The UCLA Department of Music, Committee on Fine Arts Productions
And the UCLA Musical Theater Workshop presents
The Cradle Will Rock
a play in music by
Marc Blitzstein
Directed by John Hall
February 6,7,11-14,19 &20, 1981 @ 8:30pm
February 8 & 15 @2:30pm
Little Theater
Schoenberg Hall, UCLA
As a young man Marc Blitzstein had been an avant-garde composer of concert music. The great depression of the 1930’s changed him to a man with a strong sense of social injustice and some frankly leftist political views. Both of these characteristics are found in his “play in music” The Cradle Will Rock, and it was these characteristics that brought government officials to attempt to block its premiere in 1937.
Originally planned as a full scale musical with scenery, orchestra and costumes, the company and first night audience found themselves locked out of the theater by Federal order. A frantic search found an empty theater nearby, and the cast and audience assembled to hear the work on a bare stage with the composer playing an upright piano. Strangely enough, this bare minimum premiere seemed to suit the piece which is a mixture of pop song, blues, vaudeville sketches, and a special kind of out of sync melody that is uniquely Blitzstein.
The story is told through a series of flashbacks in a nightcourt in Steeltown, U.S.A. A young prostitute has been picked up along with Steeltown’s leading citizens the Liberty Committee, a puppet organization set up by Mr. Mister (the symbol of capitalism). Through these flashbacks we see who the real whores are. It is the Liberty Committee representing education, the arts, medicine, the press, etc. who have sold out to Mr. Mister for security that are the true prostitutes. This rather serious message is packed in a work that is both entertaining and provoking.
Described by Virgil Thomson as “the most appealing operatic socialism since Louise,” we know that with its message and structure we can see the influence of Kurt Weill and Bert Brecht (to whom the piece is dedicated), but with its sharply humorous text and parodistic tunes it remains a milestone in American Musical Theater. – John Hall
A play in music by Marc Blitzstein
The action takes place in Steeltown, U.S.A., on the night of a union drive.
ACT ONE
Scene 1:
Street corner
Moll, Gent, Dick, Liberty Committee, Cop
Scene 2:
Night court
Moll, Dick, Liberty Committee, Cop, Clerk, Harry Druggist
Scene 3:
Mission
Reverend Salvation, Mrs. Mister
Scene 4:
Lawn of Mr. Mister’s home
Junior and Sister Mister, Mr. Mister, Editor Daily
Scene 5:
Drugstore
Harry Druggist, Steve, Bugs, Sadie and Gus Polock
Scene 6:
Hotel lobby
Yasha, Dauber, Mrs. Mister
ACT TWO
Scene 7:
Night court
Moll, Cop, Larry Foreman, Liberty Committee, Clerk
Scene 8:
Faculty room
President Prexy, Mr. Mister, Professors Mamie, Scoot, and Trixie
Scene 9:
Dr. Specialist’s office
Mr. Mister, Dr. Specialist, Ella Hammer, Reporters
Scene 10:
Night court
Larry Foreman, Moll, Liberty Committee, Mr. Mister
Moll
Ann Ainsworth (6,8,12,14,19)
Arden Lewis (7,11,13,15,20)
Gent
Jim Reeder
Dick
Ricco Ross
Cop
Joe Cornicelli
Reverend Salvation
Steve Steinberg
Editor Daily
John Ferdenzi
Yasha
Lucas Richman
Dauber
Steve Fickinger
President Prexy
Judy Berkowitz
Professor Trixie
Paul Townsend
Dr. Specialist
Paul Wong
Harry Druggist
Jim Ward
Mr. Mister
Glenn Rosenblum
Mrs. Mister
Pamela Lloyd
Junior Mister
Paul Townsend
Sister Mister
Martha Swartz
Steve
Casey Nicholaw
Sadie Polock
Allison Ehlers
Gus Polock
Jim Reeder
Larry Foreman
Scot Reese
Professor Scoot
Jason Ma
Ella Hamer
Lynn Jackson
Reporter and Professor Mamie
Jeff Osser
Bugs
Steve Fickinger
Clerk
Jason Ma
Pianist
David Foster
Director
John Hall
Musical Preparation
Joan Colman, Lucas Richman
Scenic and Lighting Design
Archie Sharp
Production Coordinator
Kathleen Moon
Stage Manager
Jerry Kurtz
Program/Publicity
Carol Vane
Movement Consultant
Steve Fickinger
Pianist
David Foster
Musical Numbers