This last couple of months although it had beautiful highlights, left me thinking about two moments:
A homophobic, Islamophobic, ICE supporting comedian whose show was cancelled.
And a pro‑Palestinian rap group , accused of supporting terrorist groups, being banned.
Different politics, similar feeling.
I keep wondering why we’ve stopped showing up for things we don’t like.
Why disagreement feels dangerous.
Why we only invite audiences who already fit the story we want to tell.
When we make a show now, we sort people into categories.
“It’s for kids, reach out to the school boards”
“It’s for this community, call that community.”
Somewhere along the way, we stopped expecting to be challenged.
Stopped imagining an audience that might boo, or argue, or stay after to talk with unkind looks in their eyes.
And I don’t know how we confront harmful ideologies if we keep ourselves at a distance from the people who hold them.
I don’t know how we change anything if we only speak to those who already agree.
So I’m left with this small, persistent question:
What would it mean to make theatre that still holds our values,
but invites in the people who might not share them?
Maybe the work begins there in that rush of discomfort.
Yazan Maarouf
Associate Producer, MT Space
