# Can a play be the "right" thing for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 22, 2026, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918 "2026-01-22T08:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/1 "2026-01-22T08:32:52Z")
I was really torn between putting this thread here, or the P&E forum. [Enter ‘Stage Right:’ Central Ohio home to nation’s only conservative theater company | NBC4 WCMH-TV](https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/dublin/enter-stage-right-central-ohio-home-to-nations-only-conservative-theater-company/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_NBC4&fbclid=IwY2xjawPeu0ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzZVlkY0dmajFxampDNlE4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnd0uSYz0Jr3eYVlmp4cjGxdGpeo1l87jRFk8ZUb27Jk6mu240Qq1TnDIL6y_aem_GJADkvFQ8k0-eVYQnvziBg) This guy has started what he claims is the only Conservative theatre company. Apparently, he bemoans the fact that all the other theatre companies are “woke”, and he says he wants to provide a balance. " Cooperman said being the only conservative theater group can be frustrating. Theater so often leans left that when President Donald Trump announced he wanted to bring “non-woke” musicals to the Kennedy Center, many theater enthusiasts responded that there was no such thing." Actually, I recall people asking for examples of what might Conservative theatre consist of…and getting nothing but vagueness in return. What do y’all think of this venture? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/2 "2026-01-22T08:49:58Z")
Good luck to him. He’s gonna need it. His problem isn’t finding conservative plays, it’s finding conservative players. To quote Mel Brooks in _To Be or Not To Be_, “Let’s face it, sweetheart: without Jews, [homosexuals] and [Roma], there IS no theater!” (Sorry: Mel was crude, as always, but is heart was in the right place). ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/3 "2026-01-22T09:10:24Z")
Two thoughts: First, I wish the motto he claims: “Disagreement does not equal hate” were widely accepted by people all along the political spectrum. Second, I would like to see which plays they’ve found acceptable to produce so far. But it’s surprisingly hard to find a list of past productions - and to the extent that I can, it seems all the plays, whether past or upcoming, are original plays written just for his theatre. Nothing wrong with emphasizing work by brand new, never-before-seen playwrights instead of going with the classics. Still, I wonder: is every single play in the world, except ones commissioned specifically for his theatre, too “woke” for him? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/4 "2026-01-22T09:14:18Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Still, I wonder: is every single play except ones commissioned for his theatre too “woke”? for him? Thinking of the classics, I’m sure that he’d be fine with _The Taming of the Shrew_ and _The Merchant of Venice_. But _Hairspray_ would be right out. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/5 "2026-01-22T09:19:36Z")
I would really love to read any reviews of his productions. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/6 "2026-01-22T13:34:29Z")
Right plays The Scarlet Letter (woman is put in her place) To Kill a Mockingbird (abridged) (all racism, no hint of justice) The Navy Seal Monologues The Caine Mutiny Court-martial Pardon Springtime For Hitler ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/7 "2026-01-22T13:47:48Z")
Hey – how about Joseph Addison’s tragedy _Cato_ from 1712? It was a favorite with the Founding Fathers, who all read it. Washington had it performed for the troops. And a lot of our Revolutionary War era quotations are either directly from _Cato_ or inspired by it. What could be more in line with the thoughts and feelings of The Heritage Foundation and their ilk? The plot involves the courageous stand of the judge Marcus Portius Cato Uticensis (Cato the Younger) as he speaks out against the tyranny of Julius Caesar, and made himself a hero of Republicanism, an advocate of personal liberty against government tyranny, republican vs. monarchism…. Okay, I can see why there might be a problem with that. > **[Cato, a Tragedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato,_a_Tragedy)** > > Cato, a Tragedy is a play written by Joseph Addison in 1712 and first performed on 14 April 1713. It is based on the events of the last days of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis (better known as Cato the Younger) (95–46 BC), a Stoic whose deeds, rhetoric and resistance to the tyranny of Julius Caesar made him an icon of republicanism, virtue, and liberty. Addison's play deals with many themes such as individual liberty versus government tyranny, republicanism versus monarchism, logic versus emotio... ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/8 "2026-01-22T13:53:05Z")
David Mamet? Tom Stoppard? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/9 "2026-01-22T13:56:23Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > _The Merchant of Venice_ Still too woke. Try Marlowe’s _The Jew of Malta._ ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/10 "2026-01-22T14:21:21Z")
I think it’s unlikely that this venture will lead to any good plays or productions, although , n fairness, I would think exactly the same thing if somebody decided to found Democratic Socialist Theater. Putting politics ahead of your artistic choices is _never_ a good idea, especially if your art form of choice is one that is all _about_ bringing multiple voices and perspectives into conflict. > [@Spoons](#): > > Thinking of the classics, I’m sure that he’d be fine with _The Taming of the Shrew_ and _The Merchant of Venice_. Mmm. _Shrew_ (if performed uncut) starts with someone dressing up a boy in woman’s clothes and giving him instructions on how to give a convincing performance of feminine submission and obedience, with the implication that it’s _all_ a performance. And _Merchant_ makes it explicitly clear that Shylock is retaliating for all the stuff Antonio and other Christians have done to him over the years, and that there’s a whole lot of glaring hypocrisy in Venetian Christian society, even if they “win” on a technicality (in a legal system that they control). I mean, you CAN do a staging of both plays that elides all that, but the complexity is what makes Shakespeare _Shakespeare_. Likewise, you could have an all-conservative company that produces really good theater – there are plenty of classic shows that are essentially apolitical, or vaguely conservative in the sense that they portray order and stability as important – but it wouldn’t be obvious to _audience_ members that was what you were doing if you were doing it right. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/11 "2026-01-22T15:49:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What do y’all think of this venture? Based on the track record of attempts at “conservative” versions of comedy, Wikipedia, social media, etc. It’s gonna be some of the shittiest plays ever performed in stage. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/12 "2026-01-22T16:27:26Z")
I always thought that the[Ohio Star Theater](https://dhgroup.com/theaters/the-ohio-star-theater/) in Amish Country (Holmes county, north of where Cooperman’s theater company is) was all “conservative” plays. My Mennonite grandparents loved going there. But really their schedule is mostly comedians, nostalgic cover bands and singing groups. Once a year they put on a big musical but it’s a Bible-themed musical. So I’m guessing this proposed theater is going to do a LOT of material based off the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/13 "2026-01-22T17:44:50Z")
I did an internet search for Conservative Plays, and the AI overview made these suggestions: - _**[Heroes of the Fourth Turning](https://www.google.com/search?q=Heroes+of+the+Fourth+Turning&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1122US1128&oq=conservative+plays&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBwgDEAAY7wUyCggEEAAYogQYiQUyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYogQYiQXSAQk2MDY2ajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBeDAbd3OmlVK8QXgwG3dzppVSg&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfBfHWr9MJQr9I_5C_1ZgrxDytJMhpNfprOWoQHGVUTcYYIsu0Je2ZMqz7EEAeF4SNc5OugIxOgtDuKW8OQ2Gzzzqmtkp-5MXvufKlIbeyiC_WBLYB5B_XhN3BZbQ6lL82_Bw4fpLqqWyYh_ITgO5MR9qvCDuZ8si4xKExFLPxEw39TAtXDJbJgEo8lwgIl8E6bbPw1sFXloe5OAwe5c27X-yQ&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwjFs6Df2J-SAxXBKVkFHUz_AzQQgK4QegQIBRAB)**_\*\* by Will Arbery:\*\* A Pulitzer finalist about young Catholic conservatives, praised for its complexity and exploration of faith in modern America, written by a conservative playwright. - _**[The Anarchist](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Anarchist&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1122US1128&oq=conservative+plays&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBwgDEAAY7wUyCggEEAAYogQYiQUyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYogQYiQXSAQk2MDY2ajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBeDAbd3OmlVK8QXgwG3dzppVSg&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfBfHWr9MJQr9I_5C_1ZgrxDytJMhpNfprOWoQHGVUTcYYIsu0Je2ZMqz7EEAeF4SNc5OugIxOgtDuKW8OQ2Gzzzqmtkp-5MXvufKlIbeyiC_WBLYB5B_XhN3BZbQ6lL82_Bw4fpLqqWyYh_ITgO5MR9qvCDuZ8si4xKExFLPxEw39TAtXDJbJgEo8lwgIl8E6bbPw1sFXloe5OAwe5c27X-yQ&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwjFs6Df2J-SAxXBKVkFHUz_AzQQgK4QegQIBRAD)**_\*\* by David Mamet:\*\* A play reflecting Mamet’s own shift towards conservatism. - _**[Ferguson: Truth Matters](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ferguson%3A+Truth+Matters&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1122US1128&oq=conservative+plays&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBwgDEAAY7wUyCggEEAAYogQYiQUyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYogQYiQXSAQk2MDY2ajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBeDAbd3OmlVK8QXgwG3dzppVSg&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfBfHWr9MJQr9I_5C_1ZgrxDytJMhpNfprOWoQHGVUTcYYIsu0Je2ZMqz7EEAeF4SNc5OugIxOgtDuKW8OQ2Gzzzqmtkp-5MXvufKlIbeyiC_WBLYB5B_XhN3BZbQ6lL82_Bw4fpLqqWyYh_ITgO5MR9qvCDuZ8si4xKExFLPxEw39TAtXDJbJgEo8lwgIl8E6bbPw1sFXloe5OAwe5c27X-yQ&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwjFs6Df2J-SAxXBKVkFHUz_AzQQgK4QegQIBRAF)**_\*\* by Phelim McAleer:\*\* Uses transcripts to present a right-wing view of the Michael Brown incident. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/14 "2026-01-22T17:47:33Z")
I think he is looking for first-time playwrights that are looking for publicity, not established playwrights that are looking for legally owed payment. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/15 "2026-01-22T17:48:49Z")
Plays and their performers work on many levels. Anyone who wants an ideologically pure theatre program will be delusional or dull. Either way I wish them luck, we need more plays of any variety. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/16 "2026-01-22T20:18:48Z")
I still can’t find any reviews of individual plays done by this group, but I did find a a ton of generic “This is wonderful, this is terrific, this is a breath of fresh air etc.” blurbs on Trustburn. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/17 "2026-01-22T23:37:58Z")
Judging by their love of the Confederacy, they probably think “Our American Cousin” had a happy ending. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/18 "2026-01-22T23:49:56Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Right plays > The Scarlet Letter (woman is put in her place) > To Kill a Mockingbird (abridged) (all racism, no hint of justice) > The Navy Seal Monologues > The Caine Mutiny Court-martial Pardon > Springtime For Hitler Les Mis, but Javert wins…and Valjean is black…and no one is French. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/19 "2026-01-23T00:34:34Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > I think it’s unlikely that this venture will lead to any good plays or productions, although , n fairness, I would think exactly the same thing if somebody decided to found Democratic Socialist Theater. Mmmm well, there were [the agitprop “workers’ theatre” troupes in Weimar Germany,](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/theatre-survey/article/playing-the-police-with-the-agitprop-troupes-of-weimar-germany/99448611172B0597A7EF71C3301FC3DA) which apparently were very successful. But I think the difference in that case is not that they were pursuing a left agenda, but that they were genuinely countercultural and innovative rather than being the “culture wing” of establishment society. The Americans these days who are passionately into “anti-woke” as a sort of countercultural movement aren’t thirsting for artistic expression in conventional theater, AFAICT. (If I had to pick one, I’d venture that now that [NASCAR’s struggling for more inclusivity,](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/30/nascar-biden-lets-go-brandon-coin-politics-sports-00003356) the current quintessential conservative entertainment experience is the patriotic air show. Yes, I’ve heard about Monster Truck rallies, don’t @ me bro. 😁 ) And it appears that the impresario in the OP’s link is realistic about the current climate in the arts: > [@](#): > > Cooperman said his casting and hiring is inclusive, and he’s worked with people of nearly every background, race, sexuality or ability. Yeah. _Pace_ Mel Brooks, as per @Alessan’s quote, the people you can’t do theater without nowadays are pretty much **all** the varieties of “woke”. > [@CairoCarol](#): > > Second, I would like to see which plays they’ve found acceptable to produce so far. But it’s surprisingly hard to find a list of past productions - and to the extent that I can, it seems all the plays, whether past or upcoming, are original plays written just for his theatre. [You can download scripts of Cooperman’s own plays](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman), which appear to be fairly typical of the sort of theater he’s after. > [@](#): > > [An Umbrella on a Rainy, Rainy Day](https://newplayexchange.org/script/3186343/an-umbrella-on-a-rainy-rainy-day) > > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 7—11 > > Genre > dark comedy, drama, faith-based, political > > Synopsis > > A family, consisting of MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER, and SISTER, are blessed by the surprise arrival of a new addition, CHILD. Although at first enamored with the CHILD, the others in the family (except MOTHER) are concerned that he smiles all the time and seems impervious to pain. MOTHER and FATHER go on a quest to determine if there’s anything wrong with CHILD: they talk with a doctor, a teacher, a member of the clergy, a government official, and a neighbor family. All warn that CHILD will never be normal and will grow up in a world of hostility. After conflicting remedies are offered by these “experts,” MOTHER remains convinced she is the only one who understands CHILD. As time goes on, CHILD is more and more rejected by the family (again, except MOTHER), until finally he dies, alone in a ditch, having experienced tears and pain for the first time in his young life. The play ends in hopefulness as MOTHER is certain a lesson can be learned from his brief existence. > > [Drop the Barbie!](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999911/drop-the-barbie) > > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 4 > > Genre > comedy, dark comedy, political > > Synopsis > > A transgender couple becomes alarmed when their transgender son expresses a conservative thought. > > Straight Men]([Straight Men | New Play Exchange](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999910/straight-men)) > > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 3 > > Genre > farce > > Synopsis > > Abbott and Costello try to figure out why an individual would refer to him/herself as “They.” > > [An Actor Despairs](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999909/an-actor-despairs) > > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 8—10 > > Genre > comedy, political, satire > > Synopsis > > A high school student interested in theatre audits a college acting class filled with dreamers and politically correct know-nothings. > > [Instaurito](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999908/instaurito) > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 3 > > Genre > comedy, farce, political, satire > > Synopsis > > An ego-maniac playwright/director (is there any other kind?) forces his actors to say every line with perfection or they must start the entire play over. > > [Two Little Words](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999907/two-little-words) > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 6—7 > > Genre > drama > > Synopsis > > A son reviews his life with his single father, realizing that a simple “thank you” can add meaning to life. > > [The Flower Stand](https://newplayexchange.org/script/1999502/the-flower-stand) > > by [Robert Cooperman](https://newplayexchange.org/users/12062/robert-cooperman) > > Cast Size > 2 > > Genre > comedy, drama > > Synopsis > > Flower salesperson Eliza uses her incredible knowledge of people to figure out why octogenarian Mr. Goldberg buys a bouquet of flowers every day. Her insights prove to be less than insightful. I mean, it’s not as though there couldn’t be an interesting and entertaining play on any of those subjects. But based on the couple of scripts I’ve read, they all seem to be thoroughly entrenched in the cultural status quo, trying to look interestingly “countercultural” by poking at some very recent controversial culture shifts towards inclusivity like that’s some kind of tremendously daring act. Reactionary != revolutionary. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-play-be-the-right-thing-for-you/1026918/20 "2026-01-23T01:00:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Cooperman said being the only conservative theater group can be frustrating. Theater so often leans left that when President Donald Trump announced he wanted to bring “non-woke” musicals to the Kennedy Center, many theater enthusiasts responded that there was no such thing." > **[Slam Frank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slam_Frank)** > > Slam Frank is a 2025 off-Broadway satirical hip-hop musical based on the story of Anne Frank. It was created by Andrew Fox and Joel Sinensky after a Twitter thread about Anne Frank's "white privilege" went viral in 2022. The show is a show within a show of an ultra-progressive theatre troupe that reimagines Frank as a pansexual Latina named Anita Franco, along with Peter van Daan as a non-binary dancer. While the show itself is purportedly satirical, its viral social media promotion, with snippet...