The 1937 musical The Cradle Will Rock by Marc Blitzstein was originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project. It was directed by Orson Welles, and produced by John Houseman. 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... Marc Blitzstein (March 2, 1905 - January 22, 1964) was an American composer. ... Scene from Orson Welles Voodoo Macbeth The Federal Theatre Project (FTP) was a project to fund theater performances in the United States during the Great Depression. ... Orson Welles on the set of Citizen Kane. ... John Houseman John Houseman (September 22, 1902 – October 31, 1988) was a Romanian-born actor and film producer. ...

The musical is a Brechtian allegory of corruption and corporate greed. Set in "Steeltown, USA", it follows the efforts of Larry Foreman to unionize and combat wicked businessman Mr. Mister. Blitzstein portrays a whole panoply of societal figures: Mr. Mister's vicious, outwardly genteel philanthropic wife, sell-out artists, poor shopkeeps, immigrant families, a faithless priest, and an endearing prostitute named Moll. The piece is almost entirely sung-through, giving it many operatic qualities, although Blitzstein (as he often did, even in his full-blown operas) included popular song styles of the time. Bertolt Brecht (February 10, 1898 _ August 14, 1956) was an influential German dramatist, stage director, and poet of the 20th century. ...

Originally set to open at the Maxine Elliott Theatre with elaborate sets and a full orchestra, the production was shut down due to "budget cuts" within the Federal Theatre Project—though it was widely believed that this was instead due to censorship on the part of the government. On the spur of the moment, Welles, Housman, and Blitzstein rented the Venice Theatre and a piano, and planned for Blitzstein to sing/play/read the entire musical to the sold out house. Just after beginning the first number, Blitzstein realized that he was being joined by the actor playing Moll—who joined in from the audience, since she was forbidden by the Actor's Union to perform the piece "onstage". During the rest of the performance various actors joined in with Blitzstein and performed the entire musical from the house. Many who attended the performance, including poet laureate Archibald MacLeish, thought it to be one of the most moving theatrical experiences of their life. Performances to this day rarely use elaborate sets or an orchestra, instead preferring a spare set and single piano in homage to this event. Maxine Elliott Theatre Named after U.S. actress Maxine Elliott (Feb. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events. ... Archibald MacLeish Archibald MacLeish (May 7, 1892 – April 20, 1982) was an American poet, writer, and Librarian of Congress. ...

The success of the production led Welles and Houseman to form the Mercury Theatre. The Mercury Theatre was a theatre company founded in New York City by Orson Welles and John Houseman. ...

The Cradle Will Rock was performed shortly after its initial New York production by students at Harvard, with a young Leonard Bernstein at the piano. It was revived on Broadway in 1964 and Off-Broadway in 1983. Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... Leonard Bernstein in 1971 Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American composer, pianist and conductor. ... Broadway theatre is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... Off-Broadway plays or musicals are performed in New York City in smaller theatres than Broadway, but larger than Off-Off-Broadway, productions. ...

Recently produced at UCSB by Shrunken Head Productions (a student run production company). The production included a reenactment of the lock out and performers joining in from the audience.

Songs

Almost the entire show is sung or underscored by music. Not listed below are rhythmic dialogue and dialogue over music.

• "Moll's Song" -- Moll
• "Moll and Gent" -- Moll and Gent
• "I'll Show You Guys" -- Dick and Moll
• "Solicitin'" -- Moll and Druggist
• "Oh What A Filthy Night Court" -- Liberty Committee
• "Hard Times/The Sermon" -- Mrs. Mister, Reverend Salvation, Ensemble
• "Croon Spoon"
• "The Freedom of the Press" -- Mr. Mister and Editor Daily
• "Let's Do Something"
• "Honolulu"
• "Drugstore/Summer Weather" -- Harry Druggist, Stevie, Bugs
• "Love Duet" -- Gus and Sadie
• "Don't Let Me Keep You" -- Dauber and Yasha
• "Ask Us Again" -- Dauber, Yasha, and Mrs. Mister
• "Art For Art's Sake" -- Dauber and Yasha
• "Nickel Under Your Foot" -- Moll
• "The Cradle Will Rock" -- Larry Foreman
• "Facultyroom Scene" -- President Prexy, Mr. Mister, Professors Mamie, Scoot and Trixie
• "Ella's Entrance" -- Ella Hammer and Dr. Specialist
• "Joe Worker" -- Ella Hammer
• "Finale" -- Full Cast
  • This is a reprise of "The Cradle Will Rock"

Characters

• Moll, a prostitute
• Gent
• Dick, a policeman
• Virgil, a policeman
• Harry Druggist
  • A former drugstore owner, Harry Druggist claims to have "sold out too", like the Liberty Committee members.
  • Having lost the Drugstore, he is arrested for vagrancy weekly.
  • In the Night Court, he serves as a narrator.
• Mr. Mister, de facto owner of Steeltown
  • He created the Liberty Committee, a group of high class citizens in influential positions, to help him destroy the steelworkers' unions.
• Clerk, clerk in nightcourt
• Reverend Salvation, a member of the Liberty Committee
  • Tailors his sermons to Mr. Mister's wishes
• Mrs. Mister, wife of Mr. Mister
• Editor Daily, a member of the Liberty Committee
  • Mr. Mister determines what he writes
• Junior Mister
• Sister Mister
• Stevie, Harry Druggist's son
• Bugs, works for Mr. Mister
• Gus, a Polish steelworker
• Sadie, Gus's wife
• Dauber, an artist and member of the Liberty Committee
• Yasha, a musician and member of the Liberty Committee
• Larry Foreman
  • Foreman of the Steelworkers' Union
  • Played in the original performance by Howard Da Silva
• President Prexy of College University, a member of the Liberty Committee
• Professor Trixie, a member of the Liberty Committee
• Professor Mamie, a member of the Liberty Committee
• Professor Scoot
  • A Tolstoyan who is rejected for the Liberty Committee
• Doctor Specialist, chairman of the Liberty Committee
  • Mr. Mister's private doctor
• Ella Hammer
  • Sister of Joe Worker, a steelworker who was pushed into a ladle (See Steel mill) because he spoke up for his rights

A vagrant is a person, almost always poor, without a home or regular work. ... Actor Howard Da Silva in The Lost Weekend Howard Da Silva (born May 4, 1909; died February 16, 1986) was an American actor. ... A steel mill at the turn of the century in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A steel mill (British English and Australian English steelworks) is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. ...

External links

• The Cradle Will Rock: Audience Guide