This section refers to a couple of plays that I have written as part of the activities as a science communicator, using drama, as in ‘scientific drama’ to educate the lay public and also to make them aware and participate in the process of scientific discovery as a creative activity comparable to the Arts in its various manifestations.
This is a play that grew out of my interest in preparing a piece in the interface of the Sciences and the Arts with some dramatic content. It is based on a historic and real encounter between J. D. Bernal (a prominent pioneer of the use of X-ray Diffraction to study biological molecules) and no other than Pablo R. Picasso, the most iconic artist of the 20th century. This play brought together J.B.J. Fourier (French, physicist and mathematician of the 18th century), W.L Bragg (20th century British scientist, pioneer in the use of X-ray diffraction to unravel the structure of salts, minerals and biological molecules) and Rosalind Franklin, of DNA fame.
Plays with significant scientific content have been reviewed and analyzed in an engaging book entitled ‘Science on Stage‘. The play has been read in academic settings in the US (University of Illinois at Chicago, Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, December 2007) and in Spain (Barcelona, Zaragoza in the Spring of 2008), and staged read at Advanced Photon Source (APS, Argonne National Laboratory) in May, 2008 as part of the User’s week activities.
The play is still under development/revision in the English version and a Spanish adaptation is partially completed. I am seeking financial support to complete the English version and also to complete the translation and adaption of the text to a version in Spanish.
Important:
For colleagues interested in using this play as an extracurricular activity/event relating the Sciences and the Arts in their campuses (high school, colleges, universities), a DVD of the reading (in English) in Barcelona is available from the author as well as the current version of the script. Both could be provided from the author upon request on a confidential basis. Please, contact me, and I am sure that we can come to an agreement (or collaboration) to present and develop this play in your campus/institution for the benefit of your faculty, students and academic community at large.
A joint activity can motivate the faculty of the departments of sciences and humanities to build much needed bridges between the Sciences and the Arts.
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A snapshot of the staged reading of Bernal’s Picasso at the Advanced photon Source, May 4, 2008. J. D. Bernal (right) and Rosalind D. Franklin in action. Female with white dress is the character Art and male with the black suit is Science.
This other script is less ‘polished’ and continues to be developed. It centers around the issue of educating the public about technical and human dramas related with the discovery, design and synthesis of medicinal drugs: i.e., drugs used for therapeutic purposes. Characters of this play are L. Pasteur, A. Fleming, P. Erlich and others. This play has not been read or staged yet but is available to academic groups, if they have any interests for reading and or further development. If you have any interest, please, contact me at the addresses given below.
If you are interested in reading any of these two scripts, either for personal use, class use or for other purpose, contact me and I am sure that we can reach an agreement on the terms and conditions. My objective is to use them for educational purposes or for production for as wide an audience as possible.