Can experiencing what the 2016 U.S. presidential candidates said and how they said it through gender-reversed characters, cause us to revisit our own biases and develop insights from different perspectives?
Her Opponent used verbatim documentary theatre techniques to re-create excerpts of the three 2016 presidential debates. An actor performed the text, gestures, and movements of Hillary Clinton, but as a male Democratic candidate named Jonathan Gordon and an actress performed the text, gestures, and movements of Donald Trump, but as a female Republican candidate named Brenda King. A third actor played the role of The Moderator from each of the three debates.
The project's 2017 Off Broadway run at the Jerry Orbach Theater in Times Square garnered a nomination for Best Unique Theatre Experience from New York City's Off Broadway Alliance. The experience included an opportunity for audiences to share their thoughts and impressions in a facilitated discussion that immediately followed each performance.
A full archival performance video is available by clicking here.
“The cross-gender casting offered just enough remove to help audiences think through how they might have understood the debates had they not strongly preferred one candidate.”
“Not to oversell this, but watching this re-enactment was riveting - made me re-think how both candidates came across during the real debates.”
C R E D I T S:
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Maria Guadalupe & Joe Salvatore (co-creators), Márion Talán (costumes), Troy Beard (hair). Performers: Daryl Embry, Rachel Tuggle Whorton, and Andy Wagner. Photography by Richard Termine