{"product_id":"9780571372768-retail-the-playbook-a-story-of-theatre-democracy-and-the-making-of-a","title":"The Playbook: A Story of Theatre, Democracy and the Making of a","description":"From the 'Winner of Winners' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall. 1935 .  As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's progressive New Deal, the Work Progress Administration is created to support unemployed workers, including writers, artists, musicians and actors. The Federal Theatre Project, a major part of that programme, begins to stage critically acclaimed, subsidised and groundbreaking productions across America, including Orson Welles's directorial debut, a landmark modern dance programme and shows that sought to tell the truth about racism, inequality and the dangers of fascism. 1938 .  An opportunistic Texas congressman, Martin Dies, head of the newly formed House Un-American Activities Committee, successfully targets the Federal Theatre, exploiting rising tensions over communism and creating a new political playbook based on sensationalism, misinformation and fear - a playbook that has proved instrumental in our current culture wars. From one of the world's great storytellers,  The Playbook  is an invigorating re-enactment of a terrifyingly prescient moment in twentieth-century American cultural history.","brand":"Book Grocer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48900426465499,"sku":"9780571372768-RETAIL","price":38.25,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/39492da1-524a-4d63-ab2c-a0c0f3af6611.jpg?v=1782203943","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/9780571372768-retail-the-playbook-a-story-of-theatre-democracy-and-the-making-of-a","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}