TALENT SHOW

By ETHAN LIPTON
Directed by JADE KING CARROLL

Talent Show draws on the voices of real people to look at the state of public education in America, told through the particular story of communities in North Carolina. Inspired by interviews conducted
by the company, Lipton’s musical takes the unique points of view of teachers, parents, administrators and others, and reimagines each as performance in a talent show. Hosted by a pair of bona fide children, Talent Show stages how the grown-ups negotiate choices that ultimately determine the fate of everyone’s
family. This presentation is a work-in-progress showing.

Talent Show was originally developed with a pair of residences at Duke Performances, Duke University in January 2017 and October 2017. These residences were made possible, in part, with support from the Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts & Council for the Arts Visiting Artist Program, as well as the Department of Theater Studies & Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Interviews were performed in the North Carolina area by the company during these residences.

Interviewers/Actors

Nina Hellman, Nedra McClyde, Bobby Moreno, Ngozi Anyanwu, Jeff Adams, Jeff Biehl, Nambi E Kelley, Kelly McAndrew, Danielle Skrastaad, and

Lance Coadie Williams.

Associate Director – Caitlin O’Connell

Dramaturg – Jacey Erwin

Interviewer Coordinator and interviewee – Danita Mason Hogans

Interviewer – Anca Stefan

Duke Student Participants – Morgan Fears, Katherine Stephens, Wesley Campbell Caretto

This presentation of Talent Show is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Special thanks to The Axe-Houghton Foundation for their longstanding support of our Investigative Cabaret series.

Talent Show was originally commissioned by Jody Falco and Jeffrey Steinman.

The 2021-22 Cabaret series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State legislature, and from the Axe-Houghton Foundation.