Founded in 2001 by Steven Cosson, The Civilians is an investigative theater company, creating new work from the creative exploration of real life. Working with a dynamic combination of journalism and art, The Civilians creates theatrical events that promote an inquisitive curiosity about the world and an engagement with the most vital questions of the present. The Civilians has created thirteen original works that have been produced Off Broadway and in over forty cities nationally and internationally, at theaters such as The Public Theater, Center Theatre Group, La Jolla Playhouse, A.R.T., HBO's US Comedy Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, London's Soho Theatre, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Fringe First Award, 2006). The Civilians is deeply involved in their work, The Great Immensity about the environmental crisis and climate change supported by the National Science Foundation and Paris Commune about the 1871 French Revolution, which will play at ArtsEmerson and the BAM Fisher Building Next Wave Festival in the fall of 2012.