A wonderful early Workers Theatre whose highlights include Kay Nankin on how to conduct workers theatre for children, legendary early film critic Harry Potamkin’s review of the first ‘talking’ Soviet film ‘Road to Life,’ Mordecai Gorelick on the political power of scenery, and local events leading to the national workers theatre competition, the Spartakiade.

Workers Theater. Vol. 1 No. 12. March, 1932.

Contents: Mobilization for the First National Workers Theatre Conference and Spartakiade, Scenery: The Visual Attack by Mordecai Gorelik, PLAYS: On the Belt by the N.Y. Prolet Buehne, Miners on Strike, China Wakes by Tom Lewis, Available Plays at the Workers Theatre,, MOVIES: The New Soviet Film by H.A. Potamkin, WORKERS’ CHILDREN THEATRE: Workers’ Children Dancing by Kay Nankin , GROUPS IN ACTION: Rebel Players Los Angeles,, A. Saks and J. Shapiro, News and Notes, On the Road with a Workers Theatre, Red Spotlight, Terms for the National Workers Theatre Spartakiade.

Workers Theatre began in New York City in 1931 as the publication of The Workers Laboratory Theater collective, an agitprop group associated with Workers International Relief, becoming the League of Workers Theaters, section of the International Union of Revolutionary Theater of the Comintern. The rough production values of the first years were replaced by a color magazine as it became primarily associated with the New Theater. It contains a wealth of left cultural history and ideas. Published roughly monthly were Workers Theater from April 1931-July/Aug 1933, New Theater from Sept/Oct 1933-November 1937, New Theater and Film from April and March of 1937, (only two issues).

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/workers-theatre/v1n12-mar-1932-Workers-Theatre-NYPL-mfilm.pdf