Pins & Needles, An Oral History by Harry M. Goldman., 1977-1977
Collection Number: 6036/006
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Pins & Needles, An Oral History by Harry M. Goldman., 1977-1977
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
6036/006
Abstract:
The collection contains both a bound and unbound version of Harry M. Goldman's dissertation
"Pins and Needles: An Oral History."
Creator:
Goldman, Harry M.
Quanitities:
0.5 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
Founded in 1900 by local union delegates representing about 2,000 members in cities
in the northeastern United States, the ILGWU grew in geographical scope, membership
size, political influence to become one of the most powerful forces in American organized
labor by mid-century. Representing workers in the women's garment industry, the ILGWU
worked to improve working and living conditions of its members through collective
bargaining agreements, training programs, health care facilities, cooperative housing,
educational opportunities, and other efforts. In 1995, the ILGWU merged with the Amalgamated
Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial
and Textile Employees (UNITE).
Harry Goldman taught drama at the New York School of Art and Design and was an assistant
professor at the Developmental Research School at Florida State University.
"Sing me a song with social significance"began the musical comedy revue "Pins and
Needles." Produced by the Educational Department of the International Ladies' Garment
Workers' Union (ILGWU), the show with an amateur cast of garment workers won critics
and audiences to become the longest running musical of the 1930s.
The Educational Department began to expand beyond its original function of educating
workers in labor culture, and soon started to offer recreational outlets for members
including art, music and dance. In 1934, the department was reorganized under new
director Mark Starr to create three divisions, Cultural, Recreational and Education,
managed by Julius Hochman, Louis Schaffer, and Starr respectively. The Cultural Division
offered classes in drama, acting, dance and music, and also organized a chorus and
orchestra composed of union members. For years members had been trying to develop
and present labor themed plays, and while many locals were successful in staging small
productions, the drama department became formally established in the fall of 1934.
With Schaffer joining the staff of the ILGWU in October 1934, a dramatic group, the
ILGWU Players, was formed from members of several locals. Professionals were recruited
to instruct the classes, and Schaffer envisioned broadening the scope of the department
to create a venture that brought the labor movement to Broadway. At the American Federation
of Labor (AFL) Convention in 1935, Schaffer, with the encouragement of ILGWU President
David Dubinsky, introduced the idea of establishing founding a theater company for
New York City's labor movement. With enthusiastic support, Labor Stage, Inc. a non-profit
with revenue supporting the Educational Department, was established in 1935 with financial
backing from the ILGWU. The union leased the Princess Theatre and began renovating
the space to become Labor Stage, housing an intimate auditorium, studio and rehearsal
space and dressing rooms, with a dedication in January 1936.
Schaffer soon set to work to make his vision, "Pins and Needles," a realitya revue
style production that slyly satirized politics and the elite while skewering current
events staged for working men and women. Harold Rome was brought in to write the music
and lyrics, numerous writers contributed sketches, and Charles Friedman was hired
to direct (though he would later be replaced by Robert Gordon). Union members and
others active in the Educational Department were encouraged to audition, and a cast
of fifty five garment workers were selected and began extensive rehearsals. The performers
were not professionals, and in addition to learning their lines and songs, were also
instructed in the fundamentals of acting and basic stage movement. In June of 1936,
Schaffer staged an early version of "Pins and Needles" using a professional cast to
demonstrate the numbers, and though well received, Schaffer chose the unorthodox decision
to proceed with the cast of untrained garment workers. The official opening was delayed
for almost a year and a half to make sure the performers, who were still working in
the factories during the day, had sufficient time to practice and rehearse.
On July 4, 1937, the cast traveled to Unity House, the union's vacation resort in
the Poconos, for additional rehearsals that lasted ten days and concluded with a close
to completion trial performance of the show. After numerous adjustments and fine tuning,
"Pins and Needles" held its first invitation only performance at Labor Stage on November
6, 1937. After additional postponements, finally, on Saturday, November 27, 1937,
"Pins and Needles" opened to the public. The critics were favorable and with good
reviews and word of mouth, the show became an instant hit. The box office was busy
and tickets in high demand, and by January 1938, performances were sold out. Since
the performers were still working full time in the garment factories, initially the
show only played on the weekends. The garment workers were given leaves of absence
from their factory jobs to become full-time actors with pay to accommodate the increased
show schedule which now included nightly performances. When the primary target audience,
union members, found it difficult to obtain tickets to see the show, a second performing
company was organized to provide daily late afternoon matinees for the workers. Close
to fifty skits were created during the course of "Pins and Needles," of which nineteen
to twenty-two were performed at each performance, including such favorites as "Sunday
in the Park," "One Big Union for Two," and "Lesson in Etiquette." Revisions were continually
made throughout the three editions, with sketches and songs added and deleted as the
show evolved to adjust and adapt and remain current and timely.
While the show ignored references to racial issues on the stage, behind the scenes
racial inequality abounded. Olive Pearman was the first African American cast in the
show and initially only had a supporting role and worked as the seamstress on the
road. Additional African American cast members were added later after pressure on
Schaffer, including Dorothy Tucker and Dorothy Harrison, but no Hispanics appeared
in the productions. Other cast members were pressured to suppress their Jewish ethnicities
and forgo religious observances during performance schedules, some changing names
and a few altering their appearances. On the road during the touring productions,
the African American cast members were often forced to follow local segregation laws
in the cities where they were performing and encountered prejudice in finding accommodations,
eating with the cast in a restaurant, or in the extreme case, being unable to perform.
To bring the show to audiences outside of New York City, a ten month national tour
of "Pins and Needles" began in April 1938 visiting cities Philadelphia, Boston, Los
Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago, as well as smaller towns in between as the cast
made their way across the United States. For many cast members, this was their first
time traveling away from New York and their families, and especially traversing the
country on train. Stays in the larger cities were often extended, and in many instances
the cast was greeted by members from local unions. Multiple companies were formed
to accommodate the expanding schedule between touring, evenings and matinees. The
original company went on the national road tour, second and third companies formed
to perform the evening shows and matinees for union members. As the cast multiplied,
so did the number of "ringers," or semi-professionals. Schaffer started adding "ringers,"
talented ILGWU members, and individuals with aspirations to become professional actors
to replace the initially amateur cast, which created tensions among the various companies.
In March 1938 in the East Room of the White House, a smaller cast performed for President
Franklin Roosevelt and Eleanor, whom had already seen the show several times. Afterward,
the cast and crew performed another condensed version of "Pins and Needles" for the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the U.S. Department of Labor. The first road show ended
on January 30, 1939 after 319 performances in 34 cities across the country. The original
company that was still remaining headed back to New York to find the new casts filling
all the roles and numerous new numbers added to show. Unfortunately, most of the original
and road show cast were forced to return back to their jobs in the garment factories
as many became phased out by semi-professional replacements. The second and revamped
edition of "Pins and Needles" debuted on April 21, 1939 and on June 26, 1939, the
show moved to the larger Windsor Theatre. The new edition proved successful, and finally,
a third edition of the show, "New Pins and Needles," opened on November 20, 1939.
After 1,108 performances, "Pins and Needles" closed in New York City on June 22, 1940.
The second national tour began a month later and toured the country before playing
its last show in Los Angeles on May 31, 1941. After the end of "Pins and Needles,"
Labor Stage did not put on another play and closed. The actors returned to the shops
and factories, with only a few trying to turn their experience into a career in show
business. "Pins and Needles" challenged the idea of labor sponsored entertainment
to become a popular hit with memorable lyrics, hummable tunes, and a social message
that appealed to a broad audience.
The collection contains the dissertation entitled "Pins and Needles: An Oral History"
written by Harry Merton Goldman in 1977 to complete his degree at New York University.
The dissertation chronicles the musical "Pins and Needles" by providing a comprehensive
account of the show from its inception through the final performance. A significant
strength and component of the dissertation includes oral histories from the individuals
who were involved with "Pins and Needles," including writers, directors, set designers
and actors. The end of the dissertation provides an extensive bibliography of both
published and unpublished material, the itinerary for the National Tour providing
the dates, locations and theaters for each stop on the tour, and a listing of songs
and sketches for all three editions of the show. Information discussed in the dissertation
as stated in the table of contents include: origins, description of the show, the
economic, political, social and theatrical influences, cast of characters, the history
of Labor Stage, the show and performances, legal and managerial difficulties, the
performance at the White House, the road shows, racial prejudice on the road, political
and social significance of the musical, the time on Broadway, and "Pins and Needles"
final conclusion.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Pins & Needles, An Oral History by Harry M. Goldman. #6036/006. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
Related Collections: 5780: ILGWU records 6036/031: International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Pins and Needles. Additional
Scrapbooks, 1935-1942. 6036/077: Rose Newmark Collection on the ILGWU Musical Pins
and Needles 6036/081 AV: Ruth Graeber interview on "Pins and Needles"
Names:
Goldman, Harry
Rome, Harold, -- 1908-1993. -- Pins and needles.
Alfasa, Joe
Appel, Lou
Barry, Gene
Bergersen, Baldwin
Bregman, Elise
Brown, Anne
Cahn, Sylvia
Castellano, Wally
Charmat, Alma
Corey, Irwin
Diamond, Adele
Eben, Al
Edwards, Sherman
Elbaum, Ruth
Fox, Irene
Friedman, Charles
Gardner, Hy
Gerber, Ella
Goldstein, Eugene
Gould, Berni
Harary, Nettie
Jaffee, Lynne
Jerome, Adele
Kaufman, Rose
Klein, Manny
Kushner, Ethel
Levy, Al
Mandel, Ida
Mann, Danny
Meyers, Don
Morrison, Lee
Newdell, Sam
Newmark, Rose
Nicita, Jean
Pearman, Olive
Pedi, Tom
Rosenblum, Manny
Rotsten, Herman
Rubin, Hilda
Rubinstein, Ruth
Savage, Archie
Scrank, Joseph
Seymour, Paul
Strasberg, Lee
Syrjala, Sointu
Tucker, Dorothy
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Subjects:
Musical revues, comedies, etc. -- United States -- History and criticism.
Clothing workers -- United States -- Drama -- History and criticism.
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union -- Drama -- History and criticism.
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Pins and Needles, pages 1-113
|
1977 |
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Pins and Needles, pages 114-262
|
1977 |
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Pins and Needles, bound volume
|
1977 |