Date:
Location:
"Science/Fiction: Dramatic Arts as a Medium for Translating Science"
Speaker:
Benjamin Morris, Science Dramaturg, Catalyst Collaborative @ MIT.
Lunch is provided if you RSVP to sts@hks.harvard.edu by 5pm Thursday, September 25th.
Contact:
Shana Rabinowich
shana_rabinowich@hks.harvard.edu
Chair:
Sheila Jasanoff, Faculty Associate. Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard Kennedy School.
Abstract:
A great deal of emphasis placed has been on interdisciplinary practices in the sciences and humanities in academia in recent years. These interests are being explored in artistic settings as well. In the production of theatrical work dealing with scientific content, artists and scientists must find common ground and a common language to discover, explore, and present stories. Significant in science-theater is a desire not only to entertain, but also to educate. From my perspective as a theater artist and former research scientist, I will discuss some of the challenges and potential for creating science-theater, concerning both the creative process and the performance event itself. I will particularly highlight formal/non-textual approaches to communicating scientific ideas, considering both classic plays (i.e. Life of Galileo, Arcadia, and Copenhagen) and my own work. We will spend some time on our feet so be prepared to move!
