Play Guide [1.2MB PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

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TIME Social Trends: • Popularity of the movies (by 1930, 90,000,000 people attended the movies weekly, including Tom Wingfi eld) • Billie Holiday gains popularity for her “cool” jazz • Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture gets noticed • Workers’ Unions are on the rise • The New York Yankees win the World Series • Howard Johnson’s starts the trend of franchised restaurants The Glass Menagerie Political Events: • Franklin D. Roosevelt is the President of the U.S. • Neville Chamberlain becomes the British Prime Minister • Japan invades China (the attack that some mark as the fi rst battle of World War II) • At Francisco Franco’s request for support, Adolph Hitler Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd bombs Guernica President of the United States Financial Issues: • Franklin D. Roosevelt states, “I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished” • Business activity suffers a sharp drop • The Miller-Tydings Act allows manufacturers to fi x the resale prices of brand-name merchandise Even musical groups have noticed the moving story of The Glass Menagerie and used the play as inspiration for lyrics: BRAND NEW COLONY lyrics by The Postal Service I’ll be the grapes fermented, Bottled and served with the table set in my fi nest suit Like a perfect gentlemen I’ll be the fi re escape that’s bolted to the ancient brick Where you will sit and contemplate your day I’ll be the waterwings that save you if you start drowning In an open tab when your judgement’s on the brink I’ll be the phonograph that plays your favorite Albums back as you’re lying there drifting off to sleep… I’ll be the platform shoes and undo what heredity’s done to you… You won’t have to strain to look into my eyes I’ll be your winter coat buttoned and zipped straight to the throat With the collar up so you won’t catch a cold I want to take you far from the cynics in this town And kiss you on the mouth Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 10
TIME DEPRESSION We’ll cut out bodies free from the tethers of this scene, Start a brand new colony Where everything will change, We’ll give ourselves new names (identities erased) The sun will heat the grounds Under our bare feet in this brand new colony Everything will change, oOo oOo… New in 1937: • Supermarket shopping carts • Drive-in banking • Spam • U.S. blood bank • Antihistamines • The Golden Gate Bridge • Nylon patented -reprinted with permission from the Hippodrome Theatre THE GREAT DEPRESSION The Glass Menagerie takes place in 1937, during what is commonly known as the Great Depression. Because the Depression had been ongoing for some time by the year The Glass Menagerie takes place, its effects were widespread and deeply felt by the American public. How did the Great Depression Happen? After the end of the First World War, the American economy prospered. The war provided American cities with a broad industrial region of textile mills, coal mines, iron and steel furnaces, and timber saw mills. However, the increased wealth in the United States did not affect the farmers and workers who had already been producing the country’s necessary goods. WWI’s surplus of goods blanketed the American economy and Americans could not consume the goods produced, ultimately leading to the Stock Market Crash of 1929. The excess plagued A mid 20th century advertisement for Spam The Glass Menagerie "While the crash only took place six months ago, I am convinced we have now passed through the worst -- and with continued unity of effort we shall rapidly recover." -President Herbert Hoover, May 1, 1930 A crowd gathers on Wall Street following the 1929 crash Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 11
Page 1 and 2: Play Guide The Glass Menagerie Ariz
Page 3 and 4: WHO WE ARE Arizona Theatre Company
Page 5 and 6: SYNOPSIS Laura A socially awkward a
Page 7 and 8: WILLIAMS were still people in New O
Page 9: MEMORY MEMORY PLAYS The Glass Menag
Page 13 and 14: WOMEN A 1936 poll in Fortune magazi
Page 15 and 16: DEFENSE IN DEFENSE OF THE MATRIARCH
Page 17 and 18: HISTORY Costume Design for the Gent
Page 19 and 20: HISTORY TERMS The Bombing of Guerni
Page 21 and 22: TERMS Milk Fund: “Milk funds” w
Page 23 and 24: MOVIES DEPRESSION SHOPPING LIST—1
Page 25 and 26: SYMBOLISM Tom describes the gentlem
Page 27 and 28: DISCUSSION 5. What is the signifi c
Page 29 and 30: 3. Discuss the symbol of the glass
Page 31 and 32: - Speaking characters are shown by
Page 33 and 34: 2) Have each student return to his
Page 35 and 36: Debriefi ng Questions 1. Do you fee
Page 37 and 38: The Glass Menagerie 6) Depending on
Page 39: Sample Monologue 2 (The girl in thi

Play Guide [1.2MB PDF] - Arizona Theatre Company

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