Introduction | Essay | Script | Lessons | Resources
|
Cast (Original Production)
Power was first produced at the Ritz Theatre, New York City, on February 23, 1937, with the following cast:
ACT ONE
| Voice of the Living Newspaper | Charles Dill |
Opening | |
| Electricians | Robert Noack, Jack Denver, Seymour Malmude |
| Old Man at Radio | Charles Danforth |
| His Wife | Jean Thomas |
| Police Operator | Charles T. Lewis |
| Doctor | Gregory Robbins |
| Interne | Peter Marvin |
| Nurses | Eleanora Barrie, Ethel Jones, Lillian Shrewsbury |
| Policeman | James Swift |
| Irish Mother | Marjorie Betts |
| Traffic Accident Victim | Guerita Donnelly |
| Driver of Car | Muni Diamond |
| Airport Radio Operator | Burton Mallory |
| Theatre Manager | Joe Rose |
| Restaurant Proprietor | Boris Korlin |
| Bakery Proprietor | Frank McMunn |
Inventors | |
| Announcer | Jack Lorenz |
| William Gilbert (1600) | Wilfred Clark |
| Michael Faraday (1821) | H. H. McCollum |
| Georg Simon Ohm (1826) | Harry Brooks |
| Zenobe T. Gramme (1873) | Allan Tower |
| Thomas A. Edison (1879) | Dudley Hawley |
| Business Men | Bernard Pate, Maurice MacNevin, Robert Noack, Burton Mallory, Charles T. Lewis, Warren Pittenger |
| Financier | William Roselle |
Kilowatt Hour | |
| Consumer | Norman Lloyd |
| Electrician | Robert Noack |
| Grocery Clerks | Boris Korlin, Joe Rose |
| Butchers | Joseph Murray, Kermit Augustine |
| Electric Company Manager | Allan Tower |
Expansion | |
| T. Commerford Martin | William Roselle |
Park Bench—1907 | |
| Man on Bench | Wilfred Clark |
| Policeman | Frank McMunn |
Fair Profits | |
| Consumer | Norman Lloyd |
| Chairman | James F. Kelly |
| Directors | Harry Brooks, H. H. McCollum |
| Witness | Bernard Pate |
| Commissioners | Dudley Hawley, Edward LeDuc |
| Harlow S. Persons | Ulric Collins |
Holding Company | |
| Man Who Knows | Robert Noack |
| Stage Hands | Charles T. Lewis, James Swift, Joseph Murray, Richard Keller |
| Martin Insull | Charles Danforth |
| Senator George W. Norris | Burton Mallory |
| Senator Sherman Minton | James F. Kelly |
| Senator Burton K. Wheeler | Dudley Hawley |
| The Messrs. Carmichael | Bernard Pate |
| Consumer Angus T. Buttonkooper | Norman Lloyd |
Childish Questions | |
| Father | Allan Tower |
| Daughter | Viola Swayne |
Insull's Empire | |
| Samuel J. Insull | H. H. McCollum |
| Consumer—Investor | Norman Lloyd |
Cost Comparison (1913-1926) | |
| Mr. Lane | Bernard Pate |
| Mrs. Lane of 1913 | Eleanora Barrie |
| Mrs. Lane of 1926 | Warda Howard |
| Fruit Vendors | Boris Korlin, Richard Keller |
| Hardware Clerks | Edward LeDuc, Maurice MacNevin |
| Drygoods Clerks | Muni Diamond, Seymour Malmude |
| Rent Collectors | Robert Noack, Peter Marvin |
| Electric Company Clerk | Warren Pittenger, James Swift |
Consumer Sues | |
| Consumer | Norman Lloyd |
Propaganda | |
| Editor | Harry Brooks |
| Utilities Representative | Dudley Hawley |
| J. L. Murphy | William Roselle |
| Robert E. Healy | Gregory Robbins |
| Willard Cope | Dudley Hawley |
| M. H. Aylesworth | Charles Danforth |
| College Professors | Frank McMunn, Joseph Murray, Charles Deighan, James F. Kelly, Boris Korlin, Allan Tower |
| Senator George W. | Burton Mallory |
"Get Norris" | |
| Grocer | Charles T. Lewis |
| Politician | William Roselle |
Municipal Ownership | |
| Mayor Clare W. H. Bangs | Edward LeDuc |
| His Secretary | James Swift |
| Carl D. Thompson | Allan Tower |
| Federal Trade Commission Spokesman | Gregory Robbins |
| Bernard F. Weadock | James F. Kelly |
| Representative John E. Rankin | Ulric Collins |
| Second Congressman | Robert Mack |
| Third Congressman | Joseph Barrett |
The Tennessee Valley | |
| Farmer | Wilfred Clark |
| Farmer's Wife | Jean Thomas |
| City Dweller | John Lorenz |
| His Wife | Guerita Donnelly |
| Electric Company Manager | Frank McMunn |
| Public Utilities Commissioner | Harry Brooks |
| Clerk of Senate | Charles Danforth |
ACT TWO | |
Small-Town Meeting | |
| Chairman | Edward LeDuc |
| Barber | Joe Rose |
| Grocer | James Swift |
| Butcher | Charles T. Lewis |
| Store Keeper | William Perloff |
Farmers' Meeting | |
| Chairman | Ulric Collins |
| Farmers | Frank Burke, Jack Sheppard, Robert Mack, William LaVar, Joseph Barrett, Sandy Ackline, John Donahue |
Directors' Meeting | |
| Chairman | James F. Kelly |
| Directors | Dudley Hawley, Allan Tower, Bernard Pate, Harry Brooks, Frank McMunn, H. H. McCollum |
Competition | |
| Farmer | Wilfred Clark |
| Linesmen | Richard Keller, Robert Noack |
| Old Woman | Edith Harcourt |
| Voice of Linesman | James Swift |
| Colored Farmer | Milton Williams |
| Company Agents | Warren Pittenger, Gregory Robbins |
| Catoosa County (Ga.) Residents | Charles T. Lewis, Muni Diamond, Alonzo McWaith, Peter Marvin, Kermit Augustine |
1934 Coffin Award | |
| Wendell L. Willkie | William Roselle |
| Frank W. Smith | Allan Tower |
Finale | |
| Voice of Chief Justice Hughes | Dudley Hawley |
| Voice of Justice McReynolds | James F. Kelly |
| Forney Johnston | Bernard Pate |
| James M. Beck | H. H. McCollum |
| John Lord O'Brian | Charles Danforth |
| Farmer | Wilfred Clark |
| Business Man | H. H. McCollum |
| City Man | Jack Lorenz |
| Consumer-at-Large | Warren Pittenger |
| Governor Bibb Graves | Allan Tower |
| Governor Hill McAlister | Edward LeDuc |
| Senator George W. Norris | Burton Mallory |
| James Lawrence Fly | Charles Danforth |
| Representative John E. Rankin | Ulric Collins |
| Marchers, Consumers, Housewives, etc. | Kate Cloud, Mary L. Burrill, Agnes Moss, Florence Knight, Frances Ware, Elizabeth Bilencova, Kay Powers, Marie Edwards, Peggy Bird, Ivan Acharg, Emily Stern, John H. Lee, Louise Bail, Alex Ackland, Samuel Raskyn, Virginia Drew, Laura Strassman, Benjamin Wallace, Mae Hendncks, Amelia Barleon, Harriet Capaldo, Charles Bloomfield, John Hawkins, Jack Shipman, Eva Connell, Elsie Earle, Sala Staw, Joseph Rivers |
Directed by Brett Warren
Stage Designs by Howard Bay
Music by Lee Wainer
Costume Designs by Kathryn Wilson
Technical Direction by Monroe B. Hack
Production Under the Supervision of Morris Watson
Living Newspaper Theatre Orchestra Conducted by Myron Roman, Federal Music Project
Introduction | Essay | Script | Lessons | Resources