Federal Theatre Project designs

1935-1939

The Federal Theatre Project was created in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project to fund live theatre and other live performing arts performances. Its purpose was also to give employment to unemployed theatre artists; the project brought free or low-cost theatre (including children's theatre) to audiences nationwide. Hallie Flanagan was the Federal Theatre Project's director. The project ended in 1939 due to cancellation of funding by Congress. Original color costume designs, sketches, and scenic boards for some 42 Federal Theatre Project productions donated by the U.S. Veterans Administration. Productions include the musical revue Sing for your supper, 1939, with costume designs by Alexander Jones; The black crook, circa 1936, with costume designs by Sidney Carlyle and Frank Fisher; Pinocchio by Yasha Frank, adapted from Collodi, circa 1937, with some costume designs by Sidney Carlyle and Frederick Wilkinson; Ready! Aim! Fire!, 1937, by Gene Stone and Jack Robinson, with costume designs by Frederick Wilkinson; among other costume designers represented are Dianne Aerne, Kavelita and V. Nichols. There are also 31 scenic boards (30 of which have photographs attached) of drops, backdrops, roll curtains, and set pieces by Frederick Stover for the musical revue Two-a-day, 1938, as well as a small number of set design drawings, including The pastry baker by Lope de Vega, circa 1935-1939, drawing by Joseph Liss, and set designs by Nels Astner for William Shakespeare's Twelfth night. Also included is 1 costume sketch for Clay Dalton in the Festival of American dance, circa 1937.