{"id":421,"date":"2025-05-12T08:12:40","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T08:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/?page_id=421"},"modified":"2025-05-22T20:35:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T20:35:10","slug":"orson-welles","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/orson-welles\/","title":{"rendered":"Orson Welles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<p>Lorem Ipsum has been the industry&#8217;s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.<\/p>\n<p>Lorem Ipsum has been the industry&#8217;s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.<\/p>\n\n\n<span style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><p class=\"p1\" style=\"font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 18px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; max-width: none; color: rgb(20, 20, 19);\"><span style=\"font-family: Raleway, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"><strong>THE FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT<\/strong><br><\/span><font color=\"#141413\" face=\"Helvetica\" size=\"2\"><strong style=\"color: rgb(82, 101, 168); text-transform: uppercase; font-size: large;\">ORSON WELLES<\/strong><\/font><\/p><\/span>\n<span style=\"color:#000000;\"><p>Orson Welles<\/p><p>1915 &#8211; 1985<\/p><p>Director<\/p><\/span><p><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">Written and Performed by Brandon Smith<br>Setting: New York, NY, 1936<\/p>\n<span style=\"color:#000000;\"><p>On stage at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem with only a spotlight and the ghost light lit. Orson has just left the opening night cast party for his production of &#8220;Voodoo Macbeth&#8221;. He enters from one of the wings through darkness with actor Jack Carter and lights a cigar before speaking.<\/p><div><\/div><\/span><div><br><\/div>\n{&#8220;title&#8221;:&#8221;&#8221;,&#8221;content&#8221;:&#8221;<iframe width=\\\"100%\\\" height=\\\"300\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" frameborder=\\\"no\\\" allow=\\\"autoplay\\\" src=\\\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/2087422509%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-pJfY0ED0gI8&#038;color=%23ff5500&#038;auto_play=false&#038;hide_related=false&#038;show_comments=true&#038;show_user=true&#038;show_reposts=false&#038;show_teaser=true&#038;visual=true\\\"><\/iframe><div style=\\\"font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;\\\"><a href=\\\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-17135768\\\" title=\\\"Performing History\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" style=\\\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\\\">Performing History<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\\\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-17135768\/orson-welles-monologue\/s-pJfY0ED0gI8\\\" title=\\\"Orson Welles Monologue\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" style=\\\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\\\">Orson Welles Monologue<\/a><\/div>&#8220;}\n\n\n\n\n<span style=\"color:#888888;\"><p>Humor me for a second, I\u2019m feeling nostalgic already. Today marks a great day for theatre. Don\u2019t you think? Yeah. All of theatre. A great day for race relations, for welfare. Today we opened our production of Macbe- oh, I mean The Scottish Play, here at the Lafayette Theatre, in Harlem. I am only twenty years old. Can you believe that? I\u2019ve already made it. You know when I started my career with the Federal Theatre Project, I was skeptical at first. But as soon as I heard what they stood for, I fell right in love. They stood for young and aspiring artists who wanted to make a career out of their art. The Federal Theatre Project is creating so many jobs for people like me and for all artists, no matter their background. (cigar inhale) This is my first gig with them too Jack, and we crushed it. Look at us virtuosos! Many people were skeptical, and some didn\u2019t believe we could pull it off. I hired 150 black actors, and only 4 of them had worked professionally before. Including you of course. Shakespeare purists thought it would ruin theatre traditions. I was worried, but I couldn\u2019t show it. It was a hit! Thousands of people flooded the theatre, anybody who was somebody all wanted to see this masterpiece of a play. They had to close the streets down to accommodate the crowds, who then went so wild at the end of the show that they didn\u2019t lower the curtains so the audience could come up onto the stage to congratulate the actors. It was a beautiful moment for theatre. It was magical. I didn\u2019t expect this to happen. I am just so proud.&nbsp;<\/p><div><\/div><\/span><div><br><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/perry-bruskin\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Perry Bruskin\n<\/a>&nbsp;<span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/martin-dies\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Martin Dies\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/hallie-flanagan-1935\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Hallie Flanagan (1935)\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/hallie-flanagan-1939\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Hallie Flanagan (1939)\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/rosamond-gilder\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Rosamond Gilder\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/susan-glaspell\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Susan Glaspell\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/hazel-huffman\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Hazel Huffman\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/frida-kahlo\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Frida Kahlo\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/mary-merrill\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Mary Merrill\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/virginia-nicholson\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Virginia Nicholson\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/elmer-rice\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Elmer Rice\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/eleanor-roosevelt-1935\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Eleanor Roosevelt (1935)\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/eleanor-roosevelt-1939\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Eleanor Roosevelt (1939)\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/franklin-delano-roosevelt\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Franklin Delano Roosevelt\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/olive-stanton\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Olive Stanton\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/helen-tamiris\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Helen Tamiris\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/orson-welles\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Orson Welles\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/artwork\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Artwork\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/collaborators\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Collaborators\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/directors-note\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Directors\u2019 Note\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/front-page-tableau\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Front Page Tableau\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/music\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Music\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/pen-pals\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Pen Pals\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/research-source-material\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Research\/Source Material\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/share-your-thoughts\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Share Your Thoughts\n    <\/a>\n    <span style=\"text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\">&nbsp;\u2022&nbsp;<\/span>\n  \n    <a href=\"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/special-thanks\/\" style=\"background-color: rgb(242, 243, 237); text-align: center;\">\n      Special Thanks\n    <\/a>\n  <\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-421","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=421"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":696,"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/421\/revisions\/696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performinghistory.com\/federal-theatre-project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}