7.4 The Group Theatre and social realism

The Group Theatre, founded in 1931, revolutionized American theater with its focus on social realism and political engagement. They aimed to create plays that reflected the struggles of ordinary people during the Great Depression, embracing a collective approach to theater-making.

Their productions emphasized naturalistic acting, minimal sets, and themes of social injustice. The Group's influence extended beyond their brief existence, shaping generations of actors and directors through their innovative techniques and commitment to addressing pressing social issues on stage.

Formation of the Group Theatre

Founding and Vision

Top images from around the web for Founding and Vision

• 

  Category:Group Theatre (New York City) - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Studio Theatre, Hollywood, 1931 - S Charles Lee (digital.l… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  A Raisin in the Sun - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Category:Group Theatre (New York City) - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Studio Theatre, Hollywood, 1931 - S Charles Lee (digital.l… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Founding and Vision

• 

  Category:Group Theatre (New York City) - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Studio Theatre, Hollywood, 1931 - S Charles Lee (digital.l… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  A Raisin in the Sun - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Category:Group Theatre (New York City) - Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Studio Theatre, Hollywood, 1931 - S Charles Lee (digital.l… | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• The Group Theatre was founded in 1931 in New York City by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasberg
• The Group Theatre's artistic vision was to create a new form of American theatre that was socially conscious, politically engaged, and emotionally authentic
• The company aimed to produce plays that addressed contemporary social issues and reflected the struggles of ordinary people during the Great Depression (economic hardship, unemployment, social inequality)
• The Group Theatre embraced a collective approach to theatre-making, emphasizing collaboration, ensemble acting, and a shared commitment to social and political activism

Community and Collaboration

• The company's members lived and worked together, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose that informed their artistic work
• This communal living arrangement allowed for intensive rehearsal processes and the development of a cohesive ensemble style
• The Group Theatre's collaborative approach extended to all aspects of production, from playwriting and directing to set design and stage management
• This emphasis on collaboration and shared ownership of the creative process was a departure from the more hierarchical and commercial models of Broadway theatre at the time

Principles of Social Realism

Artistic Movement and Aesthetic

• Social realism was an artistic movement that sought to depict the lives and struggles of working-class people with honesty, authenticity, and social consciousness
• The Group Theatre's approach to social realism emphasized the use of naturalistic acting techniques, such as emotional truth, psychological depth, and physical specificity
• The company's productions often featured characters from marginalized or oppressed groups, such as workers, immigrants, and the poor, and explored themes of social injustice, economic inequality, and political struggle (labor rights, housing insecurity, racial discrimination)
• The Group Theatre's social realist plays were often set in contemporary urban environments and used vernacular language and realistic dialogue to capture the rhythms and textures of everyday life (tenements, factories, streets)

Stagecraft and Design

• The company's stagecraft and design elements, such as minimal sets and naturalistic lighting, were intended to create a sense of immediacy and authenticity that supported the social realist aesthetic
• Sets were often sparse and suggestive, allowing the focus to remain on the actors and the social and emotional realities of the characters
• Costumes were carefully chosen to reflect the social status and circumstances of the characters, often drawing from the wardrobes of the actors themselves
• Sound and music were used sparingly, with an emphasis on naturalistic sound effects and the rhythms of everyday speech and movement

Productions and Playwrights

Major Works

• The Group Theatre produced a number of significant plays during its relatively brief existence, including "The House of Connelly" (1931) by Paul Green, "Men in White" (1933) by Sidney Kingsley, and "Awake and Sing!" (1935) by Clifford Odets
• Clifford Odets emerged as the Group Theatre's most important and influential playwright, known for his socially conscious and politically charged works such as "Waiting for Lefty" (1935), "Golden Boy" (1937), and "Rocket to the Moon" (1938)
• Other notable playwrights associated with the Group Theatre include Irwin Shaw, whose play "Bury the Dead" (1936) was a powerful anti-war statement, and Sidney Kingsley, whose plays "Dead End" (1935) and "The World We Make" (1939) addressed issues of poverty, crime, and social inequality

Adaptations and Reinterpretations

• The Group Theatre also staged productions of works by established playwrights such as Anton Chekhov and William Shakespeare, often adapting them to reflect contemporary social and political concerns
• These adaptations sought to make classic texts relevant to the lived experiences of Depression-era audiences, highlighting themes of class struggle, economic hardship, and social upheaval
• The company's productions of Chekhov's "The Three Sisters" (1935) and Shakespeare's "The Gentle People" (1939) exemplified this approach, reframing these works through a social realist lens

Influence on American Theatre

Acting Techniques and Training

• The Group Theatre's emphasis on naturalistic acting and emotional truth had a profound impact on the development of American acting techniques, particularly through the work of Lee Strasberg and his "Method" approach
• Many of the Group Theatre's members, such as Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, and Elia Kazan, went on to become influential acting teachers and directors, shaping generations of American actors and acting styles
• These teachers developed their own variations on the Method, each emphasizing different aspects of the Group Theatre's approach to acting (emotional memory, improvisation, physical action)
• The legacy of the Group Theatre's acting techniques can be seen in the work of countless American actors, from Marlon Brando and James Dean to Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington

Social and Political Theatre

• The Group Theatre's socially conscious and politically engaged approach to theatre helped to establish a tradition of activist and progressive theatre in the United States, influencing later companies such as the Living Theatre and the San Francisco Mime Troupe
• The plays of Clifford Odets and other Group Theatre writers helped to establish social realism as a major force in American drama, paving the way for later playwrights such as Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, and Lorraine Hansberry
• The Group Theatre's commitment to addressing social and political issues through the medium of theatre inspired subsequent generations of artists to use the stage as a platform for activism and social change (civil rights movement, anti-war protests, LGBTQ+ rights)
• The Group Theatre's legacy can be seen in the continued emphasis on ensemble acting, social relevance, and political engagement in contemporary American theatre, as well as in the enduring influence of Method acting in film and television