Talk about breaking the fourth wall. "The
Cradle Will Rock" the audience out of its seats and into
the middle of Steeltown, USA.
Kingsborough Community College’s Performing Arts Society is going
old school with their production of the revolutionary "The
Cradle Will Rock." The actors, comprised mostly of Kingsborough
theater students, will perform in the audience, just as it was
done 69 years ago.
"Expect nothing you would ever expect before," said
director Jay Michaels, a professor at Kingsborough.
"Actors could be sitting next to you and all of a sudden
start singing," he explained. "Scenes could happen
anywhere." Except, of course, on the stage that will be
completely empty, aside from a piano.
The original 1937 production (pictured above), written by Marc
Blitzstein and directed by Orson Welles, went down in theater
history.
"The Cradle Will Rock," a musical about labor unions
and corporate corruption, was shut down by the Federal Theatre
Project because of "budget cuts" – or fear that the
musical was promoting communist propaganda, said Michaels.
The theater company was met by armed guards at New York’s Federal
Theatre, and could not perform on opening night. Michaels said
that instead of accepting defeat, the company found another theater
a mile away and walked there with the audience, where they performed
literally in the seats and aisles because the government said
performing "on stage" was forbidden.
"This is a great theatrical and learning experience,"
Michaels said. "It’s about time people see ’The Cradle Will
Rock’ in its original form."
"The Cradle Will Rock" will be performed on July 19
and 20 at 8 pm at The Goldstein Performing Arts Center on the
campus of Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Blvd.
at Decatur Avenue). Tickets are $10. For reservations, call (718)
368-4809.
