Collection inventory

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Federal Theatre Project Collection

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)
Title: Federal Theatre Project Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1936-1938
Quantity: .25 linear ft.
Abstract: Collection of play scripts, bibliographies, photographs, from the United States Work Projects Administration's Federal Theatre Project
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

The Federal Theatre Project (FTP) was sponsored by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) to fund theater and other live artistic performances in the United States during the Great Depression. The FTP's primary goal was employment of out-of-work artists, writers, and directors; its secondary goal was to provide affordable entertainment for poor families and encourage the dramatic arts. It was established August 27, 1935 and Vassar theatre professor Hallie Flanagan was appointed its head. Although initially Flanagan touted the FTP as being "free, adult, and uncensored," the federal government soon became uneasy at the progressive and left-wing themes evinced by many FTP productions such as their Living Newspaper.

Many notable theatre figures of the time participated in the FTP and it launched the careers of many others, including Arthur Miller (who turned down a $250-a-week job offer from Hollywood to write for the FTP at $23 a week). Orson Welles, John Houseman, Martin Ritt, Elia Kazan, Marc Blitzstein, Arthur Arent and Abe Feder all became established, in part, through their work in the FTP.

The FTP's funding was terminated in 1939, due in no small part to strong feeling in the Congress about the FTP's political stance.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Federal Theatre Project Collection contains a variety of publications of the Federal Theatre Project's Play Bureau and National Play Bureau, among them play scripts, bibliographies of foreign-language plays, and lists of suggested plays in particular categories. There are also photographs from performances.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The publications are in alphabetical order by title.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has considerable material relating to American radical and left-wing literature. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete list of related collections and material.

Our Rare Books collection also has rich resources in this area; please refer to Libraries Search , where a search with the subject "radicalism in literature" will bring up a lengthy list. Of particular interest may be the following titles:

  • Living Newspaper, by the Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)
  • Federal Theatre, by the Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)
  • Play Bureau publication, by the Federal Theatre Project (New York, N.Y.). Play Bureau
  • Publication, by the Federal Theatre Project (New York, N.Y.). Play Bureau

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Subject Headings

Persons

Carlyn, Rose -- Plays for a marionette theatre.
Chadbourne, Philip, Suggested repertory of modern continental plays.
Clugston, Katharine, b. 1892 -- Barnum returns, or, The new American museum.
Hudson, Arthur Palmer -- Folk songs of Mississippi.
Liss, Joseph, 1911- -- Early Spanish one-act plays in English translation.
Liss, Joseph, 1911- -- Spanish miracles and moralities available in English translation.
Reuben, Isidore -- Suggested repertory of continental plays.

Corporate Bodies

Federal Theatre Project (U.S.)
United States. -- Work Projects Administration.
United States. -- Works Progress Administration.

Subjects

American drama -- 20th century.
Drama -- Bibliographies.
Folk songs -- Mississippi.
Political plays, American.
Radicalism in literature.
Socialism and theater.
Theater -- Political aspects.
Theater and state.

Genres and Forms

Bibliographies.
Photographs.
Scripts (documents)
Theater programs.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Federal Theatre Project Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, various times

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: 9 Apr 2007
Revision history: 21 Dec 2010 - added photos (MRC); 7 Nov 2007 - added "Miscellany" (MRC); 12 Apr 2007 - added "Photographs" (MRC)

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Inventory

Bibliographies
Box 1 Anti-war plays for community theatres 1937
Box 1 Early Spanish one-act plays, available in English translation, compiled by Joseph Liss 1936
Box 1 Early Spanish one-act plays, available in English translation, compiled by Joseph Liss 1936
Box 1 Plays for a marionette theatre 1936
Box 1 Spanish miracles and moralities, available in English translation, compiled by Joseph Liss 1937?
Box 1 Suggested repertory of modern continental plays ca. 1936
Box 1 Suggested repertory of classic English plays ca. 1937
Plays
Box 1 Barnum returns, or, The new American museum, by Katharine Clugston 1936
Photographs
Box 1 One Third of a Nation, New Orleans Jun 1938
Miscellaneous
Box 1 Folk Tunes from Mississippi Dec 1937 - tunes and words to more than 45 folk songs

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