The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-23

press. That was the first step. 4
corps Of volunteer speakers Who
we're imbued with the idea Of the
theatre was the newt step. They
spoke at two or three meetings @
night, explaining the aim OF the
Theatre Union 10 create a workers
drama In America.
Leaders Of unions and mass or
CARNATIONS we're invited to see
Peace on Earth" They liked it and
offered immediate support. They sent
out leaflets in their mails. They
hung posters IN their Offices. They
made announcements ct their meet
ing. For some Of them special leaf
lets were printed to be distributed
among their members. The National
Student League, for instance. left q
special student circular or every
bench Of every college classroom in
the city. Through such channels, all
in all, over a hundred thousand
leaflets were distributed.
Workers Flock to Play
Once apprised of the existence Of
workers play, suddenly workers
audience thing undreamed Of b.
Broadway producers, an idea sneered
at by the criticS-began 10 flock into
the Civic Repertory Theatre to see
Peace on Earth" They came singly,
they came in bodies. During the
first six weeks Of Peace on Earth. o.
73 workingclasS organizations gave
theatre parties, bringing 1925 Deo-
pie into the theatre. Some OF them
had not been in regular" theatre
for years, some Of them never at
al. Until the advent Of the Theatre
Union, many Of them had been I'M
able to afford it.
Overnight, Peace on Earth" with
Standing room only" became one Of
the hits Of New York A miracle: a
workers theatre, with 6 militant
workingclass play, packing the house
with workers! Here was something
new under the American sun.
Yes, We Do"
Do workers want their own cll-
ture? The Theatre Union answers
that they are crazy about it. DO
you want a theatre like this? Will
you help maintain one in New
York;" a speaker asks the audience
each night at the close Of the play
And the audience, described by such
established theatrical figures as John
Howard Lawson and Sidney Howard
as the most inspiring audience they
had ever seen in the theatre, roars
back: yes, We dol We willr
Workers have come to the box Office
after the show and have asked what
they could do to help. They have
offered to distribute leaflets, to bring
their friends, TO do tipping. to raise
money, to keep the theatre alive at
any cost. The lesson Of the Theatre
Union is that workers do want cul
ture. But it must be competent and
stirring; and it must be their cul-
ture.
The effect on the cast has been
interesting to observe. Bent on pre-
senting a play with professional
finish, the Theatre Union had to
draw, in some instances, on random
Broadway actors. They presented
problems. The more militant pass
ages Of the script some Of them
disdained as "soap-box." In some
instances they baked at saying lines
or doing bits of action. All, propa
gands, propaganda But the first
dozen performances changed an
that Suddenly it became clear that
the most militant moments Of the
play were the most dramatic mo-
ments. The audience warmed undeE
them, clapped and cheered. The
sympathetic members Of the cast
bIossomed under this response. They
grew holder, more sure of them
selves; their acting improved. The
others paused to think. Backstsge
nobody talks about "soap-box" these
days. Instead, they want to know
what social problem the next play
will be about
Enable Unemployed TO See Play
Unemployed workers who could not
afford even 30 cents for the cheapest
seat have been part Of the Theatre
Union audience. Their tickets have
been provided for them by contribu
tions from the paying audience and
distributed through the unemployed
organizations. On any given night
you may see in the Civic Repertory
Theatre a group of unemployed Ne
groes from Harlem, unemployed men
from the unions. Men and women
who had forgotten what a theatre
looked like. At this writing the play
is still going strong, while Broadway
has again sunk into slump. The
Theatre Union predicts that before
the play closes fully 100000 people
will have seen peace On Earth" 1t
is planning for q second play in
March.
The Theatre Union has proved
that if you can break down the wall
Of skepticism and derision erected by
the uptown press, working-class
drama can exist in the United States.
IA T. NJ IT e