The Cradle Will Rock

The Cradle Will Rock is a musical by Marc Blitzstein (1905 – 1964)

The original text
The controversial musical is a pro-unionist Brechtian allegory, addressing issues of corruption and corporate greed in the USA, and was originally developed as part of the Federal Theatre Project.

The work suffered censorship problems because of its content, and only had an abbreviated prevew June 16, 1937 in the Venice Theatre, followed by a full production produced by John Houseman and directed by Orson Welles, in the Mercury Theatre, New York from 5 December 1937 onwards.

South African productions
1941: Performed at the Pioneer Theatre, Johannesburg, directed and designed by Leo Kerz.

2015: Performed at the Theatre on the Square in November. Directed by Elizma Badenhorst with students of the Oakfields College Faculty of Dance and Musical Theatre

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