Her Opponent Tickets

Her Opponent is a play that is closely related to contemporary American theater, and the issues it tackles are essential for modern-day politics and social discussions. The show was created by Maria Guadalupe, an associate professor of economics and political science at INSEAD, and Joe Salvatore, a playwright and director at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture. They collaborated on this project to reenact excerpts from the 2016 presidential debates between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. What makes this performance so unique is that two women swap gender roles, with Rachel Whorton as Trump and Daryl Embry as Clinton.

The concept of Her Opponent began with the idea of creating a "mirror" experiment, where performers would imitate each candidate, but something was missing entirely from their reenactment. When Guadalupe stumbled upon the idea of swapping genders, she believed it could provide a whole new perspective on the debates. From there, Her Opponent was born, and it has since attracted attention and praise from various outlets and communities.

It's not difficult to see why Her Opponent resonated so deeply with audiences. The play provides a fresh take on a political event that left many people reeling in its aftermath. It examines the framing of masculinity and femininity within the context of the debate stage, how different concepts of authority affect public perception, and how linguistic strategies can be used to manipulate and mislead.

Additionally, the play explores the issue of gender bias that seems inherent within American society. It's no secret that women have long been systematically silenced and ignored, and Her Opponent takes these issues head-on. Through their portrayal of the opposite genders’ candidates, audiences are forced to confront their own unconscious biases and confront prejudices that they might never have known they had.

Overall, it's clear that Her Opponent's success has come from its ability to relate to real-world political situations and social problems. This play shines a spotlight on the intersectionality of sexism, misogyny, gender roles, and political power dynamics all wrapped up in a captivating performance. It provides a new way to understand events that already seem like ancient history in American politics during the Trump era while instilling hope for the future.