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Theater is essential to democracy

Theater is essential to democracy

Leon Neal / Staff / Getty Images
David L. Nevins
By David L. NevinsNov 24, 2021
David L. Nevins
David L. Nevins serves as publisher of The Fulcrum. Additionally, Nevins serves as co-founder and Board Chairman of the Bridge Alliance. Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action. He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.” He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
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Oskar Eustis, legendary artistic director at the Public Theater in New York City, believes that theater is essential to democracy.

"Truth comes from the collision of different ideas, and theater plays an essential role in showing us that truth," he says.

In a powerful TED Talk presentation, Eustis outlines his plan to reach (and listen to) people in places across the United States where the theater, like many other institutions, has been neglected.

"Our job is to try to hold up a vision to America that shows not only who all of us are individually, but that welds us back into the commonality that we need to be," Eustis says. "That's what the theater is supposed to do."

Enjoy the TED talk and learn more:

Why theater is essential to democracy | Oskar Eustis

As always please share with us your ideas on other examples of how theater is used to engage citizens in thinking and working for our democracy by writing to us at pop-culture@fulcrum.us

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