Labor History Today

Pins & Needles’ mass appeal


Listen Later

Eighty five years ago today, the pro-labor musical revue “Pins & Needles” opened on Broadway with a cast of members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. “Pins & Needles” became a big hit, with over a thousand performances. It was performed at the White House for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, and was revived on Broadway in 1978 and in London in 2010.


On today’s show, Michigan State University College of Music Professor Maria Cristina Fava explains the relationship of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and the Theatre Guild in the production of "Pins and Needles". Fava describes how the production evolved from a variety show with a cast of unionized garment workers in their off time to the cast giving up their jobs to become full time actors with the success of the show. She provides reviews by theater critics and describes how the cast navigated the politics of the day.
Fava’s talk. originally given in October 2012, was part of the "Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives" Brown Bag series sponsored by the Michigan State University School of Human Resources and Labor Relations and the MSU Museum. The series is organized by MSU professor John Beck.

On this week’s Labor History in Two:  Death Trap in Newark.

Questions, comments, or suggestions are welcome, and to find out how you can be a part of Labor History Today, email us at [email protected]

Labor History Today is produced by Union City Radio and the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor.

#LaborRadioPod #History #WorkingClass #ClassStruggle @GeorgetownKILWP #LaborHistory @UMDMLA @ILLaborHistory @AFLCIO @StrikeHistory #LaborHistory @wrkclasshistory  

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Labor History TodayBy laborhistorytoday

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

21 ratings


More shows like Labor History Today

View all
Democracy Now! Audio by Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! Audio

5,686 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,173 Listeners

Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

Jacobin Radio

1,397 Listeners

The Dig by Daniel Denvir

The Dig

1,526 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,653 Listeners

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff by Democracy at Work - Richard D. Wolff

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

1,965 Listeners

Chapo Trap House by Chapo Trap House

Chapo Trap House

8,812 Listeners

The Intercept Briefing by The Intercept

The Intercept Briefing

6,116 Listeners

Trillbilly Worker's Party by Trillbilly Worker's Party

Trillbilly Worker's Party

1,901 Listeners

The Antifada by Sean KB and AP Andy

The Antifada

927 Listeners

The Al Franken Podcast by The Al Franken Podcast

The Al Franken Podcast

8,602 Listeners

5-4 by Prologue Projects

5-4

3,365 Listeners

Means Morning News by Means Cooperative

Means Morning News

140 Listeners

Labor Radio-Podcast Weekly by laborradiopodcastweekly

Labor Radio-Podcast Weekly

13 Listeners

Geopolitical Economy Report by Ben Norton

Geopolitical Economy Report

290 Listeners