Immersive Theater and Activism

Immersive theater calls upon audience members to become participants, actors and “others.” It traditionally offers binary roles—that of oppressor or that of victim—and thereby stands the risk of simplifying complex social situations. Challenging such binaries, this book articulates theatrical “grey zones” when addressing juvenile detention, wartime interventions and immigration processes. It presents scripts and strategies for directors and playwrights who want to create theatrical environments that are immersive and pedagogical; aesthetically evocative and politically provocative; simple and complex.

Nandita Dinesh teaches theater arts, literature and performance, and oversees the juvenile justice programming at the United World College in New Mexico.

Nandita Dinesh

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 252
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2019
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7204-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3411-1
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction 1
Detention 29
Prelude  29
Scripting Detention  42
Interlude  69
War 91
Prelude  91
Scripting War  101
Interlude  134
Immigration 156
Prelude  156
Scripting Immigration  167
Interlude  191
Conclusions 211
Notes 237
Bibliography 239
Index 243