The Federal Theatre Project, 1935-1939: Engagement and Experimentation - Paperback

by Rania Karoula (Author)

Investigates the explosive phenomenon of the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) from a transatlantic perspective

• Offers the first comparative study of the history, performances and politics of the FTP in a book form
• Contributes significantly to the study of Hallie Flanagan as the bridge between the FTP and the European avant-garde; it will also contribute to the study of Flanagan's own plays
• Draws and exposes further links between American modernism and its European counterparts (Meyerhold, Brecht, European avant-garde)
• Concentrates on close reading of unpublished plays (excerpts from scripts included), on the actual performance events but also on archival material collected by the writer and not previously published in a consistent manner
• Offers both a historical survey and theoretical analysis based on performance theories

Engaging and informative, this book presents a comparative study of the history, performances and politics of the FTP by drawing and exposing further links between American modernism and its European counterparts. It concentrates predominantly on the New York division and its following units: the Living Newspaper, the Negro unit, the Children's unit and the Dance unit. Exploring a range of performances, it suggests that the FTP is responsible for an array of theatrical and dramatic experimentations but that it is also indebted to and carries on from the tradition of the European avant-garde and the contemporary modernist theatrical explorations.

Back Jacket

An exciting and engaging investigation of the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) from a transatlantic perspective Engaging and informative, this book presents a comparative study of the history, performances and politics of the FTP by drawing and exposing further links between American modernism and its European counterparts. It concentrates predominantly on the New York division and its following units: the Living Newspaper, the Negro unit, the Children's unit and the Dance unit. Exploring a range of performances, it suggests that the FTP is responsible for an array of theatrical and dramatic experimentations but that it is also indebted to and carries on from the tradition of the European avant-garde and the contemporary modernist theatrical explorations. Rania Karoula is Teaching Fellow in contemporary Scottish and modernist drama at the University of Edinburgh.

Author Biography

Rania Karoula teaches contemporary Scottish and modernist drama in the Department of English Literature and Centre for Open Learning at the University of Edinburgh. In addition to her work in libraries and archives, she interned at Oran Mor, Glasgow, with David MacLennan, one of the founders of the 7:84 company. She has organized theatrical workshops with leading Scottish and international dramatists, performers, academics and musicians. Her recent article, "From Meyerhold and Blue Blouse to McGrath and 7:84: Political Theatre in Russia and Scotland", was considered for the 2019 R. D. S. Jack Prize by the International Society for the Study of Scottish Literatures.