INVESTIGATIVE THEATRE
Investigative theater involves a deep dive into some aspect of real life, employing field research, and often interviews with, and immersion into, a specific community. The practice lives in the same realm as documentary or verbatim theater, but invites broader theatrical interpretation. I’ve been an Associate Artist with The Civilians, who coined the term, since 2002. I love this work.
Gone Missing
A response to the overwhelming sense of loss in New York City immediately following 9/11, Gone Missing is based on interviews, mostly with New Yorkers, about things they lost. We had one rule as we went into the field: you can talk about losing anything, except the death of a loved one. It’s a sneaky rumination on nostalgia— with moments of sweetness and hilarity that belies its sorrowful heart.
Written & Directed By:
Steve Cosson from interviews by the Company*
CREATIVE TEAM
Music & Lyrics By:
Michael Friedman
Additional Text By:
Peter Morris
Created By The Company:
Damian Baldet
Trey Lyford
Jennifer R. Morris
Brian Sgambati
Alison Weller
Colleen Werthman
This Beautiful City
This Beautiful City was the culmination of an investigation into the Evangelical movement in America, based on interviews with the residents of Colorado Springs, considered to be the nation’s Evangelical capitol. After brief initial visits to establish a network of contacts, we settled into a 5-week residency, went to countless church services, and spoke to people from all walks of religious and non-religious life. The Ted Haggard scandal broke just weeks before our residency, so the city was still reeling, and people had a lot to say.
CREATIVE TEAM
Written By:
Steve Cosson & Jim Lewis
Music & Lyrics By:
Michael Friedman
Emily Ackerman
Brad Heberlee
Stephen Plunkett
Interviews Conducted By:
Alison Weller
Marsha Blake
And The Authors
STAY ALIVE FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE TO STAY LOST: THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY
“This Beautiful City provides a thoroughly researched context for the evangelizing of Colorado Springs.”
ONE TROUPE’S HEARTLAND PILGRIMAGE
“Members of the New York theater troupe the Civilians in “This Beautiful City,” set in Colorado Springs.”
GOINGS ON ABOUT THE TOWN: THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY
“The Civilians—that scrappy band of stage documentarians helmed by Steven Cosson—traveled to Colorado Springs in 2006 to observe an evangelical community that, while they were there, was torn apart by the sordid accusations against its figurehead, Ted Haggard.”
ReEntry
My friends KJ Sanchez and Emily Ackerman wrote this powerhouse of a play after interviewing family members and other servicemen and women about their experiences returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was an honor to join ReEntry when, after the DOD had brought the show to Marines here and abroad, the U.S. Navy decided to incorporate the play into its reintegration programming. We were honored to help facilitate intense conversations with service members after performances.
CREATIVE TEAM
Boundless
My play Boundless explores how small boat fishermen on Cape Cod manage one of the nation’s oldest industries in today’s complicated, ever-changing environment.
Maybe Tomorrow, The Fish Will Be Gone
“In this dystopian landscape there are so many fires to fight: the revived threat of nuclear war, the ongoing debate about the essential nature of democracy, the Orwellian irony—and ridiculous waste of time—in having to reassert that climate change even exists.
Teaching the Practice
I taught a required, full-year course in documentary and investigative theater to juniors at The New School from 2018-2022 and continue to teach workshops with The Civilians. As I’m endlessly intrigued by this kind of work, I’m happy to foster new projects as a collaborator or consultant, and create bespoke scenarios for students and artists at any stage of learning or development.
Teaching Investigative Theater: An Interview with Alison Weller
The Civilians' Leah Putnam sits down with Associate Artist and professor Alison Weller to talk about creating and teaching investigative theater.