THEATER
FOR A WORLD
ON THE EDGE.
A 2 5 Y E A R H I S T O R Y
Using our signature method of investigative theater, we bring together diverse, extraordinary voices to create shows that combine the theatrical and the real.
We create investigative theater.
interviews, research, residencies, and up-close collaborations that bring artists directly into the lives and experiences of others.
We've investigated climate change, faith, incarceration, urban development, pornography, loss, politics, technology, and the stories communities tell about themselves.
And we've turned those investigations into plays, musicals, cabarets, performances, recordings, and work that doesn't always fit neatly into a category.
The Civilians began in 2001 with a company of artists led by Founding Artistic Director Steve Cosson. We took our name from old vaudeville slang, where a “civilian” was anyone outside of show business.
What began as a group of artists experimenting with a new way of making theater has grown into more than two decades of productions, collaborations, commissions, and artist-development programs. Along the way, our methods have evolved and our community has expanded from a multidisciplinary group of Associate Artists to collaborations with theatermakers across the field.
Through it all, our purpose has remained rooted in our founding vision: