Nearly three decades ago, the play “Twilight Los Angeles” — about the Rodney King trial verdict — premiered. Just like in 1992, the world is seeing the problem of racial injustice come back into focus. How is art confronting a racist system in America? What has changed since the riots in LA? Oskar Eustis, artistic director at the Public Theater in New York, speaks with Anna Deavere Smith, the creator of “Twilight Los Angeles.” They discuss how, even though arts institutions are mostly closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, artists continue to work. They’re thinking deeply about how to use their craft to push the country forward in a critical moment.
The conversation, which was held June 9, 2020, is part of the Aspen Institute’s Conversations with Great Leaders, in Memory of Preston Robert Tisch series. The series is held in collaboration with the Aspen Institute Arts Program.
“Aspen Ideas to Go” is a weekly show featuring fascinating speakers who have presented at the Aspen Ideas Festival and other public programs offered by the Aspen Institute. For a curated listening experience, subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or find an archive of episodes here. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.
