Author: The Civilians

The Civilians is a company that creates new theater from creative investigations into the most vital questions of the present. Through a number of artistic programs, the Civilians advances theater as an engine of artistic innovation and strengthens the connections between theater and society. An artist-led company, the Civilians creates and produces new theater and pursues its artistic mission through programs serving artists and the public. The company’s work is grounded in investigative theater, an artistic practice rooted in the process of creative inquiry that brings artists into dynamic engagement with the subject of their work. Artists look outward in pursuit of a question, often engaging with individuals and communities in order to listen, make discoveries, and challenge habitual ways of knowing. The ethos of investigative theater extends into production, inviting audiences to be active participants in the inquiry before, during, and after the performance. Since its founding in 2001, the Obie Award-winning company has supported the creation of 14 original shows, and its work has been produced at many theaters in New York, nationally, and internationally. Last season saw two highly successful shows: "Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play" at Playwrights Horizons, which was included in eight Top 10 of 2013 Lists, and "The Great Immensity" at The Public Theater. The Civilians’ work has been published by Dramatists Play Service, Oberon Books, Ghostlight Records and Playscripts, Inc.

Articles by this author

Bogotá Prison Pageant, Part 2

This episode continues our investigation of the beauty pageant that takes place in the national women’s prison in Bogotá, Colombia. Actors perform monologues based on interviews with contestants, inmates and staff at the prison.

Occupy #S17, Part 1

Performers, including Tony-nominee Kathleen Chalfant and musician Jill Sobule, commemorate the one-year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street with a live performance at Joe’s Pub in NYC.

Bogotá Prison Pageant, Part 1

This episode explores the beauty pageant that takes place in the national women’s prison in Bogotá, Colombia. Actors perform monologues based on interviews with contestants, inmates and staff at the prison.

Death, Part 3

This episode features a monologue based on an interview with an inmate at the national women’s prison in Bogotá, Colombia, and a song from the Civilians’ show “Gone Missing.”

Occupy Your Mind, Part 3

This episode features monologues from our ongoing “Occupy Your Mind” project, which invites people everywhere to perform monologues based on interviews related to the OWS movement.

Paris Commune & Social Space

This episode features a discussion with Kristin Ross, Ph.D., whose book “The Emergence of Social Space: Rimbaud and the Paris Commune” inspired the Civilians’ production of “Paris Commune.”

Paris Commune

The creators of “Paris Commune,” including Steve Cosson & Michael Friedman, discuss the challenges & joys of bringing this historical theater piece to the stage.

You Better Sit Down: Salon Night, Episode 2

A live recording of a talk-back with the cast of the Flea’s “You Better Sit Down: Tales from My Parents’ Divorce,” plus performances from the Bats, Dan Domingues and Matt Berger.

Death, Part 2

In this live recording, performers Emily Rossell, Nina Hellman, Dan Domingues & James Rickman portray real-life professionals who encounter death on a daily basis.

Mr. Burns: Behind the Scenes

Playwright Anne Washburn & others share thoughts on “The Simpsons,” workshops and theater in this behind-the-scenes look at “Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play.”

Occupy Your Mind, Part 2

This episodes features more performances from “Occupy Your Mind,” an open-sourced living history of the Occupy movement. Recorded live at NYC’s Judson Church in 2012.

Death, Part 1

This episode features live performances from “Let Me Ascertain You: A Death Cabaret,” recorded at Joe’s Pub in NYC.

Occupy Your Mind, Part 1

This episodes features performances from “Occupy Your Mind,” an open-sourced living history of the Occupy movement.

The High Line

Actors perform a piece about New York City’s High Line public park, written for the Civilians’ Annual Spring Benefit in 2012.

You Better Sit Down: Salon Night, Episode 1

Performers Michael Schulman, Alyssa Schulman, Kamara Thomas & Jason Grote perform monologues & songs inspired by people’s interviews with their divorced parents.