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The Playbook
A Story of Theatre, Democracy and the Making of a Culture War
Brief Description
Tremendous. DAVID HARE An absorbing, necessary book. AHAD AKHTAR Fascinating and energising. FINANCIAL TIMES From the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall. In 1935 the American...
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See moreFrom the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall.
From the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall.
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Description
Tremendous. DAVID HARE
An absorbing, necessary book. AHAD AKHTAR
Fascinating and energising. FINANCIAL TIMES
From the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall.
In 1935 the American public was presented with a radical opportunity.
Established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, the Federal Theatre Project would employ 12,000 artists, writers, and actors; stage more than 1,000 productions; and reach over 30 million people. Its output included Orson Welles' directorial debut, a landmark modern dance programme, and shows that sought to shed light on the reality of racism, inequality and the dangers of fascism.
But within three years, an opportunistic Texas congressman had embarked on a campaign to destroy it, inventing a playbook that echoes into the culture wars of today.
From one of the world's great storytellers, The Playbook is an illuminating account of a terrifyingly prescient moment in twentieth-century American cultural history.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780571372775
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 June 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Faber & Faber
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 300g
Pages: 384
About the Author
James Shapiro, who teaches English at Columbia University in New York, is author of several books, including 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare (winner of the BBC4 Samuel Johnson Prize in 2006 and the Baillie Gifford 'Winner of Winners' in 2023), as well as Shakespeare in a Divided America.
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From the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall. 1935. As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's progressive New Deal, the Work Progress Administration is created to support unemployed workers, including writers, artists, musicians, and actors. The Federal Theatre Project, a...Hardback$4999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
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