5280 Review: Curious Theatre Company Takes on Trump In Latest Production
By Daliah Singer
While it’s nothing new for the arts world to respond to the politics and issues of the day, the velocity of this play—it was written just before the election, and Curious decided to produce it just 10 weeks ago—is unique, as is the clear political statement a theater like Curious is making in bringing it to life.
Westword Review: Robert Schenkkan’s Building the Wall Is a Wake-Up Call at Curious
by Juliet Wittman
The cumulative narrative is mesmerizing, powerful, horrifying — particularly horrifying because what Rick describes is only an intensification of currents that have been running through our body politic for decades, and not just since the presidency of Donald J. Trump. Racism has long been a virus in the country’s blood, along with anti-immigrant fervor.
303 Magazine: Curious Theatre’s play on Trump is Not What You’d Expect
by Cori Anderson
…it’s not a play all about bashing Trump—instead, the message focuses on individual action in moments of collective inaction.
Denver Post: Politics inspires art in “Building the Wall” at Curious Theatre
By Joanne Ostrow
The current administration may end up being good for the arts, even though its stated intention is to cut funding. Oppression and regression are often great inspirations: Just look at all the artists responding with politically charged pieces…
New York Times: Pulitzer Winner’s Trump Play Is to Come to New York
by Michel Paulson
One of the first new plays written in direct response to the Trump era will be staged in New York this spring, following a handful of productions around the country.
Westword: Robert Schenkkan’s Building the Wall Blasts Trump, but Can It Create Change?
by Juliet Wittman
Playwright Robert Schenkkan’s response to the election was swift and fierce. During the run-up to the vote, “I was incredibly upset and anxious about how the campaign was unfolding,” he told Westword, “and extremely concerned by the increasingly harsh and divisive race-baiting rhetoric.”
New York Times: Onstage, Rapidly Reacting to the Dawn of the Trump Era
by Michael Paulson
“We no longer live in a world that is business as usual — Trump has made that very clear — and if theater is going to remain relevant, we must become faster to respond,” Mr. Schenkkan said. “We cannot hope to be useful if we can’t respond until 18 months after the fact.”
Westword: Curious to Produce Play about Donald Trump and our Orwellian Future
by Kyle Harris
“Curious is no stranger to doing work that is political, that leans into social-justice issues,” Maltais says. “It’s certainly not new to the artistic community. Art has been a form of protest and advocacy for thousands of years.”
Denver Post: Denver Curious Theatre to produce playwright’s rapid response to the Trump era.
By Joanne Ostrow
“Trump has thrown the rule book out the window,” the playwright said. “You have to decide whether you’re going to be of the moment or whether you’re just going to curate history.”
Washington Post: What do we do in the time of Trump? The theater community is trying to figure out the answer
By Peter Marks and Nelson Pressley
That sense of urgency has begun to take hold at any number of theaters across the Washington region and the country, as artistic directors and theater producers — positioning themselves as first responders in a time of political and humanitarian upheaval — grapple with how to jump-start a current-events conversation with audiences, sparked by the controversies that President Trump’s initial actions have stirred.
BBC Newshour: Interview with Robert Schenkkan
Playbill: Four Theatres Sign on for Trump Play by Pulitzer Prize Winner
by Robert Viagas
Building the Wall, a new play assembled by Tony and Pulitzer winner Robert Schenkkan in answer to the presidential campaign of President Donald J. Trump, has quickly been added to the coming season at four regional theatres around the U.S., with more likely to come.
