Arena Stage Presents SCRIPTED: An Immersive Reading of Eric Bentley’s Docudrama

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The five-session program at Arena Stage in Washington, DC will include behind-the-scenes tours and conversations with creative team members.

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Dive deep into the script of political docudrama Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, unraveling the words on the page and uncovering how they transform into vibrant performances on stage. The events will take place at Arena Stage .

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Scripted isn't your average book club—it's an immersive experience where you'll engage with the texts that shape Arena Stage 's 2026/27 season, analyze the dramaturgical choices that bring them to life, and get insider access to the creative decisions that happen long before the spotlight hits.

Through guided discussions, behind-the-scenes tours, and thoughtful exploration of the material, you'll gain a richer, more comprehensive understanding of what goes into every performance. By the end, you'll have a front-row seat to the why behind the how and be able to see the stage in a whole new light—whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned theatergoer.

Setting the Stage: Welcome & first discussion of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?

From Page to Rehearsal: A short discussion followed by an inside look at a live rehearsal

Digging Deeper: A close look at the script, and examining creative choices

The Story in Motion: Attend a performance of Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? to experience the full production

Inside the Creative Process: Final discussion plus a conversation with a special guest from the Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? creative team

Straight from Off-Broadway comes a timely and important play — Eric Bentley 's Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?, directed by Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro . This electrifying docudrama drops you into the tense world of the 1940s House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings, where fame offered no protection and political pressure could end a career.

Using only the original transcripts, the play features the words of artists like Arthur Miller , Jerome Robbins , Paul Robeson , Elia Kazan , Lillian Hellman , Abe Burrows , and Lionel Stander as they faced impossible choices: defend their integrity, protect their careers, or betray their peers. And yet the probing, chilling questions posed by the committee are as powerful as the testimonies themselves, revealing a climate of intimidation and moral conflict that resonates far beyond its time.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Immersive-Script-Reading-Club-to-Take-Place-at-Arena-Stage-20260928)._