PROJECT #2
THE WORLD OF THE PLAY
Micro Veiw
1. Average 1957 American Costs:
House Price $2,330
Car Price $2,749
Yearly Wages $4.550.00
Gallon of Gas 24 cents
Pound of Bacon 60 cents
2. Some 1957 Events in the USA:
Martin Luther King, Jr., leads nationwide reform against racial segregation and discrimination in the US
3. Some 1957 Culture:
New Name for the 1957 Generation who loved “Beat” Music: Beatnik
Films: The Ten Commandments, Around the World in Eighty Days, Twelve Angry Men, Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley), The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Three Faces of Eve
Songs: Young Love, Tonight, Wake Up Little Susie, That’ll Be the Day, Jailhouse Rock
Theatre: West Side Story and The Music Man open in New York
4. Morality Example of 1957:
And God Created Woman, a film starring Bridgette Bardot, becomes a controversial sensation. Many American communities ban the film for its sexual material.
5. Some 1957 Foods and Typical Menu in American Culture:
Stuffed eggs (deviled eggs), Meat loaf, Tuna casserole, Green bean casserole, American lasagna,
Baked ham with glaze, Angel food cake, Cherries Jubilee
Baked ham with glaze, Angel food cake, Cherries Jubilee
6. Pennsylvania Racial Issue in 1957:
“They have a right to live the same as any other American. The violence last night was horrible. I hope it ends,” one neighbor said about a black family moving into Levittown about protests by white neighbors on August 15, 1957. This protesting by whites resurrected Pennsylvania’s historical racial discrimination problems. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/events/4279/civil_rights_movement/532945
7. Business and Economy:
Teamsters union expelled from the AFL-CIO for failing to deal with organized crime.
Cars are purchases on credit. http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1957.html
8. Religion:
"In God We Trust" is stamped on U.S. currency of all denominations. http://www.answers.com/topic/1957#ixzz1PNZIdcsw
9. Retail Stores:
The first Toys "R" Us store opens at Washington, D.C. and the first shopping mall opens in the Minneapolis http://www.answers.com/topic/1957#ixzz1PNasZowt
10 . Transportation:
The Edsel introduced by Ford Motor Company competes with the General Motors Oldsmobile. The Chevrolet Impala is introduced by General Motors. New York retires its last trolley car. Three U.S. Air Force jets flying at more than 500 mph complete nonstop round-the-world flights.
Macro Veiw
1. Orval Faubus, the governor of Arkansas, calls out the National Guard to stop nine black students from attending a Little Rock high school. Federal Troops are then sent by President Eisenhower to force the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, after Governor Faubus and local Little Rock authorities refused to comply with court-ordered desegregation.
2. United States Senator Strom Thurmond speaks and filibusters for 24 hours and 27minutes against civil rights. President Eisenhower later signs the first civil rights bill since Reconstruction.
3. The USSR (Russia) satellite called Sputnik was the very first satellite launched into Space and is considered the first event of the Space Age. Later in the year, the USSR launches Sputnik II with a dog (Laika) and this is the first animal launched into orbit.
4. The Treaty of Rome creates the European Economic Community known as the Common Market.
5. "American Bandstand," begins on the ABC television network
6. The International Atomic Energy Agency is formed by the United Nations (UN), US performs multiple nuclear tests at in Nevada, USSR announces a successful test of its intercontinental ballistic missile, 1st launching in Kazachstan (R7 "Semiorka"-rocket), USSR performs multiple nuclear tests in the atmosphere. The Cold War between the USA and the USSR is considered a threat and The Gaither Report calls for more missiles and fallout shelters to be established in the USA.
7. Some historic Black athletes and musicians get recognized. Althea Gibson becomes the first Black woman to win Wimbledon. Jackie Wilson, releases his 1st solo single "Reet Petite", Cleveland Browns' fullback Jim Brown sets club record of 237 yards rushing, Sam Cooke (Black) and Buddy Holly and Crickets debut on Ed Sullivan Show and Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" reaches #1 on the music charts. Henry Aaron wins the National League MVP.
http://www.historyorb.com/events/date/1957?p=3
8. The first pacemaker was designed, the theory of superconductivity was proposed, and the first artificial heart was designed.
9. Several Ku Klux Klan members force a Black truck driver named Willie Edwards to jump off a bridge into the Alabama River and Edwards drowns.
10. South Vietnam was attacked by Viet Cong Guerrillas
Sounds and Images
1. http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Ballparks/Pitt/forbes-fans.gif
Since Fences takes place in Pittsburg,1957 and the Baseball talk throughout the show. I thought this would be a good picture to have of the Pittsburgh Pirates Forbes Feild during 1957.
Here is a picture of a Bike leaning up against a Pittsburgh home in 1957.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao3EqVG9jXU (Music Video)
8. "Blue Moon"--The Marcels--Yet another group from the fertile city of Pittsburgh, PA . The Marcels were made up of 7 singers who blended really well together. They reached way back to 1935 to give this song a Doo-Over as it performed just like the prior song jumping to #1 in 1961 and staying there for 3 weeks. http://hubpages.com/hub/Top-TEN-Classic-Doo-Wop-Songs-of-All-Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4oSTyjZCfE (Music Video)
Statement:
The World of Fences
Audience Notes
Fences was written by August Wilson and set in 1957 Pennsylvania. America was involved in a race to Space with the USSR and there was an intense Cold War beginning between Americans and Russians. The racial war between Whites and Blacks in America raged on with several landmark events taking place: Racial outbursts about a Black family moving into a Pennsylvania neighborhood, Martin Luther King, Jr., began to lead the nation against discrimination, Eisenhower sent troops to uphold Black students’ rights to integrate a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Law of 1957. “They have a right to live the same as any other American. The violence last night was horrible. I hope it ends,” one neighbor said about the Black family moving into Levittown, Pennsylvania, against protests by white neighbors. This protesting by whites resurrected Pennsylvania’s historical racial discrimination problems. Martin Luther King, Jr. was traveling and speaking for civil rights while Senator Strom Thurman filibustered against in Congress against it. Black athletes like baseball’s Henry Aaron were celebrated for their abilities. Althea Gibson, a Black female, wins The Wimbledon and Cleveland Browns' fullback Jim Brown sets their club record of 237 yards rushing. Black musicians like Sam Cooke hit the music charts with number one songs alongside Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. Presley performs for the seventh time on the famous Ed Sullivan Show while Sam Cooke debuts on the show with Buddy Holly and the Crickets. The White world of American Bandstand and Leave It To Beaver were coming face to face with Communism concerns during the time an ever increasing Black Community was demanding equal rights. Nat “King” Cole had a television show just like Phil Silvers. Meatloaves, tuna casseroles, barbeque ribs, glazed hams, and grilled steaks were being eaten at Americas’ dinner tables. West Side Story opened in New York City bringing violence to the stage and actress Bridgett Bardot starred in a sexually controversial movie. Acceptable films at the movies were : The Ten Commandments, Around the World in Eighty Days, Twelve Angry Men, Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley), The Bridge on the River Kwai, and The Three Faces of Eve. The Ku Klux Klan drowned a black truck driver in the South while other men were deciding whether they wanted to buy the new Chevrolet Impala or a Ford Edsel. Credit for cars was a new thing and everyone wanted one of the new cars with long tailfins. In God We Trust was stamped on all currency and dozens of mobsters were arrested in New York City. Jets flew in excess of 500 miles per hour around the world and the United States tested nuclear bombs in Nevada as Russia launched its first ballistic missile into space and tested multiple nuclear tests in Earth’s atmosphere. America heard cries for fallout shelters in the media. Yearly wages in America were approximately $4550.00 and houses cost approximately half that amount. Cars could be purchased for $2749.00 and gasoline to run them with was a mere 24 cents a gallon. The police began using portable radar detection devices to catch speeders. Some very important firsts occurred in the world of Science in 1957. The first pacemaker was designed, the theory of superconductivity was proposed, and the first artificial heart was designed. Hurricane Audrey followed by a tidal wave hit the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. The House for Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) convicts a number of writers and playwright's for Un-American Activities / Communist party membership. The Teamsters Union was expelled from the AFL-CIO for failing to deal with organized crime. Songs like Young Love, Tonight, Wake Up Little Susie, That’ll Be the Day, and Jailhouse Rock played in households on new hi-fi stereos and in car radios as people drove to work. The term “Beatnik” became popular for the young crowd that listened to music with beats. Deviled eggs were a popular dish and, why not, since eggs were available for 28 cents a dozen. The most popular books read in 1957 households were On the Road by author Jack Kerouac; Atlas Shrugged by author Ayn Rand; and The Cat in the Hat by the beloved Dr. Seuss. The Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community known as the Common Market. The very first Toys R Us stored opened where toys of 1957 such as the slinky and hula hoops were likely sold. South Vietnam was attacked by Viet Cong while families tuned into their evening televisions to view Perry Mason and Maverick
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