PEN 2025 World Voices Festival – Disappearing Acts: Censorship in American Theater

Since theater emerged as an art form it has been a battleground for free expression. In today’s climate, the pressure to censor is stronger than ever–whether through rewriting history to erase conversation on racial inequities,or the rising tide of book bans targeting discussions of sexuality and identity. Across the U.S., theater producers and schools are facing mounting pressure to cancel, rewrite, or silence bold artistic voices.

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage as she moderates an eye-opening conversation with Carlyle Brown (Down in Mississippi), Moisés Kaufman (The Laramie Project), and Lisa Kron (Fun Home), all award-winning playwrights who have personally faced attempts to censor their works.

The conversation will explore the many forms of theatrical censorship, from unauthorized script changes to outright cancellations, and look at how the current political climate is reshaping the theater world. How do playwrights navigate the pressure to self-censor, and what does the future hold for artistic freedom on stage?

To purchase tickets, visit worldvoices.pen.org.