EPISODE · Apr 7, 2026 · 1H 11M
Catherine Filloux: Award-winning Playwright and the Power of the Arts & Activism
from Human Rights: Conversations Across Generations · host Bert & Meredith Lockwood
"The theater places stories in front of hearts and minds as an experience that is living and transforming." These words from award-winning playwright and librettist Catherine Filloux capture the visceral power of the arts in the pursuit of human rights. For over 30 years, Catherine has used her creative compass to navigate the complexities of genocide, displacement, and environmental justice. An alumna of New Dramatists who received her M.F.A. at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Catherine has been honored with the 2019 Barry Lopez Visiting Writer in Ethics and Community Fellowship and the 2017 Otto René Castillo Award for Political Theatre. In this episode, the conversation explores Catherine’s prolific body of work, which spans from the history of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia to the urgent, present-day crisis of climate change. As a co-founder of Theatre Without Borders, Catherine has spent decades building bridges between artists in conflict zones, ensuring that dialogue survives even when legal and political structures fail. Having taught playwriting at institutions including Vassar, Wesleyan, and Bennington College, she brings a deep pedagogical perspective to how we witness history through performance. The discussion examines the three-dimensional prism of the stage and the unique chemistry of a live audience. Catherine also shares the inspiration behind her newest play, Olivia, which centers on a mother-daughter rift over fossil fuel dependency; a theme that resonates deeply with the intergenerational mission of this podcast. From the "oil spilled rainbows" of environmental destruction to the "psychosomatic blindness" of war survivors, Catherine’s work serves as a form of accountability and a source of hope. She transforms the stage to become more than a space for performance, but a vital instrument of accountability, transforming the most complex global crises into a shared, human experience. Show Notes Episode Transcript PDF Catherine Filloux Website Theatre Without Borders Catherine Filloux Archive, held at the Ohio State University Libraries Resources and References Fellow Travelers Opera: 10 year anniversary Sir Trevor McDonald Interview: A raw perspective on systemic issues through interviews with incarcerated women in America
What this episode covers
"The theater places stories in front of hearts and minds as an experience that is living and transforming." These words from award-winning playwright and librettist Catherine Filloux capture the visceral power of the arts in the pursuit of human rights. For over 30 years, Catherine has used her creative compass to navigate the complexities of genocide, displacement, and environmental justice. An alumna of New Dramatists who received her M.F.A. at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Catherine has been honored with the 2019 Barry Lopez Visiting Writer in Ethics and Community Fellowship and the 2017 Otto René Castillo Award for Political Theatre. In this episode, the conversation explores Catherine’s prolific body of work, which spans from the history of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia to the urgent, present-day crisis of climate change. As a co-founder of Theatre Without Borders, Catherine has spent decades building bridges between artists in conflict zones, ensuring that dialogue survives even when legal and political structures fail. Having taught playwriting at institutions including Vassar, Wesleyan, and Bennington College, she brings a deep pedagogical perspective to how we witness history through performance. The discussion examines the three-dimensional prism of the stage and the unique chemistry of a live audience. Catherine also shares the inspiration behind her newest play, Olivia, which centers on a mother-daughter rift over fossil fuel dependency; a theme that resonates deeply with the intergenerational mission of this podcast. From the "oil spilled rainbows" of environmental destruction to the "psychosomatic blindness" of war survivors, Catherine’s work serves as a form of accountability and a source of hope. She transforms the stage to become more than a space for performance, but a vital instrument of accountability, transforming the most complex global crises into a shared, human experience. Show Notes Episode Transcript PDF Catherine Filloux Website Theatre Without Borders Catherine Filloux Archive, held at the Ohio State University Libraries Resources and References Fellow Travelers Opera: 10 year anniversary Sir Trevor McDonald Interview: A raw perspective on systemic issues through interviews with incarcerated women in America
NOW PLAYING
Catherine Filloux: Award-winning Playwright and the Power of the Arts & Activism
No transcript for this episode yet