The Living Theatre, America's oldest experimental theater company, is making its first foray into Asia with "Rosetta," a groundbreaking production that tells the story of an American missionary doctor who dedicated her life to advancing medicine and women's education in Korea during the late 19th century. The 78-year-old theater troupe recently completed its fourth Seoul run in August, performed in Busan from September 5-6, and is now heading to Japan's Tottori Prefecture Citizens Culture Hall for weekend performances, marking the company's Japan debut.
The production centers around Rosetta Sherwood Hall, an American doctor and missionary whose remarkable story unfolds through an innovative theatrical approach. "Her name is Rosetta Sherwood Hall. My name is Emma Sue Harris. I'll be playing Rosetta," begins one cast member. "Her name is Rosetta Sherwood Hall. My name is Brad Burgess, and today I'll be playing Rosetta!" continues another. All eight cast members, diverse in race, gender, and age, take turns embodying the same woman throughout the performance.
"The company is so old and has been so many places, but to have a first during my time as artistic director feels special," said Brad Burgess, artistic director of The Living Theatre, in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul last month. "We're an almost 80-year-old company still finding new places to go." Burgess emphasized how Hall's story resonates with contemporary audiences facing their own challenges.
Hall's narrative is one of extraordinary determination and resilience. She learned a new language, battled disease and prejudice, and remained committed to doing good work in a foreign land despite numerous obstacles. "When you leave the theater and see what Rosetta did 100 years ago without Google Translate, without toilets -- then your problems can feel more solvable," Burgess explained. "This play can help people feel empowered and go, 'Look at what Rosetta did.'"
The heart of the production lies in its central concept that anyone could be Rosetta. "Oftentimes, you have very singular actors playing leading roles and that makes people feel like it's not them," Burgess noted. "But when you see everybody in the ensemble being this person, you think, if I were in the play, they would have made me play Rosetta." This rotating role approach reflects The Living Theatre's founding philosophy that living theater must evolve with time, and that in a troubled world, each person must ask themselves, "who am I, and what can I do?"
For Emma Sue Harris, who made her Living Theater debut with "Rosetta," performing partly in Korean added a unique dimension to her connection with the character. "The challenge of not knowing the language the others were speaking turned out to be joyful," she said. "It made us feel closer to Rosetta – she, too, was working in a place where she didn't know the language, except her circumstances were much more challenging as a doctor than being an actor in a play."
Both actors reported that the production significantly deepened their sense of ensemble work. The fluid nature of the cast has allowed for real-life changes to influence the performance – some cast members have left and returned, bringing their personal growth with them. One scene even references a character's baby, while in reality, five children have been born within the Rosetta community over the course of the production's run.
"The relationships with the other actors are so deep," Burgess reflected. "That's one of the great things about ensemble theater. We're like adventurers on a quest, with a mission, a goal and a shared philosophy." This sense of shared community, both actors believe, points toward solutions for many of society's current challenges.
The actors see theater as a powerful tool for addressing modern social issues, particularly loneliness and mental health concerns. "Theater is a cure for loneliness," Burgess said, noting that in today's high-tech, convenience-driven society, it has become increasingly easy for people to become isolated. "Theater is one of the only things in the future that people are going to keep doing together, and it gives people purpose, it gives people a sense of belonging, it builds community -- and you get to be fully human."
Harris emphasized that theater's collaborative nature extends beyond those who appear on stage. "Theater may be the most collaborative art form," she explained. "You can be involved through costumes, design, props, music. It gives you a way to be part of something bigger than yourself." This inclusive approach aligns with The Living Theatre's broader mission to make theater accessible to diverse communities.
The company's commitment to reaching new audiences has led them beyond New York to smaller cities across the United States, often as volunteer work designed to open theater to people who might not otherwise consider it accessible to them. "The Living Theatre's mission calls us to question who we are in the social environment of theater, which to me simply translates: to think about what's going on and to do what's needed," Burgess said.
This inclusive vision extends to their work in Korea as well. "We would really like to go to the smaller cities in Korea as well because I think this play speaks to everybody," Burgess noted. "You don't have to know edgy avant-garde experimental theater, even though it's very experimental. It's very simple and it's very sweet and very genuine." The company's approach demonstrates how experimental theater can remain accessible while addressing universal themes of purpose, community, and human connection.
