Divine Comedy

Divine Comedy is Owen Dodson’s first and best-known play. It is based on the life of African-American prophet, spiritual and social leader, and founder during the Great Depression of “heavens” or peace missions, Father Divine (George Baker).

In an interview with John O’Brien, Dodson said his play, which received a Maxwell Anderson Verse Play award in 1938, was received with “raptures of pleasure”. It was originally produced at Yale University during the 1930s, and was revived in this production at New Federal Theatre.