Golden Goose Figure used in Jack and the Beanstalk: Museum Object and Cultural History
Golden Goose Figure used in Jack and the Beanstalk: Date made: 1935. agent: Works Progress Administration. maker: Reich, Molka.
The object in the museum catalogue
Golden Goose stage prop from puppet play version of the childhood tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It is painted gold and copper and was made for and used in the Federal Theater Project in Florida by Molka Reich, 1935-1939.
The Federal Theatre Project was created in 1935, in the middle of the Depression era, in order to employ jobless theater professionals and make the performing arts available to the vast number of citizens who had little money for entertainment. In the four years of its life, the Federal Theater Project units produced over 2700 plays seen by about 30 million people, most of whom had never seen a play. Puppets were an integral part of this project. Marionette units presented an average of 1200 shows a week in 22 states. The Federal Theater Project gave many the hope of a nationally supported theater, and it was the most popular cultural project of the New Deal. It was also the most controversial and the first to be abolished.
Molka Reich, joined the Miami, Florida Federal Theater Project in 1935. She travelled all over the state, giving very popular performances of such plays as Treasure Island and Jack and the Beanstalk, where these puppets appeared. Reich's performances ended when the project was abolished in 1939.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date made: 1935
- agent: Works Progress Administration
- maker: Reich, Molka
- Object Name: Puppet, Prop
- Object Name: Prop
- Physical Description: fabric (overall material)
- Physical Description: paint (overall material)
- Measurements: overall: 5 in x 4 in; 12.7 cm x 10.16 cm
- place made: United States: Florida, Miami
- general subject association: Puppetry
- related event: Great Depression
- related event: Federal Theatre Project
- related event: New Deal Era
- ID Number: 1982.0093.04
- accession number: 1982.0093
- catalog number: 1982.0093.04
- Credit Line: Molka Reich
- Data Source: National Museum of American History
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.
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