Crowd outside a theater February 17–July 16, 2011

Explores a unique time in American history when the federal government organized and produced theater events in an effort to provide work for theater professionals who were out of work as a result of the Great Depression. The exhibition features materials from the Library’s Federal Theatre Project Collection.

The Federal Theatre Project employed photographers in every major city who recorded performances, rehearsals, and images of performers and also captured behind-the-scenes work, stage sets, costumes, audiences, and theaters. Explore a sampling of the more than 9000 images.

Exhibition Location

Performing Arts Reading Room