Classic Youth Plays Announces New Editions of Federal Theatre Project's Youth Plays

Classic Youth Plays, publisher of pioneering and classic children's plays, announces their recent publishing of new acting editions of the Federal Theatre Project's Youth Plays.

Long out of print, these plays were developed by the WPA Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s for their Theatre for Youth program. The plays were presented across the country, many premiering in such cites as Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and on Broadway. The goal of the Theatre for Youth program was to produce innovative and meaningful plays for young audiences, not the usual fairy tale plays that were common at the time.

Included in Classic Youth Plays' Federal Theatre plays are Dorothy Hailparn's "Horse Play" which deals with The Farming crises. Written as a commedia dell'arte, the play was first produced by FTP's African-American division.

Other plays written especially for the Federal Theatre include "A Letter to Santa Claus" by pioneering playwright Charlotte B. Chorpenning which was hailed as "groundbreaking" at the time, and Oscar Saul's historical drama "Flight," the story of aviation, which was originally produced on Broadway.

Publisher Classic Youth Plays' mission is to preserve and print new acting editions of ground breaking and pioneering plays for youth and children so that a new generation can experience these timeless plays. More information on the Federal Theatre Project's Youth Plays can be obtained by visiting www.classicyouthplays.com.