Songcatchers is a music and theatrical presentation integrating folk music, American history, and archival photography honoring the visual and performing artists and song collectors of the Great Depression. During this time period, these “songcatchers” and photographers were supported by programs initiated during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, endeavoring the capture the creative spirit and artistic expressions of the “common folk.” The initial theatrical presentation was created and written by Dr. Andy Krikun, Prof. John La Barbera, and Dr. Jorge Arevalo Mateus and premiered at Bergen Community College’s Ender Hall Laboratory Theatre in November 2022. Following the initial theatrical premiere, Songcatchers has been adapted for a classroom version by Dr. Leigh Jonaitis and has been performed for history, music, and theatre classes.
Songcatchers offers a contemporary perspective on the role that folk music played during the years of the Great Depression, demonstrating the impact that songwriters, performers, and folklorists had on the development of American music and on the importance of musicians and songwriters creating music that commented on salient social and political issues still relevant today. The educational presentation provides an overview of the musical instruments used in American folk music as well as an introduction to the music of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, and the Carter Family, as well as folklorists such as Alan Lomax.
The development of Songcatchers was made possible by the generous support of Bergen Community College and the Puffin Foundation.