The Civilians

06/13/2026

DISCO DEMO starts with a riot and ends on the dance floor.

We sat down with creators Adam J. Rineer and Jason Aguirre to discuss their new musical inspired by the 1979 Disco Demolition riot in Chicago. Drawing from conversations with family members and deep research into the era, the piece looks beyond the headlines to the Black, Brown, and Q***r communities who built a culture rooted in joy and liberation on the dance floor.

In this interview, Adam and Jason share how research becomes song, why disco’s musical roots stretch far beyond a single genre, and their vision for a show where the audience isn’t just watching—they’re dancing too.

Join us on June 18 for DISCO DEMO as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

🎟 Free admission with RSVP — https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWqMoyM1BdQl7-2LzX-cFTkXsvOq2dJdIKgj19r8GDvdE2w/viewform

06/12/2026

DISCO DEMO by Adam J. Rineer & Jason Aguirre, presented as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series, looks beyond the spectacle of “the day disco died” to the people who lived through it.

An explosion. A riot. A dance floor. A love story. On July 12, 1979, Chicago erupted in what some call “the day disco died”. At Comiskey Park, the “Disco Sucks” movement’s record torching publicity stunt turned into a riot, destroying thousands of disco records. Across Chicago, in the more than 100 active discos, black, brown, and q***r people gathered to dance, celebrate, and fight to survive as the city’s cultural fabric was torn open. Despite this event, they found love, release, and escape. DISCO DEMO is an interview and research-based musical that shifts the spotlight from the spectacle to the people who lived it and found solace in a genre that championed joy and liberation asking, what does it mean to seek joy in the face of hatred?

Run time: 60 minutes.

🗓 June 18 @ 7pm
📍 ART/NY, 520 8th Avenue, 3rd floor
🎟 Free admission with RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWqMoyM1BdQl7-2LzX-cFTkXsvOq2dJdIKgj19r8GDvdE2w/viewform

06/11/2026

Climate catastrophe, oral histories, and geological time collide in FORCE MAJEURE by Jeanine Oleson, presented as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

At some unknown point, the geological activity in the Cascadia Subduction Zone of the Pacific Northwest will trigger large tsunamis that will devastate the region, which is already suffering from droughts and fires caused by climate change. The impact on vulnerable communities will be staggering and longer-term issues with nuclear and toxic afterlives will be a certainty. How do we live with this and other past/current/future catastrophes?

Responding to these circumstances, this experimental performance uses sound/music that relates to water and geological activity, language pulled from climate/geosciences research, oral histories, and risk management systems, alongside the human ability to comprehend (and not) form the backbone of this work.

With sound/music by Anthony Vine and Erato Kremmyda; performers including Beth Griffith.

Run time: 45 minutes.

🗓 June 15 @ 7pm
📍 ART/NY, 520 8th Avenue, 3rd floor
🎟 Free admission with RSVP - link in bio,

06/09/2026

We are thrilled to extend a huge congratulations to our founding artistic associate, colleague and longtime friend, Bess Wohl, on this momentous, historic, and deeply deserved win!

Her play *Liberation* already won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and has multiple future productions planned, even though its Broadway run has concluded. Read more on New York Theatre Guide.

06/09/2026

Climate catastrophe, oral histories, and geological time collide in FORCE MAJEURE by Jeanine Oleson, presented as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

At some unknown point, the geological activity in the Cascadia Subduction Zone of the Pacific Northwest will trigger large tsunamis that will devastate the region, which is already suffering from droughts and fires caused by climate change. The impact on vulnerable communities will be staggering and longer-term issues with nuclear and toxic afterlives will be a certainty. How do we live with this and other past/current/future catastrophes?

Responding to these circumstances, this experimental performance uses sound/music that relates to water and geological activity, language pulled from climate/geosciences research, oral histories, and risk management systems, alongside the human ability to comprehend (and not) form the backbone of this work.

With sound/music by Anthony Vine and Erato Kremmyda; performers including Beth Griffith.

Run time: 45 minutes.

🗓 June 15 @ 7pm
📍 ART/NY, 520 8th Avenue, 3rd floor
🎟 Free admission with RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWqMoyM1BdQl7-2LzX-cFTkXsvOq2dJdIKgj19r8GDvdE2w/viewform

06/09/2026

We sat down with creators Andromache Chalfant and Robert M. Johanson to talk about the memories, interviews, and music behind JANUARY IN NEW YORK.

What began with a childhood memory—and a search for the dimensions of an old bedroom—grew into a deeply personal exploration of marriage, family, and artistic life in 1970s New York. Drawing on interviews with Andromache’s parents and featuring an original score by Robert, the piece traces the evolution of a relationship across decades, revealing the hopes, compromises, and acts of forgiveness that shape a life together.

Join us on June 12 for JANUARY IN NEW YORK as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

🎟 Free admission with RSVP — https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWqMoyM1BdQl7-2LzX-cFTkXsvOq2dJdIKgj19r8GDvdE2w/viewform

06/05/2026

A marriage stretched across decades sits at the center of JANUARY IN NEW YORK by Andromache Chalfant & Robert M. Johanson, presented as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

January in New York is a love story. Newly settled in 1970s Manhattan, Ted, a sculptor, and Lee, an aspiring actress, pursue creative lives that threaten to tear them apart. Cycling between scenes past and present, monologues plucked from interviews, and in songs, the play traces two lives spent apart and together. Regret gives way to dignity as marriage tests one couple’s capacity for love and forgiveness.

Run time: 90 minutes.

🗓 June 12 @ 3pm
📍 ART/NY, 520 8th Avenue, 3rd floor
🎟 Free admission with RSVP — https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOWqMoyM1BdQl7-2LzX-cFTkXsvOq2dJdIKgj19r8GDvdE2w/viewform

06/04/2026

📣 Applications are now open for The Civilians' 2026–27 R&D Group.

We're looking for writers, composers, performers, directors, and other theatermakers developing projects through research, interviews, community engagement, and other forms of creative investigation.

R&D Group members receive:
• Season-long dramaturgical support and artistic development
• A presentation in the FINDINGS Series, including rehearsal support and a project budget of approximately $2,600
• A $500 stipend
• Complimentary tickets to all Civilians events

Projects may be brand new or already underway, but should actively utilize an investigative process and be developed throughout the season.

🗓 Applications due July 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Learn more and apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZ_-OkTm0yQfbUr3MarH0E9VNxMN0LesWsrYDdK_M0ta4E3g/viewform

06/04/2026

We sat down with playwright HyoJeong Choi to talk about the surprising research trail that led to JUMPERS.

While researching the Fukushima nuclear disaster, HyoJeong became fascinated by the little-known stories of the contract workers responsible for cleaning up after the meltdown. In this interview, HyoJeong discusses the labor systems behind nuclear power, the real people who bear its risks, and why she chose to pair documentary research with the larger-than-life figure of Astro Girl, a nuclear-powered cartoon character inspired by postwar visions of limitless energy.

Watch the full interview, then join us on June 9 for JUMPERS as part of the 2026 FINDINGS Series.

🎟 Free admission with RSVP — link in bio

Fukushima

06/03/2026

One of the brightest lights we had in our world has moved on. Our heart goes out to the friends, family and fans of Dito van Reigersberg who grieve this terrible loss with us.