My grandfather, Kalman Marki, was a great supporter of the 1930s Workers Theatre movement. He acted in, directed and produced several plays, focusing on works in Hungarian, but also in English to reach a wider audience of workers and their families.

One of his close friends was playwright Lajos Egri who is best known for his work The Art of Dramatic Writing, a classic on character development. The book was originally published in 1942, then revised in 1967 and is still being used in film schools.

In 1936, my grandfather directed and produced Egri’s play Tornado in New York City at the Hecksher Theater. I have written a detailed story about the play and its reception in a chapter of my upcoming book Hungarian-American Heroes where I discuss the history of the Workers Theatre movement and its impact.

Recently I found this advertisement in a Hungarian newspaper for the first performance of the play in 1936. My mother starred in the 1938 production.

Here is the translation of the Hungarian article which accompanied the advertisement.

On Sunday, February 23rd, the renowned proletarian playwright Lajos Egri, who has been active for twenty-five years, will present one of his finest works, “Tornado,” with the Elöre Mükedvelo Kör in the Hecksher Theater. This event marks the first and best opportunity for the public to make a significant contribution to the financial campaign of Uj Elöre, announced Lajos Fehér, chairman of the New York newspaper committee.

Comrade Fehér, himself a veteran actor, also emphasized that, under the excellent direction of Kálmán Márki, the production has been prepared to a standard rarely seen in New York. The three-act social drama addresses one of the most pressing issues facing the American people: the united front. All the actors are known for their work, and they bring professional quality to the performance. Moreover, the proceeds from this event will support the workers’ newspaper, Uj Elore.

“That’s why I call on the workers of New York and its surroundings to show up en masse at the Hecksher Theater on Sunday, either at 2:30 in the afternoon or at 8:30 in the evening,” said Lajos Fehér.