State of the Union (play)

State of the Union is a 1945 play written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is a political satire that critiques the American political landscape and the compromises often made in the pursuit of power.

The play centers around Grant Matthews, a self-made businessman with a strong sense of integrity, who is being courted as a potential Republican presidential candidate. Matthews is pressured by political operatives and his estranged wife, Mary, to conform to the expectations and demands of political campaigning, including compromising his principles and mending his marriage for public appearances.

State of the Union explores themes of political corruption, the influence of money in politics, the erosion of individual values, and the role of the media in shaping public opinion. The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1946.

It was adapted into a successful film of the same name in 1948, directed by Frank Capra and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The film followed the same basic plot as the play but further amplified the satirical elements.