Why We Theater

By Broadway Podcast NetworkArts Performing Arts Visual Arts

Why We Theater episodes

August 13, 2020Soft Power and Democracy, U.S.-China Relations, and Asian-American Culture
David Henry Hwang, three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony-winning playwright, and director Leigh Silverman join former policy director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, and U.S. policymaker and now NSA Jake Sullivan and journalist, media consultant, author, and “Asian Pop” columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle Jeff Yang to discuss the musical-within-a-play SOFT POWER. The show illuminates the merits and pitfalls of democracy, the American electoral system, the American campaign system, U.S.-China relations, cultural appropriation, racism and hate crimes in America, soft power itself, and more.

This episode of WHY WE THEATER focuses on democracy, voting rights, and appreciating Asian-American perspectives and culture. Is democracy the best system of government? How do we improve our electoral system now? What must we keep in mind for the November 2020 Presidential Election and beyond? What is soft power and how do we wield it responsibly? Do Americans have a say in how we interact with foreign nations? How? Listen to find out.

Referred to in this episode
What Donald Trump and Dick Cheney Got Wrong About America by Jake Sullivan
The Citizens United Supreme Court Case
What Is Ranked Choice Voting? From FairVote.org
What is the Single Transferable Vote?
Why Was the Electoral College Created? by Dave Roos
Jeff Yang’s podcast “They Call Us Bruce” (co-hosted by Phil Yu)
What is the “model minority” myth?
Building the Transcontinental Railroad: How 20,000 Some Chinese Immigrants Made it Happen by Lesley Kennedy
The history of Asian American for Equality and the Asian American Movement of the 1960s
Create the change
Research and support Automatic Voter Registration
Check your voter registration status and deadlines for registration by zip code
Research your what’s on your ballot and who your candidates are
Contact your representative to support voter rights – SUPER easy with 5calls.org
Watch “We’re Doing Elections Wrong” from Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj
Read Jeff Yang’s Op-Ed “Mr. President, you don’t speak for Asian Americans”
Check out this interactive timeline to understand the history of the U.S. and China’s relations
Read Cathy Park Hong’s poetry and writings on her experience as an Asian American: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
Read Peter N. Kiang’s “Understanding Our Perceptions of Asian Americans”
Stop hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Watch panels from the Rise: Asian Pacific America digital conference

Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales.

Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.

Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.

Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.

Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.

Connect with Ruthie!
RuthieFierberg.com
Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 28 min
August 07, 2020Pipeline and Education Inequity and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Tony nominee Dominique Morisseau (TV’s SHAMELESS, AIN’T TOO PROUD) discusses her groundbreaking play PIPELINE, named for the national crisis of the school-to-prison pipeline. The play follows, Omari, a Black high school student at a predominantly white prep school and his single mother, Nya, who teaches at the district public school. When Omari attacks his teacher in class, Nya’s fears for her son and his future push her to the edge and force audiences to question who is truly at fault.
How and why did the school-to-prison pipeline begin? What problems does education inequity and inequality cause? How do we make education more equitable—across public and private institutions? How do we train teachers of all races to relate to students of all races? What is “culturally responsive education” and how can it improve our education crisis? How does this connect to Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and too many more? Listen to this fascinating and urgent discussion with playwright Morisseau and education experts Tyree Booker of Camelot Education and Matt Gonzales of NYU’s Metro Center.

Purchase the play here.

Referred to in this episode
Watch PIPELINE now on BroadwayHD. (Option for free trial for new users.)
Michael Brown’s murder in Ferguson, MO (Read up until “The Law” section, which sources speculative opinions)
THE NEW JIM CROW by Michelle Alexander
ACLU: “School-to-Prison Pipeline”
Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity & the Transformation of Schools, where Gonzales works on education research and policy
Camelot Education, where Booker serves as an Executive Director
Morisseau’s op-ed “Why I Almost Slapped a Fellow Theatre Patron, and What That Says About Our Theatres”
What is “Culturally Responsive Education”?
NATIVE SON by Richard Wright – Buy it from your local Black-owned independent bookstore; find stores here or here.
Hear poet Gwendolyn Brooks read her “We Real Cool”
Key and Peele’s “If We Treated Teachers Like Pro Athletes”
U.S. Department of Education School Discipline Snapshot
2017-2018 School Survey on Crime and Safey
“Racial Disparity in School Discipline” Infographic
Create the change
Stand up for Black lives
Find one-page education reform resources at the EJ-ROC Policy Hub
Read JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson; FIERCE CONVERSATIONS by Susan Scott; WHO MOVED MY CHEESE? By Spencer Johnson; THE MISEDUCATION OF THE NEGRO by Carter G. Woodson (Buy from a Black-owned independent bookstore; find stores here or here.)
Follow @integratenyc @CEJNYC @TeensTakeCharge @AQE_NY @CACF
Read i3’s (Integration and Innovation Initiative) plan to integrate NYC schools, take their cues to adapt the policies for your school district
Learn what “defund the police” means
Elect Board of Education reps who:
Support universal early childhood education
Advocate for culturally responsive-sustaining education
Will divest from school policing
Will decriminalize student behavior
Will develop “sanctuary school” models to make school a space safe from police and ICE agents
Provide a model for family engagement in education
Opt for counseling and progressive discipline
Reach out to and collaborate with the Anti-Racist Initiatve at NYU’s Metro Center

Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales.

Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.

Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.

Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.

Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.

Connect with Ruthie!
RuthieFierberg.com
Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 44 min
July 30, 2020The Lifespan of a Fact and Truth in Journalism
Ira Glass, Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, and Barbara Brandon-Croft debate fake news and more, inspired by Broadway’s THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT. Based on the book of the same name, THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT opened cold on Broadway at Studio 54 October 18, 2018, and immediately illuminated issues of journalistic integrity, art versus media, and what the word “truth” actually means. Jim Fingal is an intern at a literary magazine assigned to factcheck an essay by John D’Agata—the kind of piece that, according to editor-in-chief Emily Penrose could be “meaningful” and “pushes the envelope.” Inspired by Jim, John, and their real-life negotiation, the story follows Jim as he investigates every checkable fact in John’s article (excuse me, “essay”) as John fights to preserve the art of the story and the essence of truth.

But are truth and facts the same? What about news and storytelling? Should there be a difference? When should a writer’s perspective surface, if ever? What facts are negotiable, if any? How do you know? In this episode, host Ruthie Fierberg digs into the origins of the play with Leigh Silverman—yielding a surprise twist—before opening up the discussion about facts and their negotiability, or lack thereof, with renowned content creator Ira Glass of THIS AMERICAN LIFE who says facts are black-and-white and Barbara Brandon-Croft, a fact-checker and research director at Parents magazine, who says situations like those portrayed in Lifespan are all too familiar. In the end, these artists and experts advise us all on how to consume reliable media and how to hold journalists and their outlets to ethical standards.

Purchase the play here.

Referred to in this episode
John D’Agata’s story “What Happens Here” that inspired the book THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT, which inspired the play
The July 25, 2008, episode of This American Life “Switched at Birth”
The January 6, 20120, episode of This American Life “Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory” and its subsequent retraction, titled “Retraction” released March 16, 2012
Read Ira’s 2012 letter about the retraction here
Study: Distinguishing Between Factual and Opinion Statements in the News (How well can Americans tell the difference?)
Quiz: How well can you tell factual from opinion statements?
Create the change
Take the quiz to see if you know the difference between fact and opinion statements
Learn the difference between fact and opinion statements with this one-sheet
Dive deeper with this lesson plan from The Guardian
Support your local radio station or local television news station
Find your local radio station in one click
Watch Hasan Minhaj explain the importance of local news on PATRIOT ACT
Check the masthead (akin to a staff directory) of your magazines. Look for a “Research Director” or “Head of Research” and/or “Fact-checkers” on the EDITORIAL staff (NOT the Marketing/Sales/Publishing staff).
Stay aware. Always check your sources. (Wikipedia is not a reliable source—though it may lead you to one.)
Examples of reliable sources: government agencies, studies from a journal of repute, doctors and lawyers in their area of specialty, Nielsen and Pew Research Center
Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.
Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.
Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.
Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.
Connect with Ruthie!
RuthieFierberg.com
Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 21 min
July 23, 2020Octet and Internet Addiction
Before Netflix’s THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, the 2019 musical OCTET tackled the harsh reality and trajectory of digital technology addiction and social media. Written by Dave Malloy (THE GREAT COMET) and directed by Annie Tippe, the a cappella chamber musical debuted Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre Center and earned eight Drama Desk Award nominations. Staged as a sort-of AA meeting for tech addicts, each song serves as a share about a different manifestation of tech addiction.
Are we all addicted to tech? How dangerous is it? Or, is it not necessarily the tools, but how we use them that can lead us to breakthroughs or breakdowns? Host Ruthie Fierberg delves into the origins of the musical and its roots in research with Tippe before opening up the discussion to three experts. Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang offers the facts about technology’s effects on our brains and socialization; Dr. Hilarie Cash, who treats internet addiction, advises how to recognize true addiction and gives tips to establish a healthy media diet; and software engineer Daphne Larose proposes a new path for responsible tech development and the beneficial uses of software, the Internet, and games.
Listen to the live album of OCTET here.

Referred to in this episode
Listen to the OCTET live album
What are QAnon and 4chan?
Research from Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
Create the Change
Go grayscale
Turn off push notifications
Never watch the next recommended video; choose your own content
Check out the Center for Humane Technology
Unplug: Go tech-free one day per week, one weekend per month, one week per year
For educators read: The Brain Basis for Integrated Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
Hold tech companies accountable
If you feel concerned that you may have a more severe problem with digital technology, seek additional help.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) is a free national helpline for recovery resources and referrals; 1-800-622-HELP
Find a therapist who specializes in Internet Addiction with this tool
Consider treatment at reSTART
Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.
Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.
Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.
Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.

Connect with Ruthie!
RuthieFierberg.com
Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 16 min
July 15, 2020School Girls... and Colorism, Beauty, and Self-Esteem in Women, Girls, and Femmes
What is colorism, and how do we combat it? Who decides what is beautiful? Why are girls raised to compete with each other? Playwright Jocelyn Bioh and experts Afia Ofori-Mensa of Princeton University and Maryann Jacob Macias of National Crittenton join host Ruthie Fierberg to explore the questions raised about the roots of colorism and how to check your own bias, beauty standards and how to advocate for broader definitions of beauty, self-esteem and how to raise girls and women to know our own self-worth in this episode tied to Off-Broadway’s Lortel-winning and Drama Desk-nominated comedy SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY.
Purchase the play here.
When SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY first hit the stage at MCC Theater in 2017, we witnessed the birth of a new powerhouse voice in the theatre with playwright Jocelyn Bioh. Set in Ghana in 1986, SCHOOL GIRLS is “the African Mean Girls Play” for a reason. It’s got all the comedy and all of the hallway politics of Tina Fey’s MEAN GIRLS. As the five of girls of the in-crowd—led by beauty Paulina—prepare for the Miss Ghana pageant recruiter to scout at their boarding school, things get ugly. The arrival of bi-racial transfer student Ericka (a light-skinned girl who grew up in the States but whose father is Ghanaian) throws a wrench in Paulina’s plans. The recruiter, Eloise, must think about who (and what type of beauty) could elevate Ghana to the worldwide stage in the Miss Universe pageant.
Listen for some real talk and actionable steps to create a world with more acceptance and support—because that’s WHY WE THEATER.
Referred to in this episode:
TikTok ‘tried to filter out videos from ugly, poor or disabled users’
Peggy Orenstein, watch her TED Talk tied to her book Girls & Sex
The work of Dr. Susan Bordo
Create the Change:
Write letters to the publisher.
Send letters, emails, tweets (as someone who worked for a magazine, yes we really do read it all) either to praise the diversity of people you see in their pages—editorial and advertising—or to point out the lack thereof and demand a change. Letters to the editor will also work.
Put your money where your mouth is.
Buy make-up from brands with a wide spectrum of shades—even if your shade is lighter.
Buy from brands that support your ideals—and let your friends know who these businesses are so they can join you.
Broaden the idea of the protagonist
Read, borrow, and purchase books with protagonists of color. Expand your horizons while showing that the readership for these stories is wide. As this writer observes: Black Books Are for White Children, Too. Here are some lists to get you started: 10 Books With South Asian Characters You Should Read in 2020; Multicultural Book Recommendation for World Travel From the Safety of Home.
Lift up women in front of other women.
Compliment girls for things they’ve done, not how they look.
Why We Theater is part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunter, and produced by Alan Seales. Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.
Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.
Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.
Special thanks to Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montinieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.
Connect with Ruthie!
RuthieFierberg.com
Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 5 min
July 15, 2020 Welcome, to Why We Theater
Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize–winning drama Disgraced changed Ruthie Fierberg’s life. In fact, it’s the whole reason this podcast exists. The play fused theatre and social justice for her. Theatre is not just a mirror to society, it’s a catalyst to change it. Listen to this 2-minute origin story.

Part of the Broadway Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 min

About Why We Theater

From the publisher's feed

Social justice meets theatre in this podcast from Playbill’s former Executive Editor Ruthie Fierberg. Artists and experts unite for curated panels, using plays and musicals (Broadway, Off-Broadway,…