COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus's Endeavor Theatre company hopes to spark interest in this year's general election by reviving a play written in the 19th century.
On Oct. 5, the group will couple a staged reading of the play "An Enemy of the People" with a voter registration drive, just two days before Ohio's registration deadline.
The original play was written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1882. The story follows a doctor who finds contamination in water that supplies a town's famed spa baths. A fight ensues between the doctor, the media and the mayor over how much information to release to the public.
"I really enjoy art that falls at this intersection of entertainment and education," explained Corey Ragan, artistic director of Endeavor Theatre.
After discovering the play during the COVID pandemic in 2020, Ragan was struck by the parallels between the 150-year-old story and the intense political rhetoric that gripped the global consciousness.
"It's not a show that necessarily is trying to beat you over the head with a lesson. Our goal is to empower individuals to make sure that their voices can be heard," Ragan said.
In addition to the stage reading of the updated play, the folks at Endeavor will be handing out all of the information needed for Ohio citizens to check their registration status.
Another focus of the updated stage play is the addition of social media into the mix.
"The rhetoric is very heated and toxic right now," said Erin McLaughlin, the play's director. "That doesn't get us any closer to a solution; it just keeps us stuck in the same status quo."
Endeavor Theatre's staged reading of "An Enemy of the People" and voter registration drive will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 in the Upper Arlington Library.
To check your voter registration online, visit: https://voterlookup.ohiosos.gov/voterlookup.aspx