<Tr> <Th> Productions </Th> <Td> 1938 Broadway 1947 Broadway revival 1964 Off - Broadway revival 1983 Off - Broadway revival 1985 West End </Td> </Tr> <P> The Cradle Will Rock is a 1937 play in music by Marc Blitzstein . Originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project, it was directed by Orson Welles, and produced by John Houseman . The musical is a Brechtian allegory of corruption and corporate greed and includes a panoply of societal figures . Set in "Steeltown, USA", it follows the efforts of Larry Foreman to unionize the town's workers and combat wicked, greedy businessman Mr. Mister, who controls the town's factory, press, church and social organization . The piece is almost entirely sung - through, giving it many operatic qualities, although Blitzstein included popular song styles of the time . </P> <P> The WPA temporarily shut down the project a few days before it was to open on Broadway; so to avoid government and union restrictions, the show was performed on June 16, 1937 with Blitzstein playing piano onstage and the cast members singing their parts from the audience . </P> <P> The original cast consisted of John Adair, Guido Alexander, Marc Blitzstein, Peggy Coudray, Howard Da Silva, George Fairchild, Robert Fransworth, Edward Fuller, Will Geer, Maynard Holmes, Frank Marvel, Charles Niemeyer, Le Roi Operti, Jules Schmidt, George Smithfield, Olive Stanton, and Bert Weston . </P>

Who canceled the production of a cradle will rock two days before opening night