Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, our story follows the Joads, a large close-knit family of sharecroppers from Oklahoma. Due to drought, dust storms, and foreclosure, they must leave their home and start anew.
Word comes that prosperity can be found in California, where there is lush farmland and work all year long. This spark of hope leads the family to pack up their few belongings and travel more than 1,000 miles along Route 66 in a fraught and arduous journey.
The Joads join thousands of other “Oakies” in California where, as they struggle to find work, discrimination and exploitation greet them at every turn. Yet amidst the despair, there are precious moments of humanity as strangers come together to support one another in their darkest hours. In the end, it is the family’s resilience that allows them to endure, reminding us of the power of community and compassion in times of crisis.
This timeless story has continued to inspire readers around the world. From the timeless film featuring Henry Fonda (brought to screen within a year of the book’s release in 1940) to songs by Mumford & Sons, Bruce Springsteen, and Woody Guthrie, and more recently, stage productions by Steppenwolf and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. At last, it found its place in the world of opera through the visionary talents of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie.
