Moderated by Kristin Gjesdal, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Temple. Presented in partnership with the Center for the Humanities at Temple and Temple University Libraries.

90 minutes

FREE

Rimini Protokoll artists Helgard Haug and Daniel Wetzel will discuss their creative process and the ideas behind their unique style of theater making. Rimini Protokoll’s original devised theater work 100% Philadelphia makes its world premiere at Temple Performing Arts Center for three performances only, Fri-Sun, Sept 19-21.

In 100% Philadelphia, 100 Philadelphia residents who represent the city’s 2010 census data (42 African Americans, 12 Latinos, 9 Asians, 51 women, 20 children, and so forth) will be joined on stage by a live band for a show about who we Philadelphians are, how we look, and what we stand for, as individuals and as a community.

As is the conceit of 100% Philadelphia, the Rimini artists regularly engage non-professional actors in their works, with a goal of creating “theater of the real world.” They often are described as inventors of a new form of research based, documentary theater.

Of their work, the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau writes: “Rimini Protokoll brings real life to the stage in a way that no other form of theater has been to do. The unmistakable strength of their performances is the risk that life could gain the upper hand and theater could lose control over itself.”

Officially founded in 2002, Rimimi Protokoll is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most accomplished theater troupes. They have produced versions of 100% in cities all over the world. 100% Philadelphia is the their first experience in a major American community. Other works by Rimini Protokoll include Call Cutta (2008), an intercontinental phone play about outsourcing. The cast, comprised of call center employees in Calcutta, India, provided Berlin audiences with individual cell phone performances, by which each call agent guided an audience member on a road tour of Berlin while narrating the story of an Indian revolutionary freedom fighter. For more information about Rimini Protokoll, visit rimini-protokoll.de.