Why was the opening of The Cradle Will Rock shut down?

The opening of Marc Blitzstein’s musical play The Cradle Will Rock was shut down by Works Progress Administration (WPA) guards the night before its scheduled premiere.1

While the official justification provided for the closure was budgetary, the action was widely understood to be motivated by the play's radical political nature. The production, which was part of the Federal Theatre Project, featured outspoken commentary on social and economic issues that drew scrutiny from government officials during a period of intense political tension.12

In response to the suppression, Orson Welles and producer John Houseman moved the production to a different venue. On opening night, the actors performed the play from their seats in the audience rather than on stage, successfully circumventing the attempt to silence the work.1