

50 Non-royalty Plays, Part 2: Full-length Plays, April 1937

Containers: box 3, folder 3

59 Monologues, December 1938

Containers: box 3, folder 4

56 Minstrels, February 1938

Containers: box 4, folder 1

The First Comic Opera in America, November 1935

Containers: box 4, folder 2

Full Length Plays, October 1936

Containers: box 4, folder 3

Haven or The Merited Gallows, 1937

Containers: box 4, folder 4

Highlights of the First Production Conference of the New York City Unit of the Federal Theatre, July 1936

Containers: box 4, folder 5

His Majesty the Microbe or The Microbe Universe, a Marionette Play in No Acts with Ten Scenes

Containers: box 4, folder 6

Holy Night, October 1938

Containers: box 4, folder 7

Injunction Granted, 1936

Containers: box 4, folder 8

Injunction Granted, July 1937

Containers: box 4, folder 9

Irish Plays, August 1938

Containers: box 4, folder 10

It Can't Happen Here, September 1936

Containers: box 5, folder 1

Jellico an' de Critters

Containers: box 5, folder 2

Jewish Non-royalty Plays and Pageants: Holiday, Historical, General, January 1937

Containers: box 5, folder 3

John Henry, Steel-driving Man, January 1938

Containers: box 5, folder 4

Juvenile Operettas, Part 2, May 1938

Containers: box 5, folder 5

Katcha and the Devil, July 1938

Containers: box 5, folder 6

Late Primitive, July 1937

Containers: box 5, folder 7

Lists of Little Known One-act Plays, 1930

Containers: box 5, folder 8

List of Negro Plays, March 1938

Containers: box 5, folder 9

The Little Crab, November 1937

Containers: box 5, folder 10

The Lost Generation, A Play about Youth, July 1937

Containers: box 5, folder 11

Lucy Moore, the Prune Hater's Daughter

Containers: box 5, folder 12

The Man of the Times or A Scarcity of Cash

Containers: box 6, folder 1

A Modern Miscellany

Containers: box 6, folder 2

Morning Paper, A Play about Newsboys, July 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 3

The Most Wicked Pirate, September 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 4

Mr. Cold, You Can't Catch Me, September 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 5

Musical Plays, December 1936

Containers: box 6, folder 6

Nathan Hale, A Marionette Play in 5 Scenes, June 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 7

National Play Bureau Publications: A Catalog, 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 8

Nativity, November 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 9

Negro Plays

Containers: box 6, folder 10

Nelagony, November 1937

Containers: box 6, folder 11

1935, 1936-1938

Containers: box 6, folder 12-13

90 New Plays, December 1936

Containers: box 6, folder 14

No More Peace

Containers: box 6, folder 15

Non-royalty Plays for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Plymouth Days, 1937

Containers: box 7, folder 1

Oliver Twist, Adapted for Marionettes, July 1937

Containers: box 7, folder 2

One-act Negro Plays, October 1936

Containers: box 7, folder 3

One-act Plays of Moliere

Containers: box 7, folder 4

One Third of a Nation, Volume 1, 1938

Containers: box 7, folder 5-6

One Third of a Nation, Volume 2, April 1938

Containers: box 7, folder 7

Operettas, November 1938

Containers: box 7, folder 8

The Pagent of the Sherman and the Tailors, October 1937

Containers: box 7, folder 9

Patriotic Plays Non-royalty, Part 1: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, January 1937

Containers: box 7, folder 10

Patriotic Plays Non-royalty, Part 2: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, April 1937

Containers: box 7, folder 11

Pinocchio, April 1939

Containers: box 7, folder 12

Plays Available for Amateur Production

Containers: box 7, folder 13

Plays Suggested for Consideration by the Federal Theatre Project

Containers: box 8, folder 1

Power, September 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 2

Precious Laura, February 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 3

Prologue to Glory, May 1938

Containers: box 8, folder 4

Puppet Teaching, Weekly News Bulletin: v.1, no. 1; v.2, no.1. Additional copies of v. 1, no. 12, 14, 15, 17, June 1937-January 1938

Containers: box 8, folder 5

R.U.R., Adapted for the Marionette Theatre

Containers: box 8, folder 6

Rural Plays, Part 1: Dramas, Comedies, Tragedies, 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 7

Rural Plays, Part 2: Dramas, Comedies, Farces, 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 7

Rural Plays, Part 3: Drama, Comedy, Farce and Burlesque, Pageant, Collections, 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 7

Russian Plays: A Preliminary Catalogue

Containers: box 8, folder 8

Sancho Panza

Containers: box 8, folder 9

Series of Children's Non-royalty Plays, Part 1: Health, Safety, Humane, December 1936

Containers: box 8, folder 10

72 Vaudeville Sketches Non-royalty, Part 1, July 1937

Containers: box 8, folder 11

72 Vaudeville Sketches Non-royalty, Part 2, March 1938

Containers: box 8, folder 12

Sherlock Holmes, Adapted for Marionettes in Four Scenes, July 1937

Containers: box 9, folder 1

Some Irish Plays, April 1937

Containers: box 9, folder 2

Some New Unpublished One-act Plays Royalty Plays, Part 1, July 1937

Containers: box 9, folder 3

Spanish Miracles and Moralities Available in English Translation

Containers: box 9, folder 4

Spirochete, January 1939

Containers: box 9, folder 5

Suggested Production List of 15 One-act Negro Plays

Containers: box 9, folder 6

Suggested Production List of Non-royalty Christmas Plays, Part 1: Children's Plays Secular, November 1936

Containers: box 9, folder 7

Suggested Production List of Non-royalty Plays, Part 1: One-act Plays, October 1936

Containers: box 9, folder 8

Suggested Production List of Non-royalty Plays, Part 2: Full-length Plays, October 1936

Containers: box 9, folder 8

Suggested Production List of Plays for a Marionette Theatre

Containers: box 9, folder 9

Suggested Repertory of American, English, and Irish Plays

Containers: box 9, folder 10

Suggested Repertory of Classic English Plays

Containers: box 9, folder 11

Suggested Repertory of Modern Continental Plays

Containers: box 9, folder 12

Theatre Technique No. 3: Puppets and Masks, December 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 1

34 Old and New Spanish Plays, January 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 2

Threnody-American, A Radio Drama about Youth, June 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 3

Toby Tyler with the Circus, July 1938

Containers: box 10, folder 4

The Totem

Containers: box 10, folder 5

Triple-A Plowed Under, 1936-1938

Containers: box 10, folder 6-7

Treasure Island, November 1938

Containers: box 10, folder 8

22 English Mysteries, Miracles, Moralities, April 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 9

The Valiant Little Tailor, July 1938

Containers: box 10, folder 10

We Are the Future, A Play of Rural Youth, July 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 11

We Produce a Puppet Show

Containers: box 10, folder 12

The Wildcats, A Play about Youth, July 1937

Containers: box 10, folder 13

WPA Circus, The Route Book for the 1937 Season of the WPA Circus

Containers: box 10, folder 14

Series II. Reports, 1938

Scope and Content Notes

This series reflects the administrative and operational activities of the Federal Theatre Project through reports and meeting agendas.

First Federal Summer Theatre...A Report, 1938

Containers: box 11, folder 1

Summary of Federal Theatre Activities, September 1938

Containers: box 11, folder 2

National Policy Board: Agenda, April 12-14, 1938

Containers: box 11, folder 3

National Policy Board: Agenda, August 11-13, 1938

Containers: box 11, folder 4

Series III. Programs

Scope and Content Notes

This series consists of the programs of Federal Theatre Project productions. They mostly reflect performances in the New York City region and are undated.

Programs A-D

Containers: box 12, folder 1

Item 1. Adelante

Item 2. American Holiday

Item 3. Androcles and the Lion

Item 4. Die Apostel (The Apostles)

Item 5. Arms and the Man

Item 6. Around the Corner

Item 7. Around the World in 80 Days

Item 8. Backwash

Item 9. The Ballad of Davy Crockett

Item 10. The Barker

Item 11. Bassa Moona

Item 12. The Bat

Item 13. Battle Hymn

Item 14. Big Blow

Item 15. Chalk Dust

Item 16. Chamber Opera in English

Item 17. The Chocolate Soldier

Item 18. The Christmas Carol

Item 19. Class of '29

Item 20. Community Sing

Item 21. Coriolanus

Item 22. The Cradle Will Rock

Item 23. Craig's Wife

Item 24. The Dance of Death

Item 25. The Dark Tower

Item 26. The Devil Passes

Item 27. The Devil's Disciple

Item 28. Doctor Faustus

Item 29. Double Door

Programs E-H

Containers: box 12, folder 2

Item 1. The Emperor's New Clothes

Item 2. An Enemy of the People

Item 3. The Eternal Prodigal

Item 4. Eugene O'Neill's One-Act Plays of the Sea

Item 5. Excursion

Item 6. The Farmer's Wife

Item 7. The First Legion

Item 8. Flight

Item 9. Four American One-Act Plays

Item 10. Haiti

Item 11. Help Yourself!

Item 12. A Hero is Born

Item 13. Holy Night

Item 14. Horse Eats Hat

Item 15. Horse Play

Item 16. How Long Brethren?

Programs I-M

Containers: box 12, folder 3

Item 1. In Heaven and Earth

Item 2. In Praise of Husbands

Item 3. Iolanthe

Item 4. It Can't Happen Here

Item 5. Jefferson Davis

Item 6. Life and Death of an American

Item 7. The Lights o' London

Item 8. Love in Humble Life

Item 9. Macbeth

Item 10. The Mikado

Item 11. Mr. Jiggins of Jigginstown

Item 12. Murder in the Cathedral

Programs N-P

Containers: box 12, folder 4

Item 1. Native Ground

Item 2. New York Civic Orchestra

Item 3. Noah

Item 4. On the Rocks

Item 5. The Path of Flowers

Item 6. Pinocchio

Item 7. Pins & Needles

Item 8. The Playboy of the Western World

Item 9. Processional

Item 10. Professor Mamlock

Item 11. Prologue to Glory

Programs Q-S

Containers: box 12, folder 5

Item 1. Repertory of Important Plays

Item 2. The Shanghai Sal

Item 3. The Shining Hour

Item 4. Showing Off

Item 5. Sing for Your Supper

Item 6. The Solitaire Man

Item 7. Spirochete

Item 8. Spread Eagle

Item 9. Street Scene

Item 10. The Sun and I

Item 11. Sweet Land

Item 12. Swing It

Item 13. The Swing Mikado

Item 14. Swing Parade

Programs T-Z

Containers: box 12, folder 6

Item 1. The Tailor Becomes a Store Keeper

Item 2. Take It or Leave It

Item 3. Tamed and How

Item 4. The Tavern

Item 5. Ten Minute Alibi

Item 6. Three One Act Plays

Item 7. Treasure Island

Item 8. The Trial of Doctor Beck

Item 9. Trojan Incident

Item 10. Turpentine

Item 11. Twelfth Night

Item 12. Two-A-Day

Item 13. Unto Such Glory and Hymn to the Rising Sun

Item 14. A Woman of Destiny

Guide to the Federal Theatre Project Collection, 1936-1939 CTC.1979.02

Arrangement

History

Scope and Content Notes

Access Restrictions

Previous Citation

Preferred Citation

Related Material

Custodial History

Acquisition Information

Arrangement

Copyright

Processing Information

Subjects

Corporate Names

Genres

Other Subjects

Container List

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes

Scope and Content Notes