For 24 Hours, Actors & Others Will Plow Through the 448-Page Mueller Report. You Can Watch Them.
On July 19-20, 100 readers at Town Hall will tackle the 448-page Mueller Report over a 24-hour period. It’s a bizarre epic fit for our bizarre times.
American Theatre magazine called it “the surprise hit of the summer.” The current resident of the White House called it “a total and complete exoneration” and “a good day.” Come see what critics are raving about for yourself at that insta-classic, the Mueller Report Live!
Here’s what we know. Tonight through tomorrow night, the newly-renovated Town Hall will open its doors (continuously) to a whole bunch of actors, journalists, and community leaders; a 448-page script; and scads of civically-minded (or artistically-curious) audience members. And for a whole day (24 hours), over 100 readers will tackle that script, in chunks of minutes at a time. Audience members can come and go as they please. No word yet if there’s a prize for whoever lasts the longest. Or what the food and beverage lineup will be.
It’s overwhelming to think about — both the 24-hour run-time and the 448 page count — but it’s an interesting civics idea. There’s material of national import that’s been hidden, that interested citizens should know about. There are not many people with the time, patience, desire, or eye stamina to slog through it themselves. There’s a wonderful pool of artists and other readers willing to volunteer their time. (I’m sure volunteers abounded. But in a perverse symptom of underappreciation of artists: per Town Hall’s event page, the artist-readers are not being paid except in food, but donations are requested to pay Town Hall for staff time?) There’s a general diminishment of voluntary gatherings and community building. So why not bring it all together?
It’s a weird concept. But these are weird times. And it just might work.
Organizers aren’t putting out a full schedule, but some readers include (in no particular order) Valerie Curtis-Newton, Gretta Harley, Paul Budraitis, Pamala Mijatov, Kathy Hsieh, Susanna Burney, Anita Montgomery, Maria Lamarca Anderson, Ayo Tushinde, Llysa Holland, Aly Beckford, Victor Janusz, Lyssa Browne, Bret Fetzer, Tracy Leigh, Mark Lutwak, Y York, and many many more.
Attending in person might be half the experience, but those who can’t attend can livestream it through Town Hall. Livestream link and more info on the event on Town Hall’s website, here.