Conscience 

By: Joe DiPietro

Directed by: Madeleine Stedman

Washington D.C., 1950. The United States is gripped by fear of the Soviet Union and the spectre of Communism spreading throughout the country, with an enemy that can wear any face, a frenzied hunt begins for ‘Reds under the bed.’ Amidst the chaos, Joseph McCarthy, an overlooked, underhanded Senator emerges with a list. A list, he claims, of rats in the ranks. Within weeks, he has Congress and the American people dancing on a string. 

Enter Margaret Chase Smith. First woman to serve in both houses of Congress. First to be nominated to run for the presidency. First to call Joe McCarthy’s witch-hunts for exactly what they were. But with the national spotlight shining brighter than ever before, McCarthy won’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Written in the dying days of the first Trump administration, Tony Award-winning playwright Joe DiPietro’s blistering play is a potent reminder of a woman who spoke out against tyranny and fought for truth when others stayed silent. CONSCIENCE asks us: can we remember her fight?

"A timely boxing match of a history play.... CONSCIENCE portrays (Margaret Chase) Smith.... as a dry witted hero with the rare courage to take on a lying bully who is sowing chaos, ruining reputations and threatening the very fabric of the nation" - The New York Times

"....DiPietro avoids cheap political shots, focusing instead on the intense interpersonal dynamics (Margaret Chase) Smith is a powerful, complex character and ... McCarthy slowly unravels before your eyes" - Front Row Center