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Articles on Spectacle

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‘The Shepherd of the Hills’ has been running for 63 years and is the most performed outdoor drama in the U.S. Terra Fondriest/The Washington Post via Getty Images

What live theater can learn from Branson, Missouri

Comedians like Stephen Colbert might mock the entertainment mecca, but live theater is in too much of a crisis to dismiss the town’s formula of spectacle meets story.
Fringe groups have long understood that capturing the public’s attention is the best way to spread their views. Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images

Strange costumes of Capitol rioters echo the early days of the Ku Klux Klan - before the white sheets

For many extremist groups, a primary goal is to spread their ideology. Costumes and uniforms – even ridiculous ones – are a form of spectacle that can garner attention and interest.
Donald Trump and WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley shave the head of CEO Vince McMahon during Wrestlemania 23 in 2007. Carlos Osorio/AP Photo

Will Trump continue to pull from a pro wrestling playbook?

As a candidate, Donald Trump – whose relationship with the WWE spans nearly 30 years – emulated the bombastic style of a pro wrestler. As president, it might be doing him more harm than good.
Jayalalithaa Jayaram, who passed away in December 2016, was a film actress and populist chief minister of India’s southern Tamil Nadu state. Babu/Reuters

From South India to Trump’s election: the happy marriage of stardom and politics

Performance politics has made Donald Trump the new president of the United States. But this is far from new to south India, where the mixing of cinema and politics has a long history.

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