Odets wrote Waiting For Lefty in 1935. The play consists of five short vignettes framed by a cab drivers' union meeting to discuss a potential strike. These vignettes provide brief glimpses into the lives of working-class individuals as they worry about money and family concerns and negotiate the delicate political climate of America during the rise of Communism. The play's first and last scenes take place at the union meeting itself as the men and women present debate the benefits of striking.
Waiting For Lefty was met with wide praise upon its debut, although critics questioned the archetypal characters and heavy leftist worldview. Today, it is a well-regarded example of American...
