Playwright Clifford Odets was an American playwright, screenwriter, and director who was a major force in American theater in the 1930s. He is best known for his plays Waiting for Lefty, Awake and Sing!, and Golden Boy. His works often dealt with social and political issues of the time, such as labor struggles and anti-Semitism. Odets was a member of the Group Theatre, a collective of actors, directors, and playwrights who sought to create a new form of theater that was more realistic and socially conscious.