A. Nora Long, Co-Artistic Director;
Dawn Simmons, Co-Artistic Director
Influences
The Muppet Show, Anne Bogart, Robert Woodruff, Suzan-Lori Parks, William Shakespeare, Charlie Chaplin, Sarah Kane, Whistler in the Dark, Rough & Tumble, Imaginary Beasts, American Repertory Theatre, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart and prolly some other folks.
In 1792, a group of Bostonians flouted state law and traditional rhetoric by building a theatre. The New Exhibition Room packed houses for several months before being closed by the authorities. The public outcry that ensued eventually caused the repeal of the state’s theatrical bans. Some years later, another group of Bostonians have come together to resurrect New Exhibition Room to build new work, engage local artists and once again get people riled up about theatre.
“The SHH! process has been a thrilling exploration of the desires that drive censorship, and how they overlap, contradict, support and warp each other. These desires can be entirely understandable, sometimes even commendable. They can also be shit-your-pants terrifying. Censorship is like a favorite pillow that someone might use to kill me one day.” –Nate
“I've come to learn that, as an adult, no one is really censoring me except for myself. I'm thankful that my inner censor is as powerful as it is...which isn't to say that it's very powerful at all, but it generally prevents me from frightening small children...and that's something at least.” –Melissa
"Censorship shields individuals from extreme discomfort to keep order. Those individuals, who wish to either circumvent or embrace censorship, should be able to do so freely. Ideas should neither be forced on anyone unwillingly, nor blocked forcefully." –Chuong
