The Play's The Thing: The Role of Theatre in our Democracy From Colonial Times to Today

From colonial pamphleteering to modern-day protest performance, political theatre has shaped American democracy in ways that standard history books rarely capture. Drawing on decades of research alongside personal stories from a life spent on and around the stage, this lecture uncovers the hidden role theatre has played in shaping public opinion, dissent, and civic identity throughout U.S. history. Part scholarly revelation, part memoir, it offers a fresh lens on how performance has always been political—and how it still is today.

Professor Joel D. Eis has taught design and written dozens of articles on scenography and theatre history for 50 years. He has produced over three hundred theatrical designs for professional and academic theatre. Radicalized by the student strike at San Francisco State University in 1968, he devoted his career to producing theatre that mattered to people’s lives. In the process, he earned an FBI file as thick as a small city phone book. He is the author of a text on stagecraft, three books on theatre history, and a memoir of his own life in progressive political theatre.

This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.