Seeking Commonality Through Theatre: Bridging Divides in a Polarized America

As community leaders, professional nonprofit theatre and arts managers can have a key role in shaping the current generation. Through their selected programming, they can create a sense of obligation and develop empathetic discussion within audiences. This study looks at the intersection of theatre and social impact as it regards tackling the political polarization facing today’s society. It reviews what has caused American society to become polarized and what are known solutions to bridge divides. It investigates how theatre can be used to advance communication across differences and makes practical recommendations that theatre organizations can follow when curating a season of impactful work. The project explores themes of theatre as a mediator in conflict, theatre as a vehicle for social change, hybridity in programming, and more. Findings from the study, consisting of a survey questionnaire and personal interviews, reveal a disconnect for nonprofit theatre industry professionals between using theatre as dialogue and actively bringing different perspectives into theater spaces.