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Political Theatre

Content here focuses on theatremakers, companies, and projects engaging with politics and political action. A great example of the power of this work is the video series Political Theatre as a Civil Right from the British-Romanian political theatre company BÉZNĂ Theatre.

The Latest

Viewpoints for Achieving Authentic Representation of Roma Communities on Stage
Essay
Viewpoints for Achieving Authentic Representation of Roma Communities on Stage
by Tímea Éva Bogya, Márton Illés
27 March 2024
Should We Write Differently About Roma Theatre?
Essay
Should We Write Differently About Roma Theatre?
by Noémi Herczog, Éva Moharos
25 March 2024
How LUNG Is Breathing Radical Joy into Theatre in the United Kingdom
Essay
How LUNG Is Breathing Radical Joy into Theatre in the United Kingdom
by verity healey, Matt Woodhead, Helen Monks
5 March 2024
DC’s Ambassador Theater Takes on Dario Fo’s They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay!
Essay

DC’s Ambassador Theater Takes on Dario Fo’s They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay!

3 May 2016

Patricia Davis on Ambassador Theater’s production of They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! by Dario Fo in Washington, DC.

Performance of The Most [Blank] City in America
Video

Performance of The Most [Blank] City in America

Sunday 1 May 2016
Flint, MI, United States

Flint Youth Theatre in Flint, Michigan presented a performance of The Most [Blank] City in America livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 1 May at 2 p.m. EDT (New York) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 11 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 18:00 GMT / 7 p.m. BST (London). In Twitter, use #howlround and follow @howlroundtv.

Claiming Your Space: a Conversation about Writing and Performing Identity with Cuban-American Performer/Playwrights Marissa Chibas and Melinda Lopez
Video

Claiming Your Space: a Conversation about Writing and Performing Identity with Cuban-American Performer/Playwrights Marissa Chibas and Melinda Lopez

Saturday 30 April 2016
Boston, MA, United States

ArtChangeUS@ArtsEmerson, and HowlRound presented Claiming Your Space—a conversation about writing and performing identity with acclaimed performer/playwrights Marissa Chibas and Melinda Lopez moderated by Dr. P. Carl livestreamed from Boston on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Saturday 30 April at 4 p.m. EDT (New York) / 3 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 1 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 20:00 GMT / 9 p.m. BST (London). In Twitter, use #howlround and follow @howlroundtv

The REMAP: BAY AREA Conference with Arts in a Changing America
Video

The REMAP: BAY AREA Conference with Arts in a Changing America

Friday and Saturday, 15-16 April 2016
Bay Area, CA, United States

ArtChangeUS: Arts in a Changing America presented REMAP Bay Area livestreamed on the global, commons based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday and Saturday, 15-16 April 2016. See the livestream schedule below. In Twitter, use hashtags #ArtChangeUS and #HowlRound. Follow @ArtChangeUS and @HowlRoundTV.

Meta
Essay

Meta

A Quiet Theatrical Revolution

14 April 2016

verity healey on Cardboard Citizens’ Meta in London, England, and theatre for social change. 

Could A Play Stop A Demagogue? Theatre and Electoral Politics
Essay

Could A Play Stop A Demagogue? Theatre and Electoral Politics

7 April 2016

Have jokey depictions of elections on stage and screen helped cause a joke of a real-life presidential campaign?  Jonathan Mandell visits two experimental theatre projects that are tackling this year’s presidential election in serious and intriguing ways.

Discussion: Arts/Culture: Social Justice and Social Change in relation to Indigenous Communities 
Video

Discussion: Arts/Culture: Social Justice and Social Change in relation to Indigenous Communities 

Safe Harbors Indigenous Arts/Theater Collective, La MaMa, and CultureHub

Wednesday 6 April 2016
New York, NY, United States

La MaMa in New York City presented Safe Harbors Indigenous Arts/Theater Collective at Culturehub's Arts/Culture: Social Justice and Social Change discussion livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Wednesday 6 April at 12:30 p.m.-5 p.m. EDT (New York) / 11:30 p.m.-4 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. MDT (Alberta) / 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. PDT (Vancouver) / 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. AKDT (Alaska) / 6:30 a.m.-11 a.m. HAST (Hawaii) / 16:30-21:00 GMT / 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. BST (London) / 18:30-23:00 CEST (Brussels). On Twitter, use #howlround and follow @LaMamaETC@CultureHubNYC, and @HowlRoundTV

Making Theatre in the Season of Trump
Essay

Making Theatre in the Season of Trump

3 April 2016

Marshall Botvinick contemplates how the theatre community can respond to Donald Trump’s political rise.

What is the Role of the Artist/Arts Presenter in a Community in Crisis?
Essay

What is the Role of the Artist/Arts Presenter in a Community in Crisis?

26 March 2016

Paul S. Flores traces the path to creating and touring his play PLACAS through community engagment with acknowedgment and palabra, and offers suggestions to supporting peace within extremely marginalized communities in conflict when making theater.

Socially Engaged Performance
Video

Socially Engaged Performance

A Global Conversation

Sunday 13 March 2016
New York City, NY, United States

La MaMa and Theatre Without Borders presented a one-day international convening Socially Engaged Performance: A Global Conversation livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 13 March at 7 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 10 a.m. EDT (New York) / 14:00 GMT (London) / 15:00 CET (Berlin) / 16:00 EET (Ramallah / Johannesburg) / 19:30 IST (New Delhi) / 22:00 SGT (Singapore) / 23:00 KST (Seoul / Tokyo). In Twitter, tweet your comments and questions @_TWB_ and use hashtag #howlround. Additionally follow @HowlRoundTV for updates.

From Gaza, with Love
Essay

From Gaza, with Love

25 February 2016

Patricia Davis on Mosaic Theatre's US premiere in Washington, D.C. of I Shall Not Hate, based on the life of Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish.

The Ellen Stewart International Award for Social Change
Video

The Ellen Stewart International Award for Social Change

Wednesday 24 February 2016
New York City, NY, United States

ITI (International Theatre Institute)La MaMa New York and Italy, and the Spoleto Festival of 2 Worlds presented the award ceremony for the Ellen Stewart International Award for social change livestreamed on the commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Wednesday 24 February at 6 p.m. EST (New York) / 5 p.m. CST (Chicago) / 3 p.m. PST (Los Angeles) / 23:00 GMT (London) / 00:00 CET (Rome). Livestream operated by CultureHub. In Twitter, follow @HowlRoundTV and use #howlround.

Ay, Carmela! Divided Politics for the Ages
Essay

Ay, Carmela! Divided Politics for the Ages

18 February 2016

Carlos Morton on the recent Los Angeles production of José Sanchis Sinisterra’s Ay Carmela

Public Perceptions of Islam in Post-9/11 America panel
Video

Public Perceptions of Islam in Post-9/11 America panel

With Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright of Disgraced

Monday 15 February 2016
St. Louis, MO, United States

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presented the panel discussion Public Perceptions of Islam in Post-9/11 America livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 15 February at 8:30 p.m. EST (New York) / 7:30 p.m. CST (Chicago) / 5:30 p.m. PST (Los Angeles). In Twitter, follow @howlroundtv and use hashtag #howlround

The Crucible Returns and We’re Still Pointing Fingers
Essay

The Crucible Returns and We’re Still Pointing Fingers

12 February 2016

Billy McEntee traces the social history connected to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which premiered on Broadway in 1953 during the height of McCarthyism.

Puppets and Politics in South Africa
Essay

Puppets and Politics in South Africa

29 January 2016

Josh Williams discusses the Barrydale Reconciliation Day Puppet Parade and its socio-political impact in contemporary South Africa.

Lynn Nottage Talks Research, Collaboration, and the Fracturing of America
Essay

Lynn Nottage Talks Research, Collaboration, and the Fracturing of America

28 January 2016

Holly Derr speaks with Lynn Nottage about her new play Sweat, a co-commission of Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Arena Stage, currently playing in Washington, DC.

Power vs. Truth in Belarus Free Theatre’s Being Harold Pinter
Essay

Power vs. Truth in Belarus Free Theatre’s Being Harold Pinter

21 January 2016

verity healey reviews Belarus Free Theatre’s Being Harold Pinter at the Young Vic in London, England.

27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
Video

27th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration

Monday 18 January 2016
Ashland, OR, United States

Join community members for Ashland, Oregon's 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr., Holiday Celebration featuring music, spoken word, and dance. Keynote speakers: Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp of UNIVERSES—livestreamed on the global, commons-based HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Monday 18 January at 12 p.m. PST-1:30 p.m. PST (Los Angeles) / 2 p.m. CST-3:30 p.m. CST (Chicago) / 3 p.m. EST-4:30 p.m. EST (New York). Follow the live-tweeting @AshlandMLKDay, and use #SOMLK.

The Artists of Change: Conversations with the Ford Fellows
Video

The Artists of Change: Conversations with the Ford Fellows

Friday 15 January 2016.

As a culmination of the Art of Change initiative, the Ford Foundation is hosting The Artists of Change: Conversations with the Ford Fellows livestreamed on the global, commons based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 15 January. On Twitter, use #ArtOfChange and follow @HowlRoundTV. To submit questions to the Fellows, follow @FordFoundation and look out for the prompts.

Workshop on Art and Social Engagement at the Ford Foundation’s Art of Change
Video

Workshop on Art and Social Engagement at the Ford Foundation’s Art of Change

Tuesday 6 January 2016
New York City, NY, United States

Ford Foundation’s Art of Change initiative livestreamed an inter-generational workshop on art and social engagement Tuesday 6 January 2016. In Twitter, use #ArtOfChange and follow @HowlRoundTV.

Staging the Anti-Immigrant Hysteria
Essay

Staging the Anti-Immigrant Hysteria

20 December 2015

José Torres-Tama writes about the development of Aliens, Immigrants & Other Evildoers, a sci-fi Latino noir performance about the Latino immigration experience.

My America Too; New Civil Rights Panel Discussion at Center Stage
Video

My America Too; New Civil Rights Panel Discussion at Center Stage

Sunday 13 December 2015
Baltimore, MD, United States

Center Stage in Baltimore, Maryland presented a panel discussion about new civil rights in conjunction with My America Toolivestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Sunday 13 December at 22:30 GMT (London) / 5:30 p.m. EST (New York) / 4:30 p.m. CST (Chicago) / 2:30 p.m. PST (Pacific). To participate in conversation, direct your comments on Twitter to @centerstage_md and use hashtag #AskMyA2.

My “One Thing”
Essay

My “One Thing”

Achieving Gender Parity through Legislation

3 December 2015

Citizen-artist Yvette Heyliger discusses the aftermath of her petition and advocates a call to action for gender parity legislation.

Complex Movements’ Beware of the Dandelions
Essay

Complex Movements’ Beware of the Dandelions

19 November 2015

Jeff Chang on Detroit-based Complex Movements’ Beware of the Dandelions, a narrative, concert, visual installation, architectural piece, and convening space to distribute revolutionary ideas and activate creative ecosystems and economies of change.