The Cradle Will Rock

NM ACTORS LAB PRESENT “The Crade Will Rock” a WPA “Labor Opera” will play September 2-September 19 in Santa Fe.

Directed by Robert Benedetti. A 1937 play by Marc Blitzstein and originally part of the Federal Theater Project.

“This will be Benedetti’s fifth production of this landmark “Labor Opera” since he first did it 42 years ago after John Houseman, the producer of the original 1937 Federal Theater Project production, told him the harrowing story of the opening night when Houseman and director Orson Welles found themselves locked out of their theater by the WPA administration, which feared that the show’s overtly pro-labor message might give ammunition to forces in Congress intent on defunding the WPA. Undeterred, Welles and Houseman found a vacant theater where composer Marc Blitzstein began to perform the entire show alone on a rented piano on a bare stage, when one by one the actors, who had been forbidden by their union to appear on stage, rose from their seats in the auditorium and joined in. The story inspired Benedetti to not only do the show, but to recreate the entire opening night event. Santa Fe audiences should know that the show will begin outside in the parking lot beside the theater for a fifteen-minute prologue.” (NM Actors Lab)

See NM Actors Lab for tickets and showtimes.

THE CRADLE WILL ROCK: The Working Man’s Musical Read all about the original production on the Smithsonian website.

1985 Production of The Cradle Will Rock