As a nation, we are facing extreme levels of partisanism and polarization. Coming to a consensus on the most pressing socio-political issues of our time will be impossible until bipartisan dialogue within the government and among the public can occur. This thesis argues that theater is an artistic form well-suited for facilitating bipartisan dialogue and subsequently alleviating the divisions of this country; however, the field's current lack of ideological diversity prevents that potential from being achieved. Prolific artists in and outside the theatrical field have argued that art's power to unify lies in its expression of diverse views. However, today, theater-making and theater-going are fractured along ideological lines, making the medium's potential for generating unity nearly void. Currently, few prominent theatrical institutions have welcomed conservative ideologies onto their stages. Though some conservative theatermakers have carved out spaces of their own, the production of their work in spaces distanced from liberal creators means the works of both parties are operating in vacuums, leaving the potential of the medium unfulfilled. This lack of ideological diversity in contemporary American theater amplifies the already mighty but not insurmountable barriers to bipartisanship. A significant obstacle preventing discussions between disparate groups is the force of challenged identity. It is innately human to be emboldened when faced with an ideology that counters your own. However, it has been proven that the empathetic nature of theater allows audience members to grapple with ideas that do not reflect their own in non-abrasive ways. I argue that viewing identity-challenging plays is important not as a means of changing one's stance but as a way to provide oneself the opportunity to empathetically engage with the experiences of others. Two plays that give audiences that experience are Lynn Nottage's Sweat and Will Arbery's Heroes of the Fourth Turning. These plays introduce theatergoers to worlds that most likely do not reflect their own, not in hopes of altering their beliefs, but as experiments in resisting our natural urges to retaliate against challenged convictions. Though the nation is in a state that cannot be repaired with theater alone, we must require that the theater embrace ideological diversity to serve as a force in the multi-faceted effort to reunite America.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["Ideological diversity","Identity","Polarization"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 24096