The five-week series, presented in association with the Culture Project presentation of Howard Zinn's Rebel Voices, will discuss topics crucial to the election of a new American President, including expansion of executive powers, war, surveillance, torture and extraordinary rendition and government response to disaster.
Culture Project artistic director Alan Buchman states, "While the idea of impeachment has been tarnished in recent years by a reputation of reprisal seeking, historically it has been and was intended to be a vital tool to ensure the ultimate defense of civil liberties and the upholding of the U.S. Constitution. At a time when there appears to be no leadership in government to hold officials responsible for their actions, we are proceeding by way of a 'trial by theater,' the most compelling means at our disposal to offer the concerned citizens of this country a public platform to hold their government to account."
A Question of Impeachment will launch Nov. 18 with a special opening featuring musician Phoebe Snow and actress Annabella Sciorra. The series will continue Sundays and Mondays through Dec. 16. Sunday discussions will approach the issues as presented through film, theatre, music and other art forms, while the Monday counterparts will focus on the articles of impeachment directly, through depositions modeled on actual impeachment hearings.
Among the artists scheduled for the Sunday series are Khaliah Ali, Bobby Cannavale, Staceyann Chin, Willie Garson, Julie Goldman, Adam Rapp, Denis O'Hare and Scott Cohen, who will be on hand throughout the series to read sections of the Constitution, Articles of Impeachment and other documents.
Spring Awakening's Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik will perform new songs, and Jorie Graham and Gerald Stern will contribute new poems to be read during the series. An advanced screening of Jonathan Demme's film about rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, "Right to Return," will be presented on Dec. 2, with singer and songwriter Jackson Browne participating in the final event on Dec. 16.
The individuals taking part in the Monday night Questions include Michael Ratner, President of the Center for Constitutional Rights' Bruce Fein, Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Ronald Reagan and member of the American Bar Association's Task Force on Presidential Signing Statements; and retired Colonel Ann Wright, one of three U.S. State Department officials who resigned in protest prior to the invasion and occupation of Iraq in March, 2003.
Also scheduled are best-selling political journalist and Salon.com contributor Joe Conason; best-selling author of "The End of America" Naomi Wolf; attorney Martin Garbus; attorney Elizabeth Holtzman; David Swanson, co-founder of AfterDowningStreet.com; retired CIA officer Ray McGovern; former NBC correspondent Richard Valeriani; and journalist Scott Horton.
The topics scheduled include Initiation and Continuation of Illegal War (Nov. 19), Torture and Extraordinary Rendition (Nov. 26), Criminal Negligence and Hurricane Katrina (Dec. 3), Warrantless Surveillance (Dec. 10) and Executive Power – Signing Statements and Suspension of Habeas Corpus (Dec. 16).
For detailed scheduling and tickets for A Question of Impeachment, phone (212) 352-3101 or visit www.cultureproject.org.
