Exercises for the Body Politic is a series of performances imagined as workout routines for the various skills used in civic dialogue. By exploring different modes of presentation, narrative, and audience interaction within the performances, we seek to exercise our faculties for listening, thinking and talking about social issues.

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The first exercise in the series, Constitutional considers our political system through a series of short interactions with the Constitution. Thirteen tables in a room, five minutes to spend at each table. Thirteen views of this document which sits at the center of American political life. What are the words of the Constitution? What do they mean? Why is legal language so boring? Do we need to know what it actually says? Why? And what do Jimmy Stewart, Captain Kirk, and Batman have to do with any of this?

Thirteen tables, thirteen performances. Some are slick, some are loud, some are pompous, some are shy. They might be charming and smooth, or nasty, brutish and short. One or two could even get you really excited.

Thirteen tables, thirteen attempts to find a way in. Think of it as speed-dating the Constitution.