Rachel Crothers
Encyclopedia
Rachel Crothers was a prolific and successful American playwright
and theater director, known for her well-crafted plays
. One of the most famous was Susan and God
(1937), which was made into a film by MGM in 1940 starring Joan Crawford
and Frederic March.
Crothers was born in Bloomington, Illinois
, USA
. Asked how to pronounce her name, she told The Literary Digest
it rhymed with brothers. (Charles Earle Funk, What's the Name, Please?, Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)
Rachel Crothers’ parents were Dr. Eli Kirk Crothers and Dr. Marie Louise (de Pew) Crothers. Her mother was one of the first woman physicians in Central Illinois
.
Rachel graduated from University High School (Normal)
in 1891 and Illinois State Normal School (now Illinois State University
) in 1892. She studied dramatic arts in Boston
and New York City
, and acted professionally in New York City
. She broke new ground by directing, staging
, and casting
most of her own plays. She also directed several plays written by others. Rachel’s plays often dealt with social
themes and moral
problems affecting women in the 20th century, including issues such as the double standard
, trial marriages, divorce
, and Freudianism.
She established a number of philanthropic groups to improve the welfare of her theatrical colleagues: the United Theatre Relief Committee, the Stage Relief Fund, the Stage Women’s War Relief Fund, and the American Theatre Wing
for War Relief. According to her biography
on Literature Online, Rachel “distinguished herself as one of the most significant American playwrights of the early twentieth century and as an influential force in the development of modern American drama….”
On April 25, 1939, Rachel Crothers was awarded the Chi Omega
sorority national achievement award by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
(Eleanor Roosevelt
). This national achievement gold medal award is given “to an American woman of notable accomplishments in the professions, public affairs, art, letters, business and finance, or education.” (Pantagraph, April 26, 1939)
She died in her Danbury, Connecticut
home in 1958.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and theater director, known for her well-crafted plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
. One of the most famous was Susan and God
Susan and God
Susan and God is a 1940 comedy-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Joan Crawford and Fredric March in a story about a matron who finds religion. The screenplay by Anita Loos was based upon a 1937 play by Rachel Crothers. The film was directed by George Cukor and produced by Hunt...
(1937), which was made into a film by MGM in 1940 starring Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
and Frederic March.
Crothers was born in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Asked how to pronounce her name, she told The Literary Digest
Literary Digest
The Literary Digest was an influential general interest weekly magazine published by Funk & Wagnalls. Founded by Isaac Kaufmann Funk in 1890, it eventually merged with two similar weekly magazines, Public Opinion and Current Opinion.-History:...
it rhymed with brothers. (Charles Earle Funk, What's the Name, Please?, Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)
Rachel Crothers’ parents were Dr. Eli Kirk Crothers and Dr. Marie Louise (de Pew) Crothers. Her mother was one of the first woman physicians in Central Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Rachel graduated from University High School (Normal)
University High School (Normal)
University High School , located in Normal, Illinois, is one of two "laboratory schools" of the College of Education at Illinois State University designed for research and teacher-training; the other is Thomas Metcalf School, an elementary school...
in 1891 and Illinois State Normal School (now Illinois State University
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
) in 1892. She studied dramatic arts in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and acted professionally in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She broke new ground by directing, staging
Staging (theatre)
Staging is the process of selecting, designing, adapting to, or modifying the performance space for a play or film. This includes the use or absence of stagecraft elements as well as the structure of the stage and its components....
, and casting
Casting (performing arts)
In the performing arts, casting is a pre-production process for selecting a cast of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance.-Casting process:...
most of her own plays. She also directed several plays written by others. Rachel’s plays often dealt with social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
themes and moral
Moral
A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...
problems affecting women in the 20th century, including issues such as the double standard
Double standard
A double standard is the unjust application of different sets of principles for similar situations. The concept implies that a single set of principles encompassing all situations is the desirable ideal. The term has been used in print since at least 1895...
, trial marriages, divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, and Freudianism.
She established a number of philanthropic groups to improve the welfare of her theatrical colleagues: the United Theatre Relief Committee, the Stage Relief Fund, the Stage Women’s War Relief Fund, and the American Theatre Wing
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing is a New York City-based organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre," according to its mission statement...
for War Relief. According to her biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
on Literature Online, Rachel “distinguished herself as one of the most significant American playwrights of the early twentieth century and as an influential force in the development of modern American drama….”
On April 25, 1939, Rachel Crothers was awarded the Chi Omega
Chi Omega
Chi Omega is a women's fraternity and the largest member of the National Panhellenic Conference. Chi Omega has 174 active collegiate chapters and over 230 alumnae chapters. Chi Omega's national headquarters is located in Memphis, Tennessee....
sorority national achievement award by Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
(Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
). This national achievement gold medal award is given “to an American woman of notable accomplishments in the professions, public affairs, art, letters, business and finance, or education.” (Pantagraph, April 26, 1939)
She died in her Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
home in 1958.