The Cradle Will Rock Play Analysis

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On November 8th, I went to the last showing of the Cradle Will Rock, performed by the UW Drama Department, at the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse. The bplay began in the lobby where the actors were already milling around and interacting with each other. Additionally there were more actors scattered throughout the audience. Two men in suits came out and gave a brief history and background of the play. The stage was a thrust design, well lit, and was littered with props intended to mimic an abandoned warehouse. There was a piano on stage that would later be used during some of the musical numbers. All of these qualities set the scene for the union revolution that took place during the following two hours. In The Cradle Will Rock, written by Marc Blitzstein, directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton and preformed in Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse on November 8th, the performer playing as Mr. Mister uses his voice and actions, his relationships with others, and his character’s background to establish Mr. Mister’s evil, dominating, selfish persona.
First, the performer uses Mr. Mister’s deep, rich voice to portray that he is a man of power and respect. Numerous scenes in the play are sung and Mr. Mister’s lines are typically sung in a lower octave than many of the other characters in the play. For example, in the …show more content…
Mister’s superobjective to destroy the unions and maintain his totalitarian ruling over Steeltown. By attempting to bribe, assassinate, or threaten any of his opposition, Mr. Mister shows that there is little that he would not do to remain in power. The inciting incident that causes conflict between Mr. Mister and the union, is when he begins buying off union leaders, and eventually has a member assassinated. This causes the union to begin gaining power in opposition to Mr. Mister and his manipulative ways. Eventually it reaches to the main climax when Mr. Mister is confronted by the unions that finally rise up to take their power
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