The Cradle Will Rock: A Play in Music
by Marc Blitzstein
The libretto, with notes and selected
sheet music, was published by
Random House in 1938. Sadly, it's
out of print; at the time of this writing,
there are some expensive original
editions available online. The Google
Books page for this volume won't let
you see the whole text, but it is
semi-searchable.
The Cradle Will Rock: An Original
Screenplay
by Orson Welles
Throughout his later career, Welles
sought to make a film about the
original production of Cradle. Shortly
before his death, it looked like it was
about to happen, but the financing fell
through. Supposedly, Welles asked
Steven Spielberg for help; Spielberg
refused, leading Welles to declare
that the Citizen Kane Rosebud sled
Spielberg had purchased at auction
for $50,000 was a fake. Welles'
screenplay was published
posthumously.
Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the
Moment
by Tim Robbins
Robbins' book, a companion to his
film Cradle Will Rock, includes the
shooting script for the movie, notes
by Robbins, and historical sidebars.
It's a handsome volume, but other
than the screenplay, the content is
rather slight. The historical
background doesn't cover anything
that's not better elucidated in other
available texts.
Mark the Music: The Life and Work of
Marc Blitzstein
by Eric A. Gordon
There's only one biography of
Blitzstein available, but Gordon's
book would probably be the definitive
one even if there were others.
Extensively researched, meticulously
indexed and annotated, with a wealth
of detail from Blitzstein's papers and
the testimony of those who knew him.
Marc Blitzstein: A Bio-Bibliography
by Leonard Lehrman
"An accomplishment of extraordinary
scope and depth. A resource for
composers, musicians, and
scholars now and in the future, this
ambitious work complements Eric
Gordon's biography of Blitzstein,
Mark the Music, and stands on its
own as an invaluable repository." --
Christopher Davis, Blitzstein's
nephew
by Marc Blitzstein
The libretto, with notes and selected
sheet music, was published by
Random House in 1938. Sadly, it's
out of print; at the time of this writing,
there are some expensive original
editions available online. The Google
Books page for this volume won't let
you see the whole text, but it is
semi-searchable.
The Cradle Will Rock: An Original
Screenplay
by Orson Welles
Throughout his later career, Welles
sought to make a film about the
original production of Cradle. Shortly
before his death, it looked like it was
about to happen, but the financing fell
through. Supposedly, Welles asked
Steven Spielberg for help; Spielberg
refused, leading Welles to declare
that the Citizen Kane Rosebud sled
Spielberg had purchased at auction
for $50,000 was a fake. Welles'
screenplay was published
posthumously.
Cradle Will Rock: The Movie and the
Moment
by Tim Robbins
Robbins' book, a companion to his
film Cradle Will Rock, includes the
shooting script for the movie, notes
by Robbins, and historical sidebars.
It's a handsome volume, but other
than the screenplay, the content is
rather slight. The historical
background doesn't cover anything
that's not better elucidated in other
available texts.
Mark the Music: The Life and Work of
Marc Blitzstein
by Eric A. Gordon
There's only one biography of
Blitzstein available, but Gordon's
book would probably be the definitive
one even if there were others.
Extensively researched, meticulously
indexed and annotated, with a wealth
of detail from Blitzstein's papers and
the testimony of those who knew him.
Marc Blitzstein: A Bio-Bibliography
by Leonard Lehrman
"An accomplishment of extraordinary
scope and depth. A resource for
composers, musicians, and
scholars now and in the future, this
ambitious work complements Eric
Gordon's biography of Blitzstein,
Mark the Music, and stands on its
own as an invaluable repository." --
Christopher Davis, Blitzstein's
nephew
The Cradle Will Rock
(1985 cast recording)
The 1985 Acting Company
production, directed by John
Houseman and starring Patti
LuPone, is the most readily
available complete recording of
Cradle. Good performances all
around; every lyric can be heard.
The Cradle Will Rock
(1994 cast recording)
The 1994 production by the Blank
Theatre Company in Los Angeles. At
the time of this writing, I haven't
heard this recording, though Scott
Miller says it's the best.
Cradle Will Rock
(DVD)
Written and directed by Tim Robbins
Robbins' magnificent 1999 film.
Highly recommended. For more on
the film, click here.
Cradle Will Rock
(movie soundtrack)
The official soundtrack includes
eleven songs from Cradle, along
with selections from David Robbins'
film score. It's a shame the
complete Blitzstein score wasn't
recorded, as it seems to be the only
recording of the original
orchestrations. The Cradle songs
are mostly performed by the actors
who played the original Cradle cast
in the film; exceptions are Audra
McDonald's stirring "Joe Worker,"
Susan Sarandon and Eddie Vedder
singing "Croon Spoon" (Sarandon
sounds great, but Vedder is out of
his element), and P.J. Harvey's
excellent contemporary version of
"The Nickel Under the Foot."
Marc Blitzstein: Musical Theatre
Premieres
This compilation includes tracks
from the original cast recordings of
Cradle and No for an Answer, as
well as the Airborne Symphony.
This is the easiest way to hear the
1937 recording of Cradle, featuring
the original Project 891 cast, with
Blitzstein at the piano. Despite the
value of this recording is as a
historic artifact, it's not as listenable
as one would hope.
The Marc Blitzstein Centennial
Recorded at the People's Voice
Cafe in New York in 2005, this
Leonard Lehrman-produced cabaret
marked the centennial of Blitzstein's
birth. It includes the first recordings
of rarely-heard Blitzstein material
from Reuben Reuben, Idiots First,
and I've Got The Tune, as well as a
selection of the Walt Whitman
settings written during Blitzstein's
early years. Bonus track: Blitzstein
himself playing and singing "The
Nickel Under the Foot."
A Blitzstein Cabaret
A sort of companion piece to the
Centennial, this live recording
includes further selections from
Reuben Reuben and Idiots First, as
well as material from No for an
Answer and Sacco and Vanzetti. A
lost gem: "Send for the Militia,"
Blitzstein's contribution to the
Thirties left-wing revue Parade.
No for an Answer: An American
Opera
by Marc Blitzstein
Three American One-Act Operas
Includes Blitzstein's The Harpies.
Regina
by Marc Blitzstein
Juno
by Marc Blitzstein
The Threepenny Opera
(1954 Off-Broadway Recording)
Blitzstein's translation and
adaptation of Brecht and Weill's
Weimar masterpiece remains the
definitive English version of the
work. During the recording session,
MGM executives prevailed upon
Blitzstein to clean up some of the
coarse language and sexual
innuendo. Blitzstein complied,
knowing the record would not be
released otherwise. The immense
popularity of the recording -- the first
Off-Broadway cast recording ever --
had fostered an unfortunate myth
that Blitzstein sugar-coated Brecht
into oblivion. Still an essential
recording, and the only English
version that really works.
Bernstein: The Early Years III
Leonard Bernstein -- a friend and
protege of Blitzstein's -- conducts
the Airborne Symphony.
(1985 cast recording)
The 1985 Acting Company
production, directed by John
Houseman and starring Patti
LuPone, is the most readily
available complete recording of
Cradle. Good performances all
around; every lyric can be heard.
The Cradle Will Rock
(1994 cast recording)
The 1994 production by the Blank
Theatre Company in Los Angeles. At
the time of this writing, I haven't
heard this recording, though Scott
Miller says it's the best.
Cradle Will Rock
(DVD)
Written and directed by Tim Robbins
Robbins' magnificent 1999 film.
Highly recommended. For more on
the film, click here.
Cradle Will Rock
(movie soundtrack)
The official soundtrack includes
eleven songs from Cradle, along
with selections from David Robbins'
film score. It's a shame the
complete Blitzstein score wasn't
recorded, as it seems to be the only
recording of the original
orchestrations. The Cradle songs
are mostly performed by the actors
who played the original Cradle cast
in the film; exceptions are Audra
McDonald's stirring "Joe Worker,"
Susan Sarandon and Eddie Vedder
singing "Croon Spoon" (Sarandon
sounds great, but Vedder is out of
his element), and P.J. Harvey's
excellent contemporary version of
"The Nickel Under the Foot."
Marc Blitzstein: Musical Theatre
Premieres
This compilation includes tracks
from the original cast recordings of
Cradle and No for an Answer, as
well as the Airborne Symphony.
This is the easiest way to hear the
1937 recording of Cradle, featuring
the original Project 891 cast, with
Blitzstein at the piano. Despite the
value of this recording is as a
historic artifact, it's not as listenable
as one would hope.
The Marc Blitzstein Centennial
Recorded at the People's Voice
Cafe in New York in 2005, this
Leonard Lehrman-produced cabaret
marked the centennial of Blitzstein's
birth. It includes the first recordings
of rarely-heard Blitzstein material
from Reuben Reuben, Idiots First,
and I've Got The Tune, as well as a
selection of the Walt Whitman
settings written during Blitzstein's
early years. Bonus track: Blitzstein
himself playing and singing "The
Nickel Under the Foot."
A Blitzstein Cabaret
A sort of companion piece to the
Centennial, this live recording
includes further selections from
Reuben Reuben and Idiots First, as
well as material from No for an
Answer and Sacco and Vanzetti. A
lost gem: "Send for the Militia,"
Blitzstein's contribution to the
Thirties left-wing revue Parade.
No for an Answer: An American
Opera
by Marc Blitzstein
Three American One-Act Operas
Includes Blitzstein's The Harpies.
Regina
by Marc Blitzstein
Juno
by Marc Blitzstein
The Threepenny Opera
(1954 Off-Broadway Recording)
Blitzstein's translation and
adaptation of Brecht and Weill's
Weimar masterpiece remains the
definitive English version of the
work. During the recording session,
MGM executives prevailed upon
Blitzstein to clean up some of the
coarse language and sexual
innuendo. Blitzstein complied,
knowing the record would not be
released otherwise. The immense
popularity of the recording -- the first
Off-Broadway cast recording ever --
had fostered an unfortunate myth
that Blitzstein sugar-coated Brecht
into oblivion. Still an essential
recording, and the only English
version that really works.
Bernstein: The Early Years III
Leonard Bernstein -- a friend and
protege of Blitzstein's -- conducts
the Airborne Symphony.
Run-Through: A Memoir
by John Houseman
Houseman's memoir includes, in
my opinion, the best eyewitness
account of the original production
and the legendary opening night.
He knows how to tell a story.
There's also lots of well-delivered
information about the Federal
Theatre Project and the Mercury
Theatre.
Arena
by Hallie Flanagan
A definitive account of the Federal
Theatre Project, written in
retrospect by Hallie Flanagan, the
dynamic head of the program.
The Federal Theatre Project: A
Case Study
by Barry B. Witham
The Federal Theatre Project: A
Catalog-Calendar of Productions
Fenwick Library
George Mason University
Dangerous Theatre: The Federal
Theatre Project As a Forum for
New Plays
by George Kazacoff
Who Killed Pinocchio?: A
Compendium of the Federal
Theatre Project, 1935-1939
by Gerald T. Arthur
Voices from the Federal Theatre
by Bonnie Nelson Schwartz
by John Houseman
Houseman's memoir includes, in
my opinion, the best eyewitness
account of the original production
and the legendary opening night.
He knows how to tell a story.
There's also lots of well-delivered
information about the Federal
Theatre Project and the Mercury
Theatre.
Arena
by Hallie Flanagan
A definitive account of the Federal
Theatre Project, written in
retrospect by Hallie Flanagan, the
dynamic head of the program.
The Federal Theatre Project: A
Case Study
by Barry B. Witham
The Federal Theatre Project: A
Catalog-Calendar of Productions
Fenwick Library
George Mason University
Dangerous Theatre: The Federal
Theatre Project As a Forum for
New Plays
by George Kazacoff
Who Killed Pinocchio?: A
Compendium of the Federal
Theatre Project, 1935-1939
by Gerald T. Arthur
Voices from the Federal Theatre
by Bonnie Nelson Schwartz
BOOKS
CRADLE AND BLITZSTEIN
CRADLE AND BLITZSTEIN
FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT
RECORDINGS
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