Episode 1: Rome & America: Joined at Birth 

Denis & Lisa share their exploration on the origins of the Roman Republic and muse over the richness in similarity of American institutions and foundational myths to their Roman counterparts.  With guest scholar Roberta Stewart of Dartmouth College.

View your digital program here. 

WHAT THE HELL IS A REPUBLIC, ANYWAY?

In this tumultuous moment for American democracy, playwrights Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson find it increasingly urgent to focus on what America can learn from the republic that inspired ours: the Roman Republic. This political entity lasted for nearly 500 years before it slid into an autocratic empire. As they dive deep into this history, O’Hare and Peterson expose their own process, demonstrating the difficulties around collaboration. They ask: is it possible to reach consensus? How can two points of view converge in a united vision? Can a democratic system sustain itself in a just way? Is there any way our republic can survive?

NYTW Usual Suspects O’Hare and Peterson return to NYTW following their acclaimed 2012 production of An Iliad. This four-episode series, WHAT THE HELL IS A REPUBLIC, ANYWAY?, brings their collaborative process of theatre-making to the forefront as they turn to the Roman Republic and countdown to the 2020 election. You can book a single episode or take in all four parts to immerse yourself.

WHAT THE HELL IS A REPUBLIC, ANYWAY? Project Team

Dramaturg Anna Morton

Assistant Director Sam West

Project Manager Merrick A.B. Williams

Transcriber Katie Devin Orenstein

Video Editor, Cicero’s Dream Casey Stein