MAKING PLAYS POPULAR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22597, 30 December 1938, Page 7

MAKING PLAYS POPULAR

The cinema is the greatest source of mass entertainment to-day. About 85,000,000 is the average weekly attendance in the United States. But America’s Federal Theatre project has proved that there is a deep and still growing need for the living stage. This scheme has made amazing strides since it was first put into operation nearly three years ago and about 25,000,000 persons have seen its productions. Low admission charges which can compete with the cheapest cinema tickets have brought legitimate drama into the everyday experience of millions who previously regarded the theatre as a luxury. So fierce has been Hollywood competition in the world of entertainment since the advent of sound in 1929 that the commercial theatre has declined in the United States to a point where there are only about eight stock companies throughout America. There are reasons in plenty for this, but perhaps the most cogent is that it was easier and cheaper for the average citizen to slip into the nearest cinema for relaxation.

The result was a depression in the theatre business that threw thousands of people out of work and on to the hands of the State. The result of that was the Federal Theatre project, set up primarily as a relief measure to provide work for unemployed theatre people, but which has since grown into a movement revitalising the whole life of the theatre in America.

The Federal Theatre was never intended to conflict with the commercial theatre, and, in fact, in releasing stifled creative talent it has given a much-needed stimulus to “flesh and blood” entertainment in America, dis-

Work of American Federal Theatre Project

covered new audiences, and revived interest in the legitimate theatre. These were some of tl\e aims set out in the first programme of the project:—

1. The establishment of a national theatre movement with the Federal Theatre as a starling point. 2. Widening the field of legitimate drama by making available to large groups entertainment at low admission prices.

3. Providing an outlet for hundreds of unproduced plays. That new interest has been awakened is proved by the 1700 plays exclusive of marionette and vaudeville entertainment that the Federal Theatre has produced since its first play opened in Harlem in February, 1936. In Nebraska, a township was so delighted with the living stage that it had a theatre built with municipal funds to house Federal Theatre productions while in another Mid-West-ern town, the Mayor, after witnessing a performance of “The Dictator.” invited the Federal Theatre Company to become permanent residents of his town.

The project operates 99 companies in 22 states. Admission prices in lh« major houses range from about 7id to 4s sd. but most performances hav® been given free of charge in settlement houses, school and church halls. There are, too, the Caravan theatres which tour city parks in summer giving countless free performances. Thes® “theatres on wheels” are equipped with dressing-rooms, amplifying systems and large stages so contrived that they can drop anchor and stag® a show at a few moments’ notice. More than 2.000.000 people in New York alone watched these shows last season.