Six Plays for Young People from the Federal Theatre Project (1936-1939): An Introductory Analysis and Six Representative Plays (Documentary Reference Collections)

The plays published here were originally commissioned by the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) of the Works Progress Administration. Editor Lowell Swortzell has selected six plays representative of the reportory of the children's theatre productions of the FTP and reprinted them in their entirety. The plays, whether original scripts or adaptations of fairy tales and folklore, emphasized both educational and entertainment value. The plays are preceded by an extensive introduction detailing the history and goals of the children's theatre unit. The plays are: Horse Play by Dorothy Hailparn, a comedy from the Negro Unit of New York City; Flight by Oscar Saul and Louis Lantz, a documentary play in the style of the Living Newspaper; The Boiled Eggs by Rught Fenisong, a comedy form the Marionette Unit of New York City; The Revolt of the Beavers by Oscar Saul and Louis Lantz, a controversial fable from Broadway; A Letter to Santa Claus by Charlotte Chorpenning, an anti-war Christmas pantomine produced as a gift to the children of Chicago; and Pinocchio, a popular adaptation first produced in Los Angeles, then transferred to Broadway.Lowell Swortzell is the author of 'Six Plays for Young People from the Federal Theatre Project (1936-1939): An Introductory Analysis and Six Representative Plays (Documentary Reference Collections)', published 1986 under ISBN 9780313247804 and ISBN 0313247803.