The Importance Of Theater: Free To The Public

What if theater was free to the public? I encourage you to go look up prices to Hamilton in order to really appreciate this concept. What if performance art was no longer limited to the few for whom it is was financially feasible to throw away a couple hundred dollars on a theater ticket. The Federal Theater Project not only made theater available to all, regardless of economic status, but also employees over 10,000 artists suffering from the Great Depression. The Federal Theater Project was one of the many Works Projects Administration programs established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. These programs were an attempt to employee workers who were relying on Federal relief subsequent to the Stock Market …show more content…
Republican members of Congress, who has slowly been gaining majority, were against the leftist views portrayed in several productions produced by the Federal Theater Project. This led to an investigation of the Federal Theater Project by Republican Congress member Martin Dies. Dies was the head of the House of Un-American Activities Committee. This committee explored subversion by fascists and communists. Although the Congress’ ignorance of theater in general was apparent, Congress relentlessly pursued the cause. When the name “Christopher Marlowe” was stated, representatives asked if this was the name of a Communist, having no clue that this was an extremely prominent Elizabethan Era playwright who’s works inspired Shakespeare. Regardless of their inexperience, the Federal Theater Project was defunded. As a Management Executive Director, I would encourage my client to provide facts and figures for consideration by Congress. Personal testimony or emotional appeals would be ineffective to an audience who has no personal experience to draw from. Facts and statistics that are indisputable are the only categories of argument that cannot be