Federal Theatre and Group Theater: Crash Course Theater #42
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Date: 2022-04-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
Steven
Adding an addendum to your excellent post -- Clifford Odets also inspired the young Arthur Miller whose plays have weathered time a little better than Odets's works. I have seen -Awake and Sing- on PBS (I think it was the -Theatre in America- series-) of which videos are available and while not a perfect production I think I understand what drove the discriminating theatre audience at the time to see it. Also, many of the black actors in the -MacBeth- were veterans of Black Vaudeville. Welles had the talent, and the feroucious ego, to lead his cast in a crash course on performing Shakespeare. John Houseman, who was also in the Federal Theatre, recalled one morning when three gentlemen from Haiti appeared at the theatre with Mr. Welles's calling card which stated that these gentlemen were real life witch doctors. Their practice was a little slow at the moment and they were interested in taking a flier in theatre by playing the three witches. Mr. Houseman agreed, (wouldn't you) and even requisitioned an authentic drum with goatskin drumhead. The opening night was triumph except for one critic who was dissappointed that black actors were esentially mucking up one of Shakespeare's tragedies. The senior witch doctor asked, -Is this man bad? - Mr. Welles said he was. The gentlemen withdrew for several days. The critic developed a case of pneumonia. Mr. Houseman said, -I didn't ask. -
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Adding an addendum to your excellent post -- Clifford Odets also inspired the young Arthur Miller whose plays have weathered time a little better than Odets's works. I have seen -Awake and Sing- on PBS (I think it was the -Theatre in America- series-) of which videos are available and while not a perfect production I think I understand what drove the discriminating theatre audience at the time to see it. Also, many of the black actors in the -MacBeth- were veterans of Black Vaudeville. Welles had the talent, and the feroucious ego, to lead his cast in a crash course on performing Shakespeare. John Houseman, who was also in the Federal Theatre, recalled one morning when three gentlemen from Haiti appeared at the theatre with Mr. Welles's calling card which stated that these gentlemen were real life witch doctors. Their practice was a little slow at the moment and they were interested in taking a flier in theatre by playing the three witches. Mr. Houseman agreed, (wouldn't you) and even requisitioned an authentic drum with goatskin drumhead. The opening night was triumph except for one critic who was dissappointed that black actors were esentially mucking up one of Shakespeare's tragedies. The senior witch doctor asked, -Is this man bad? - Mr. Welles said he was. The gentlemen withdrew for several days. The critic developed a case of pneumonia. Mr. Houseman said, -I didn't ask. -
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ds
4: 57?
And Clifford Odets was like hey guys stage my play, and the group was like - he he he he, no. -
Absolutely wrong.
It was Lee Strasberg that denied Clifford Odets from sharing his play, while the group and Harold Clurman was ALWAYS in favor. smh
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4: 57?
And Clifford Odets was like hey guys stage my play, and the group was like - he he he he, no. -
Absolutely wrong.
It was Lee Strasberg that denied Clifford Odets from sharing his play, while the group and Harold Clurman was ALWAYS in favor. smh
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kassemir
2: 56 - Brando totally looks like Shatner due to the art deco colours. Probably mostly the yellow sweater with a black collar.
- Wonder if he's method too though. hmmm?
7: 22 - wow, that's Gritty: D Made my day. Wonder if he's method too? hmm.
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2: 56 - Brando totally looks like Shatner due to the art deco colours. Probably mostly the yellow sweater with a black collar.
- Wonder if he's method too though. hmmm?
7: 22 - wow, that's Gritty: D Made my day. Wonder if he's method too? hmm.
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Steven
In his memoir Studs Terkel recalled being in a Chicago production of -Strike. - When the company spy was revealed members of the audience went after him. -It-s a play, - he and other members of the cast yelled as they tried to break up the melee.
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In his memoir Studs Terkel recalled being in a Chicago production of -Strike. - When the company spy was revealed members of the audience went after him. -It-s a play, - he and other members of the cast yelled as they tried to break up the melee.
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Sssrx
I-m reading an anthology of plays from this period now. This was really informative thanks! I only wish you-d mentioned Saroyan and Sherwood. Maybe a few others like Hellman. I particularly enjoyed them so far. (I-m going to read Odets next)
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I-m reading an anthology of plays from this period now. This was really informative thanks! I only wish you-d mentioned Saroyan and Sherwood. Maybe a few others like Hellman. I particularly enjoyed them so far. (I-m going to read Odets next)
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Brian
Kudos for the Marc Blitzstein allusion at 0: 38! Also - I love the quote at 2: 24, -Sometimes you gotta do it for the money in order to do it for the art. - Warhol is smiling!
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Kudos for the Marc Blitzstein allusion at 0: 38! Also - I love the quote at 2: 24, -Sometimes you gotta do it for the money in order to do it for the art. - Warhol is smiling!
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Anthony
This episode really resonates with me. This is when my grandparents came to this country and I cant help but to feel the same sentiments now as they did then.
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This episode really resonates with me. This is when my grandparents came to this country and I cant help but to feel the same sentiments now as they did then.
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Rory
Just when I thought FDR couldn-t have been better, turns out he-s like -let-s keep the theatre going as well as trying to rebuild the country-s economy. -
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Just when I thought FDR couldn-t have been better, turns out he-s like -let-s keep the theatre going as well as trying to rebuild the country-s economy. -
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avi12
Hey, can you initialize a new math video series? And I'm not talking specifically about statistics, but math in general
If yes, that would be awesome!
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Hey, can you initialize a new math video series? And I'm not talking specifically about statistics, but math in general
If yes, that would be awesome!
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NINING
Crash course theatre is the only crash course that still have it's d. The speaker is good, he could express the emotion at a right amount
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Crash course theatre is the only crash course that still have it's d. The speaker is good, he could express the emotion at a right amount
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