Looking at the Hartford Circus Fire with a Fresh Eye
In 1944, two worlds — the city of Hartford and the traveling circus — became inextricably linked by tragedy, heroism, and a decades-long search for healing. This course invites you to examine the Hartford Circus Fire through the unique lens of documentary theater, also known as verbatim theater, a genre that transforms real-world interviews and historical records into gripping stage scripts.
University of Hartford English Professor Michele Troy will help us analyze landmark documentary theater works like The Laramie Project, about Matthew Shepard’s murder, and Fires in the Mirror, which explores the 1991 Crown Heights race riots. We’ll then apply these insights to the Theaterworks production of Circus Fire, meeting the week before and after the May 3rd performance to discuss how history is reclaimed on stage.
• Discussions: Mondays, April 27 & May 4 | 2-3:30 p.m. (UHart)
• Performance: Sunday May 3 | 2:30 p.m. | First Company Governor’s Foot Guard Bldg., 159 High Street, Hartford
• Includes 1:30 p.m. Bonus Chat with playwright Jacques Lamarre and director Jared Mezzocchi.
• Registration Options:
o Full package (Discussions + Play), or
o Discussions Only (Attend the play on your own anytime April 16 -May 23)
Sponsored by President’s College Lifelong Learning at the University of Hartford. Visit Hartford.edu/pc. Email [email protected] or call 860.768.4495 with questions or to be added to the mailing list.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3543310-0
Inquiries: https://go.evvnt.com/3543310-2
