The daily worker., 1927-04-09
By MOISSAYE OLGIN

ing among them theatrical culture. From another
angle the same vanguard may be looked upon as
theatrical reserves to be drawn for the performance
of mass plays which must be one of the main fea-
lures of workers theatre, and for expanding the
theatre in times of need.
The bourgeois theatre is being utilized for i'm
peralist and chauvinst ends (war propaganda Red
Cross drives ETC.. the workers theatre must be an
instrument of the workers in that it actively par
ticipates in their class struggle. We imagine a de-
tachment of the New York Workers Theatre going
out to Passac to perform in a hall or in the open
air. for the textile strkers-not only to raise funds
but, mainly to hearten the strikers and their chill
dren. We imagine devil-may-care troop of young
theatrical "frontersmen" rushing out of Chicago
to Herrin, Ill., and to other coal-mining towns to
form the great theatrical event of the coal strike
We imagine workers theatre artists decorating la
boris convention halls and giving performances for
the delegates. That such performances cannot by
the nature of things be polite that they must as
sumo sarcastic, anti-capitalist nature will by no
means lessen the value of the theatre in the eyes OF
the working class. We are against propaganda as
marrir~ he artistic quality of vital performance.
But welcome propaganda, i. e., directing thoughts
and emotions in definite channel once it comes as
a result OF an artistic performance By partici-
pating in the everyday life of the workers, the
workers theatre will gain that intimate connection
with the workers which will make them rush to
every new performance and watch the players with
enthusiasm and adoration-p provided the perform
Pageants and performances for workmen's chill
dren must be part of the program Of workers
theatre.
THE theatre must be public undertaking
financed either by labor unions or by the sale of
shares among the workers "details of organization
need not be here entered into) and making no pro-
fit. Its staff must consist of nucleus of profess
sionals with large auxiliary force of theatrically
skilled and semi-skilled workers. 1t must be re-
pertory theatre with no stars. 1t must be a pre-
domnantly American theatre, admitting, however,
exceptionally good foreign plays.
Is this dream? 1t depends on the initiative Of
few. There is enormous potential audience;
there are many intelectuals, who, being friendly
to labor and disgusted with the bourgeois theatre,
are aching to put their energy to the creation of
something and useful both for art and the
workers. There are young actors and other artists
ready to attempt the experience of collective work
for collective art. There are tokens in the air
pointing the way: workers art clubs singing So
cietes, dramatic circles etc. mostly among foreign
born workers., who, of late however, have grown
to know English and will certainly welcome a
workers theatre in English.
There must be crystallizing point to set the
movement afoot. The aim of this article is to
point out this need, and, perhaps hasten the for
nation of such point
care you preaching proletarian art?" we hear
disquieted questions. Our answer is: Let names
alone. Let us do the thing. When it will have ma
terialized and gone part of its road of develop
ment, we will have time enough to discuss where
to class it. (The end.)