In this episode, Jennifer talks to Melissa Moschitto and Dr. Haile Eshe Cole of The Anthropologists to discuss their unique approach to investigative theater and explore how anthropology & research intersect with storytelling & art. They share what it means to challenge assumptions, break predominant narratives, and unearth hidden histories. They also navigate leaning into gaps, asking critical questions, and embracing the transformative power of art in shaping our understanding of the world. Plus, they unpack what responsibility and accountability are when it comes to devising work and creating art in general.

About Melissa: Melissa Moschitto (she/her) is a director, playwright and producer advancing the form of research-based investigative theatre. She is the Founding Artistic Director of The Anthropologists, a theatre company dedicated to the creation of devised theatre that inspires action. Her dynamic, kinetic work has been seen at HERE, The New Ohio, Dixon Place, and she has been an artist-in-residence at Abrons Arts Center. Most recently, she helmed The Anthropologists' world premiere of No Pants In Tucson, for which she received a 2020 NYC Women’s Fund Grant. Melissa holds a B.A. in Theater from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is married to an engineer-slash-secret-dramaturg and the mother of two dramatic children. She resides and works in Upper Manhattan on the ancestral land of the Lenape.

About Dr. Cole: Originally hailing from a small Central Texas town, Dr. Haile Eshe Cole has spent most of her adult life working and playing in Austin, TX. She has a B.A. in Sociology and African-American Studies and received both her M.A. and PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin. Haile has conducted research on alternatives to incarceration for mothers and their children in both Texas and New York as well as maternal and infant mortality for Black women nationally and in Texas. She is also a trained birth educator and birth companion (doula). In her free time, Haile likes to read, write, watch movies, try new recipes from the food network, and spend time with family and friends. She currently resides in the New England area with her two wonderful children.

About The Anthropologists: The Anthropologists is dedicated to the collaborative creation of investigative theatre that inspires action. Fusing research, expressive movement, and rigorous dramaturgy, we create dynamic plays rooted in social inquiry. We use theatre to engage with challenging questions, to re-contextualize the present and reimagine our collective future. Founded in 2008.

The Anthropologist IG: @theanthropologists

The Anthropologist’s Website: www.theanthropologists.org

The Anthropologist’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheAnthropologists

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