Doctor Faustus
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Elizabethan dramatist Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) opened at Maxine Elliott’s Theatre on January 8, 1937. Twenty-one-year-old Orson Welles (1915–1985), under unit director John Houseman, not only played the title role but also directed and designed the costumes for the FTP production. Though generally recognized as the most important playwright of his time apart from Shakespeare, Marlowe’s plays were seldom staged. The production, which was an early instance of a racially integrated cast, was done virtually without scenery. Visual effects were achieved through highly imaginative lighting, smoke pots, and fire effects devised by Abe Feder (1909–1997), who had a successful career in theatrical lighting design. The score of Doctor Faustus was composed and orchestrated by Paul Bowles (1910–1999), who went on to become not only one of the nation’s finest composers but also a highly gifted writer of biography and fiction.
<em>The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus</em> by Elizabethan dramatist Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) opened at Maxine Elliott’s Theatre on January 8, 1937. Twenty-one-year-old Orson Welles (1915–1985), under unit director John Houseman, not only played the title role but also directed and designed the costumes for the FTP production. Though generally recognized as the most important playwright of his time apart from Shakespeare, Marlowe’s plays were seldom staged. The production, which was an early instance of a racially integrated cast, was done virtually without scenery. Visual effects were achieved through highly imaginative lighting, smoke pots, and fire effects devised by Abe Feder (1909–1997), who had a successful career in theatrical lighting design. The score of Doctor Faustus was composed and orchestrated by Paul Bowles (1910–1999), who went on to become not only one of the nation’s finest composers but also a highly gifted writer of biography and fiction.