Reason #1 to See ANOTHER REVOLUTION

Time to roll out the Top 4 Reasons to See ANOTHER REVOLUTION! Reason #1? The script!

For those of you just joining us, here's a snapshot of the story:

"Kat and Henry, two graduate students from opposing scientific disciplines, are forced to share a lab at Columbia University in 1968. Amid interpersonal differences, a campus devolving into political chaos, and the uncertainty and turmoil of the outside world, they each discover what it’s like to be thrown into someone else’s orbit."

But let's go beyond the summary and hear what playwright Jacqueline Bircher has to share about this timely piece. We asked her to answer a few questions we could share with you, to get you excited for the reading in March!

* * *

TBT: Who or what inspired Another Revolution?

JB: After the 2016 election, I was noticing more and more how the news cycle seemed to be offering up an endless and overwhelming stream of bad news. Which got me thinking... there had to be a year that was worse than this, right? This feeling couldn't possibly be new. So, I started doing some research and discovered that yes, in fact, there was a year that was worse. That year was 1968. With the country in the midst of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement, a culture of protest emerged not unlike what we're seeing today. The more research I did (and I did a lot of research, including reading books, conducting interviews, and watching endless documentaries), the more I found a kinship with those young people that I hadn't originally expected.

TBT:Can you talk about that research process?

JB: Placing two scientists at the center of this play became another way to explore in microcosm the divisive culture of the time. But, it also required an additional layer of research -- about ecology, astrophysics, and academia -- that deepened the language of these characters in ways I'm really proud of. In the end though, even against the backdrop of a time period in which I wasn't alive and two scientific disciplines I hadn't studied, this play became mostly about discovering friendship in the unlikeliest of times and places, which was a joy to write and didn't require any outside research at all.

TBT: What kind of conversations do you hope Another Revolution sparks?

I hope this play inspires conversations about social responsibility, institutional accountability, and our place as citizens in a world that often feels like it's spinning out of control. The progress we've made in the 50 years since 1968 is a direct result of the voices of that time who were unafraid to speak truth to power, and the progress we'll make in the next 50 years will be up to us and what we're willing to fight for.

But, while all of that is important, the thing I'd love most for people to be talking about after seeing this play is that small acts of kindness and understanding can be transformative. In the end, we're all just people trying really hard to do our best.

* * *

Join Jacqueline and TBT on Thursday, March 8 at 7:30pm at the Chance Theatre in Anaheim for a staged reading of ANOTHER REVOLUTION, followed by a panel-led community conversation. Check out our event page for details!
​