The Group (theater)

The Group Theatre was a pioneering American theater collective formed in 1931 by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasberg. It emerged from the Theatre Guild as a response to what its founders perceived as the Guild's growing commercialism and artistic stagnation. The Group Theatre aimed to create a socially relevant and artistically unified theater, drawing inspiration from the Moscow Art Theatre and its system of acting.

The ensemble championed Stanislavski's System, a method of acting emphasizing emotional recall and personal connection to the character's circumstances. While Strasberg is often most associated with "method acting," the Group Theatre's application of the System also emphasized ensemble work and in-depth script analysis. Stella Adler's later work, which diverged from Strasberg's emphasis on personal emotional recall and integrated character research and imagination, also significantly influenced the Group Theatre's approach.

Key members of the Group Theatre included Elia Kazan, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Phoebe Brand, Franchot Tone, Morris Carnovsky, Luther Adler, and Clifford Odets. Odets became the Group's primary playwright, contributing socially conscious and politically charged dramas like Waiting for Lefty, Awake and Sing!, and Golden Boy. Other notable playwrights associated with the Group included Irwin Shaw and William Saroyan.

The Group Theatre faced ongoing financial difficulties and internal conflicts, particularly regarding the interpretation and application of the Stanislavski System. Despite its relatively short lifespan (1931-1941), the Group Theatre had a profound and lasting impact on American theater and acting. It established a precedent for ensemble-based theater companies committed to social relevance and artistic integrity, and its members went on to become influential figures in theater, film, and acting education.