In Steeltown USA, charismatic union organizer Larry Foreman challenges wicked factory owner Mr. Mister and his "Liberty Committee" of prominent citizens who've sold out for money and power. Workers and townsfolk - including a warm-hearted streetwalker named Moll and a down-and-out drunk called Harry - are drawn into the drama, which takes place in the city's Night Court, while protests rage at the factory. Can one person shift the balance of power?
The Cradle Will Rock's dominant score combines diverse musical styles ranging from 1930s jazz and pop to marches, church chorales, arias and recitation. The result is a "folk opera" which shines a light on socio-political issues still relevant today.
Note: The landmark original production of this infamous musical is legend. Written in 1937 under the auspices of the Depression-era WPA Federal Theatre Project, the allegorical tale of corporate greed and corruption was thought to be so subversive, it was shut down by armed guards on the eve of its opening. Playwright/composer Blitzstein, along with producer John Houseman and then 21-year-old director Orson Welles, secured an alternate venue across town and presented the production on their own. As the actors were forbidden to perform the work "on stage," they sang the entire show from their seats which were scattered throughout the audience, to the delight of the sold-out house!
Book, Music & Lyrics by Marc Blitzstein
