Abstract This conversation examines AI integration in education, drawing on Jose Antonio Bowen's insights. It highlights AI's potential for personalized learning and creative projects, while addressing challenges like academic integrity and educational disparities. Bowen advocates for an interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing equal access to AI tools and responsible use. Key considerations include balancing AI-assisted grading with human oversight, developing new assessment frameworks, and fostering critical thinking. The conversation underscores the need for a balanced approach to... Read more →
Marcus Folmar’s new comedy, Chicken Stories, serves up a tasty mix of humor and critical social commentary. Staged as a series of vignettes, it examines the role of chicken in Black American culture. Focusing on themes like Black entrepreneurship, generational value shifts, and cultural appropriation, Folmar’s work transports us way beyond the telling of a funny story. The play features a talented cast, including special guest star John Marshall Jones, who adds depth to the... Read more →
Jon Robin Baitz’s play “The Substance of Fire,” directed by Mike Reilly, dives deep into the tangled web of family loyalty and the relentless pursuit of artistic integrity. Reilly guides us through personal trauma, societal expectations, and commercial pressures. At the heart of the story is Isaac Geldhart, portrayed by Rob Morrow, who embodies both resilience and tragic flaw. Marcia Cross brings depth and power to her role as Marge Hackett, a woman ensnared in... Read more →
“Balancing Act,” written by Frank Salisbury and directed by David Datz, recounts the story of an accountant planning to escape with embezzled money, only to be interrupted by a suspicious colleague on the eve of his departure. David Datz, making his directorial debut at Theatre Forty, brings his rich background in directing, playwriting, and acting to this production. Michael Kerr and Starina Johnson star in the lead roles while Jeff G. Rack provided the set... Read more →