The Politics of Theater: A Conversation with Professor Juliet Guzzetta (MSU) & Italian Author & Actor Giuliana Musso

Can the live arts address societal urgent issues and if so, how? Join us for a conversation about what it means to do political theater in today's world with award-winning Italian author and actor Giuliana Musso and theater studies scholar Juliet Guzzetta (MSU).

This conversation follows the Dentro (Inside) performance at the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts in East Lansing on Thursday, March 20th. The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures has set tickets aside for students interested in the play and is also organizing a shuttle to drive students and faculty to the performance Thursday night. Seats are limited so please sign up here if interested.

Attendance to the play is not necessary to be part of this conversation which will touch upon questions of theater, political engagement, and activism more broadly.

ABOUT JULIET GUZZETTA AND GULIANA MUSSO:

Juliet Guzzetta is Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Department of English and the Department of Romance and Classical Studies at Michigan State University. Her first book, The Theater of Narration: From the Peripheries of History to the Main Stages of Italy (Northwestern UP, 2021; honorable mention, MLA, Scaglione Publication Award in Italian Literary Studies; translation in Italian by Accademia University Press, 2023), explores a form of contemporary solo theater in its historical, political, and performative dimensions. In addition to numerous essays in journals and edited volumes, she recently co-edited an issue of gender/sexuality/italy on the concept of “conservative feminisms” with Ombretta Frau, and published a translation of Giuliana Musso's Dentro. Una storia vera se volete. Currently she is co-editing a collection on Italian feminist thought with Graziella Parati titled Italian Feminisms: Transnational Praxes for Today and Tomorrow. She was recently awarded a 12-month Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities for her current monograph in progress, Acting Class: Lessons from Franca Rame, which centers Rame’s performances and activism as a model for political discourse, socially committed artistry, and grounded wide-ranging critique.

Giuliana Musso is an acclaimed Italian playwright, actress, and director, celebrated for her impactful storytelling and exploration of complex societal issues through the medium of documentary theatre. Over her two-decade career, Musso has written plays that merge fiction with real-life accounts, focusing on themes such as gender, identity, and human rights. Among her most recognized works are Nati in casa, which portrays the intimate world of Italian midwifery and birth, Sexmachine, an exploration of masculinity and vulnerability, and Mio eroe, which examines families affected by war and the nuanced concept of heroism. Her recent play, Dentro examines the private struggles and unspoken truths that shape individuals, inviting the audience to confront the emotional landscapes that often remain unseen. Musso’s unique blend of empathy, incisive social commentary, and humor has cemented her as a significant voice in contemporary European theatre, earning her numerous accolades and a devoted following.