Environmental Theater

Beakers and Broadway

The headline, "Theater Event Puts Focus on Environment" was the title of a feature newspaper article in the Youngstown, Ohio, The Vindicator (Sunday, February 22, 1998). The article described a collaborative effort (dubbed "Beakers and Broadway") between the environmental studies and theater programs at Youngstown State University (YSU). The Vindicator described the project as a bridge between unlikely collaborators whose disciplines were separated by a chasm "as wide and deep as the Grand Canyon." Journalistic panache aside, diverse elements of a university campus can collaborate despite differently stated missions.

The subject project included presentations of a classical play and the commissioning and premiere of a new play, both with environmental themes. The plays were used to promote environmental awareness. The project was supported by a grant from the Office of Environmental Education, of the Ohio EPA (OEPA) and YSU. Dr. Dennis Henneman, professor of communications and theater, and Dr. Alan Jacobs, director of the Center for Environmental Studies, were the co-principal investigators on the OEPA project.

The project comprised three phases. Henrik Ibsen's play, "An Enemy of the People (EOP)," was the basis of the first two phases. An original play, entitled "Earth Mothers (EM)," expressly written for this project, was the basis for the third and final phase. Both plays have an environmental theme. EOP was written in the mid-1800s and depicted life at that time; EM was set in modern times (1990s). Both exposed an environmental problem that threatened the health of a community and showed how powerful elements of society can refuse to do the right thing. The objective of the project was to develop collaboration among scientific, social, and artistic programs at a university and engage the general public in an environmental awareness program.

Henneman was the dramatic director of EOP. He directed both the productions at YSU and on tour. The dramatic director of EM was Mr. Todd Krispinsky, a recent graduate of YSU, and one of the lead actors in EOP. Jacobs was the environmental forum director, business manager for the grant, and, as explained below, lyricist. Henneman and Jacobs were assisted by YSU staff and students.

An Enemy of the People

EOP depicts a ground-water contamination cover-up in a small Norwegian town in the mid-1800s. The health officer of a medicinal bath house, a tourist attraction for the town, discovers that the bath house water is contaminated by tannery wastes. He tries to shut down the baths. The town's mayor aborts the shutdown and discredits the health officer, his brother. The mayor's motive in covering up the unhealthful situation is to save the economic livelyhood of the town. The health officer persists and is branded an "enemy," even though his intentions were heroic. In this play, the villain shifts from infusoria (a primitive microbiological denotation) to human conflicts over power and money.

The choice of a translation (from the original, Danish-Norwegian) was a problem from the standpoint of copyright laws. Some holders of copyrights would not allow changes or cuts in their work. Older translations, which do not have copyrights, contained language that was too stilted for modern audiences. An excellent translation by Davis and Johnston was found, whose authors allowed wide latitude for script changes. Dr. Brian Johnston, one of the translators also agreed to act as dramaturg, an expert on the technical and historical aspects of the work.

The full dramatic version was complemented by a shortened, musical version. The lyrics for the musical version were written by Jacobs. The lyrics were put to music by Dr. Robert Rollin, professor of music at YSU. In keeping with the somber mood of the play, dissonant music for five songs was composed and arranged for accordion accompaniment. Actors stepped out of stopped action of the play and performed the songs. Although the play was never intended to be presented as a musical, and some purists were against this concept, some of the audience noted in their responses to the questionnaire that they enjoyed the musical version.

Earth Mothers

We enlisted the talents of Mr. Mark Milo (Mickey) Kessler to write the new play, EM. Kessler was a resident of the Youngstown area, a former YSU graduate, and a recent Masters degree recipient from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in playwriting. At CMU he was a student of Johnston, the dramaturg for EOP. Coincidentally, Kessler's family owned a plastics company whose factory site was regulated by the Ohio EPA. The title of the play is derived from the environmental principle of Gaia, an attitude that the Earth protects itself from damage.

Kessler's work depicts a controversy between university funding interests and the town's major employer, an agricultural chemicals manufacturer. A professor who was quoted by the local press, starts the controversy by linking the manufacturer with environmental health problems in the town. He is confronted by his university administration, a jealous eco-feminist, and another grant-hungry, research professor who wants to capitalize on this unfortunate situation.

Dramatic Performances

EOP dramatic performances were presented to audiences in five Ohio locations: Youngstown (YSU), Alliance (Mt. Union College), Marietta (Washington (County) State Community College), Steubenville (Jefferson Community College), and Cleveland (Cuyahoga Community College, Metro Campus). The YSU location for EOP was the site for 7 full-length performances and 3 abbreviated, musical performances. Each of the touring locations was the EOP site for a full performance and an abbreviated, musical performance.

EOP was performed by an all-student cast and crew (28 members) with faculty and staff support. All lead and most supporting actors and crew were theater majors. Environmental studies students served in an advisory capacity, as forum speakers, and as one actor in a bit part. A local musician played the accordion for the musical versions.

EM was presented as a dramatic reading, and a full dramatic, premiere performance. The actors, director, and crew (9 members) were part-time, professional actors and designers.

Forums

At YSU, 3 forums followed three abbreviated, musical versions of EOP. At each touring location, a forum followed each abbreviated, musical version.

Panelists from academia, government, industry, community organizations, and theater, led the discussions according to study guides, that were distributed with questionnaires. Among the various venues, the panelists included physical and social science professors, the theater director and dramaturg, Ohio EPA regulators, a landfill operator, an underground storage tank (UST) consultant, environmental studies and theater students, an Ohio state senator, actors from the play, and leaders of environmental organizations.

A study guide was distributed to initiate discussions. A copy of the study guide may be found at: Adult Forum . In essence, questions were asked and alternative answers were proposed concerning the environmental lessons and the human conflicts that arose.

For the one performance that was held for high school students, YSU invited art-drama teachers and science teachers to bring their students from area high schools. Three-hundred fifty students attended a late morning, abbreviated (one-hour), musical version of the play. The students were given a copy of the high-school study guide, also found on this website: High School Forum . In a high-school student participation exercise, the auditorium's sloped floors were used to depict the ground-water gradient, with students playing the parts of contaminant sources (middle rows), pathways (along the slope), and receptors (front rows). The direction of the contaminant flow was indicated by the students pointing down slope (towards the stage). The downhill seats were in the path of the contaminant flow, whereas the uphill seats were not. Students were asked for solutions to the problem. They correctly pointed out that merely moving the source to another area would only spread the problem, not solve it. Uphill students especially were concerned that the contamination source might be put uphill from them, and 'NIMBY' (Not in my back yard!) was expressed.

Actors (theater majors), professors (theater and environmental studies), and environmental studies majors were available to join in the discussions. In the question period that followed, the high-school students asked questions of the actors (theater majors) and environmental studies majors. The high school students queried the college students on college life. They were most interested in the feelings of the actors in playing the dramatic roles and the kinds of environmental activism that takes place on campus.

For EM, the only organized, group discussions followed the dramatic reading at the Ohio EPA headquarters.

Associated Events

Associated events included a field trip to a solid-waste landfill for actors, the director, and environmental studies and geology students.

Promotional interviews and mini-performances were given to local TV, newspapers, radio, and civic groups.

Articles were written in campus and off-campus newsletters. Jacobs presented the results at a Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, on October 28, 1998.

The Audiences

For EOP both in Youngstown on February 26-28 and March 5-8, 1998, and on tour from March 23-26 approximately 1,100 adults attended the full, dramatic performances. Approximately 700 adults attended the abbreviated, musical versions. Approximately 550 adults attended the forums. Approximately 350 high-school students attended a separate performance of the abbreviated, musical version, and discussion.

College students at Youngstown State University and at educational institutions at touring venues for EOP were either required or encouraged to attend the performances and the forums and to complete questionnaires. In science courses requiring a field trip, this activity was substituted.

EM was presented as a dramatic reading with discussions to approximately 20 employees of the Ohio EPA. The full dramatic, premiere production was presented to an audience of 75 adults at the Shedd Theater (Davis Discovery Center) in downtown Columbus on October 16, 1998.

Results of adult-audience surveys for EOP indicated that the environmental issues based on the playwright's experience of events from over 100 years ago are still with us today (87% agreed). The respondents were convinced that water supplies should be monitored continually and careful (74%), that the process of environmental regulation should be publicized (81%), and that decisions concerning environmental health risks involve many complex factors (81%). These factors included the town's economy, political aspirations of leading citizens, and public opinion. Environmental science faculty in each of the cities on the tour remarked that the same issues are important to their communities today. Two people in different towns remarked that they were able to assign local names of individuals engaged in environmental controversies to Ibsen's fictional characters.

More than fifty percent of the respondents to the audience survey for EM agreed or strongly agreed with the following questionnaire statements made: the play increased their interest in environmental issues (59%), the playwright was attempting to explore issues of the environment (97%), issues of politics (93%), economics (76%), ethics (93%), and interpersonal relations (79%). Less than half agreed that the play increased their knowledge of environmental issues (38%), or explored family relationships (28%). Seventy-six percent felt that the environmental issues of the play have been with us for 150 years, that there is a need to monitor pollution (69%), that we need to publicize the process of environmental regulation (66%), and that decisions concerning environmental health risks involve many complex factors (79%). Fewer than half, however, were aware of river contamination health problems in their communities that were not being solved (45%).

Audiences attending EOP were different from those attending EM. EM comprised mostly scientists and agency personnel from the Columbus, Ohio, area. EOP was attended mostly by students and members of the academic communities throughout eastern Ohio. Many in the EM audience deal with environmental issues on a daily basis. No broad conclusions could be made from the size of the survey and the scope of the questionnaires used. The process of answering the questions, however, focused the audiences, at both EOP and EM presentations, to the issues that the plays were addressing.