Union Retirees Celebrate Labor History in New Play

by Seth Michaels, Nov 15, 2009

In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, two Missouri union retirees are stepping back into history to look at the lessons of the Great Depression in a new play.

This weekend and next weekend, “1937! One Hell of a Year” is playing at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. Written by AFGE 1336 retiree Bill Clause and directed by AFT 691 retiree Judy Clause, the show is a musical history of economic, racial and gender struggles during the Depression and the role of the union movement in rebuilding America.

The play depicts momentous events in labor history, including the sit-down strike at Ford and the AFL’s chartering of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, a predominantly African American union. Among the historic figures appearing in the musical are A. Phillip Randolph and John L. Lewis.

The play premiered on Friday and is continuing next Friday and Saturday. If you’ll be in the Kansas City area, you can get tickets for “1937!” here.

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