Dr. Richard Owen Geer; Ph.D. in Performance Studies; Creator of Community Performance International
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026: 3:00 – 4:00 pm, Koffler Great Room at ASA and Zoom
Dr. Richard Geer shares his work with Story Bridge, a community-building process that uses personal stories, theater, performance, and creative workshops as tools for peace-building and conflict resolution.
When Joy Jinks’ town was dying, all that remained were its people and their stories. Dr. Geer arrived with a seemingly impossible idea: bring Black and White residents together to create a play, with 100 community members (no professional actors) telling the truth about their town.
The result was extraordinary. What began as a weekend performance became two sold-out seasons, followed by command performances for the governor, the Atlanta Olympics, and the Kennedy Center. Studs Terkel called it “the most important work being done in theater.”
After 35 years, scores of communities, thousands of participants, and a wealth of wisdom, Dr. Geer will share what he has learned from the Story Bridge.