Episode 115: All Play and No Work in the Depression w/ Dr. Paul Gagliardi

There wasn't a lot that was funny about the Great Depression. With millions out of work and geopolitical turmoil threatening overseas, it might seem like the 1930s were a grim time. But there was still quite a lot of comedy, including in the plays put on by the Federal Theatre Project, which brought theatre to audiences across America in the late 1930s while also providing work for artists affected by the economic crisis. Dr. Paul Gagliardi has written about these comedies in his book All Play and No Work: American Work Ideals and the Comic Plays of the Federal Theatre Project, and he joins us to talk about his research.