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Subsidiation of National Theatre
Parliament decides to subsidize the formation of National Theatre. Although the National Theatre struggled to open due to challenges the Company was officially inaugurated in 1963 and led by Laurence Oliver. The company moved into its forever home in 1976 and became one of England's top performance facilities(Brockett 202). -
U.S. Theatre and Government Support
The U.S. government only financed the Federal Theatre in 1930 to reduce unemployment and didn't offer support until the 60s. This caused civic leaders and corporate foundations to invest without government aid. They created strong professional theatre within New York and across the United States(Brockett 205). -
Jones's Theatre
Margo opened a regional theatre that would be a model for theatres to come after co directing "The Glass Menagerie" which proved extremely successful. She was a pioneer for the regional theatre movement along with Nina Vance and Zelda Fichandler(Brockett 206). -
Period: to
Chapter 8: Modernism - American
Theatre -
Royal Court Theatre
This English subsidized group made its mark by backing new play writes whom wrote for a non commercial audience. These works made way for a new or less censored British theatre. Their new unsophisticated way of writing was primarily a 'slap in the face' to traditional British theatre, bringing forth a whole new audience of "angry young men"(Brockett 204). -
Special Guest: Noel Coward’s Sail Away
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy attends Sail away's pre-broadway tryout. News coverage explained her elegant outfit and the amount of cheers she elicited from the crowd. The Boston Globe says leading lady Elaine Stritch took the time to correlate the lines to fit. They changed from “Why Do The Wrong People Travel?” to: “Why do people travel? Why don’t they stay home with all the Kennedy's?”. Jacqueline Kennedy was so impressed with the show, that she even congratulated each member of the cast. -
Stratford Festival's New Look
Although the festival is dated back to 1879 the summer festival gained popularity immensely by 1961. It had inquired a new name, the Royal Shakespeare Company and grew from being a national to an international event(Brockett 201). -
Abolition of Licensing Acts
Edward Bond and Royal Court produced yet another challenging play, "Early Morning". This play was deemed inappropriate because the story line involves a Queen having a lesbian affair. The Lord again prosecutes but this time failing, resulting in the Licensing Act that has aloud the censoring of plays in Britain to be abolished. The Royal Court continued to create and produced plays that pushed boundaries(Brockett 204). -
Theatre Communications Group
The TCG served as a information beacon for more than 500 non profit professional theatres. It also was a place where common problems could be discussed and sorted out(Brockett 208). -
World Theatre Season
Royal Shakespeare Company hosts World Theatre Season: where theatre companies from all over preform. This event helped diversify British theatre by creating a cross-contamination of art. During this time one of the worlds most influential directors, Peter Brook staged some of his best work such as; "Midsummer Night's Dream" and Marat/Sade(Brockett 202). -
Edward Bonds "Saved"
The Royal Court produced Bonds "Saved" which proves to have been a key factor in the change of British censorship forever. Lord Chamberlain of England at the time had the power to either license or refuse plays, which he in fact refused "Saved". In rebuttal to this R.C. reformed their company to private members only thus enabling the show. Although Chamberlain prosecuted(and won) Royal Court and Bond weren't finished (Brockett 204). -
Works Cited
History.com Editors. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. 19 Mar. 2010, www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/jacqueline-kennedy-onassis. The Essential Theatre. Brockett, Ball, Flemming Et Al. Eleventh Edition. Cengage Learning. Brockett
