A new theatrical production titled “The Ford/Hill Project” brings together testimonies from two landmark Senate Judiciary Committee hearings separated by nearly three decades, recreating the public accounts of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford. The 65-minute documentary-style performance debuted at the Fisher space within the Brooklyn Academy of Music, aiming to present these pivotal moments in American history through a minimalist stage setting and verbatim dialogue.
Directed by Lee Sunday Evans and featuring Elizabeth Marvel and Gabby Beans in principal roles, the piece draws exclusively from the official records of the 1991 and 2018 Senate hearings. The two women’s stories—Hill’s allegations of sexual harassment against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas and Blasey Ford’s accusation of sexual assault involving nominee Brett Kavanaugh—are interwoven to highlight parallels between the cases and their proceedings. Actors also embody senators, lawyers, and the nominees themselves at times, emphasizing the interplay among all participants.
The production’s structure complements its serious subject matter. With a semicircle of nine chairs representing the hearing room, the actors deliver testimony in measured tones, guided by audio feeds of original C-SPAN recordings. This approach underscores the work’s focus on presenting evidence and testimony rather than dramatizing or interpreting the events, giving the performance an almost clinical atmosphere. Moments of tension, such as Kavanaugh’s defensive responses and Hill’s accounts of explicit workplace conversations, unfold with a formal, deliberate rhythm.
“The Ford/Hill Project” draws attention to notable continuities between the two hearings, including the overlapping Senate committee members and the timing of events. Ford’s assault allegation dates to the summer of 1982, the same year Hill began working professionally with Thomas. Both women maintain composed, polite delivery, contrasting sharply with the visible anger and defensiveness of Thomas and Kavanaugh. The production also highlights absences from the public record—for example, witnesses who supported Hill but were never called and individuals Ford identified as present during her alleged assault who were not subpoenaed.
By presenting these stories side by side, the project encourages reflection on how societal and institutional responses to such allegations have evolved—or remained stagnant—over time. While rooted in historical record, the production invites audiences to consider broader questions about justice, accountability, and the mechanisms of power within the American political system. Its deliberate pacing and restrained performances offer a framework for examining patterns across decades in a concentrated, focused setting.