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Overview

Synopsis

When it was first produced by the Group Theater in 1935, Waiting for Lefty made a sensation of its playwright, Clifford Odets, who became the theatrical conscience of his generation, much as Arthur Miller and Tony Kushner later would for their own generations. Lefty is the story of a meeting of a New York cab driver’s union on the verge of a strike. The union’s corrupt leader Harry Fatt does everything he can to discourage it, and the mysterious absence of left-leaning advocate Lefty Costello doesn’t bode well for the would-be strikers. After hearing the heart-wrenching tales of four hard-working cab drivers -- each story dramatized before the eyes of the audience before transitioning seamlessly back into the union meeting -- Agate Keller takes the stage and demands immediate action. When word comes that Lefty has been found “with a bullet in his head,” the union joins Agate in chanting “STRIKE, STRIKE, STRIKE!!!”

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1935
Genres
Drama
Settings
Simple/No Set
Time & Place
1935, a union hall in new york city
Cast Size
medium
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Dr. Benjamin

Lead

Male

Spoken

Dr. Barnes

Lead

Male

Spoken

Harry Fatt

Lead

Male

Spoken

Joe Mitchell

Lead

Male

Spoken

Miller

Lead

Male

Spoken

Fayette

Lead

Male

Spoken

Irv

Lead

Male

Spoken

Florrie

Lead

Male

Spoken

Sid

Lead

Male

Spoken

Agate Keller

Lead

Male

Spoken

Edna Mitchell

Lead

Female

Non-singer

A Man

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Tom Clayton/Clancy

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Henchman

Featured

Male

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

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Key Terms

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