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Joe Papp in Five Acts | American Masters

George E. Joseph

Fri. Jun. 3 at 9 p.m. on WKAR-HD 23.1 & STREAMING | Joe Papp, founder of Free Shakespeare in the Park, believed great art is for all.

Joe Papp, founder of The Public Theater, Free Shakespeare in the Park and producer of groundbreaking plays like "Hair," "A Chorus Line" and "For Colored Girls," created a 'theater of inclusion' based on the belief that great art is for everyone.

More than perhaps any other cultural figure in recent history, Papp worked to expand public access to the arts. “We have public libraries,” he would argue, “Why not public theaters?” Papp recognized the role artists could play in building a more democratic, inclusive society.

At a time when theater was largely the domain of white men, he was convinced that women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and other marginalized communities, denied power elsewhere in society, could develop it on the stage. His goal was a “theater of inclusion” on-stage, backstage, and in the audience.

Watch this documentary at video.wkar.org during or after the premiere date. This documentary is also available to watch live during its premiere date on the WKAR Livestream.

MORE ABOUT AMERICAN MASTERS:
Now in its 36th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of our nation’s most enduring artistic giants: those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape.

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