Key Themes in Theatre from 1940 to 1960
After World War 2, America had experienced changes in perspective, mainly regarding social issues of gender and race relations. African Americans had fought side by side with Caucasian Americans during the war, and racism, though still widespread, was becoming less and less accepted among minorities and members of majority groups. Technology, also, allowed more people than ever before to have access to entertainment. As these social changes affected aspects of life, they also influenced theatre.
"The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation"
-Stella Adler
Theme: New Social Aspects of Theatre(The Following is a summation of the site: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/american-negro-theatre)
The ANT: From 1940- ca.1955 - ANT stands for "American Negro Theatre" - Formed in 1940 by actors in Harlem, New York - Originated from FDR's Federal Theatre Project as a part of the New Deals during the Great Depression - The Goals of the ANT included:
Their performances include (but are not limited to): - On Striver’s Row by Abram Hill (September 1940) -Natural Man by Theodore Browne (May 1941) -The Peacemaker by Kurt Unkelbach (November 1946) -Tin Top Valley by Walter Carroll (March 1947) -The Later Christopher Bean by Sidney Howard (July 1947) -The Washington Years by Nat Sherman (March 1948) -Sojourner Truth by Katherine G. Chaplin (April 1949) -Almost Faithful by Harry Wagstaff Gribble (June 1948) -Freight by Kenneth White (February 1949). - ANT received the most fame from Anna Lucasta. It opened at The Harlem Library Theatre, eventually moving to Broadway where it ran 957 performances. New Theme? African American and minority struggles are being presented on a larger scale, to a larger audience than ever before. Through performing theatre that people of different backgrounds can associate with, the different groups become closer. The lives and struggles of these groups presents themes that everyone can relate to: wealth, dreams, history, etc. Later theatre, such as Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun in 1959, manifested the struggles of an African American family, making its way to Broadway, and becoming hugely popular among people in America of all different backgrounds, breaking a barrier between people. The struggle for racial tolerance was fought on many fronts: one being the stage. Other groups aimed particularly at bettering the lives of minority groups included: The Negro Repertory Company |
Theme: Theatre Becomes More Easily AccessibleTheatre from 1940- 1960 also shifted by branching off into different areas.
New forms of theatre: - Children's theatre - Community theatre - College theatre This allowed more people in more areas of society to experience acting and watching theatre. People who could not afford Broadway, or those who lived on the outskirts of cities and towns, were able to experience live drama. Additionally, more age groups could also enjoy theatre, as children's theatre was introduced. |
Theme: The Rise of TelevisionAs television sets rapidly made their way into thousands of homes from 1940 to 1960, more and more people began to experience drama in their own homes. Television acting became an entirely new aspect of theatre, that since, has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon.
With television came the rise of new celebrities and a newly discovered persuasive power: whoever controls television entertainment influences the entire country. Click here to learn more about television's influence on the world. |