Rice University’s Center for Environmental Studies and Program in Theatre, with major funding from the Humanities Research Center’s Critical Futures program, brought the high-stakes drama of the early 2000s energy crisis to campus March 28 with a staged reading of “ENRON” by Lucy Prebble. The Olivier Award-nominated play traces the rise and fall of the Houston-based energy trading giant, translating complex financial systems into a fast-paced theatrical experience.
Directed by Sophia Watt, the production featured a cast of Rice faculty (including Christina Keefe, Weston Twardowski, Rob Kimbro and Kyle Clark) and student performers. Their performances brought both urgency and nuance to a story that remains deeply tied to Houston’s identity as an energy capital.
Following the reading, a panel examined how the legacy of Enron continues to shape today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape. Moderated by Rice professor of history Randal Hall, the panel featured Sarah Stanford-McIntyre, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Rice anthropology professor Dominic Boyer and professor of civil and environmental engineering Dan Cohan.
The event highlighted Rice’s interdisciplinary approach to understanding global issues using the arts as a lens to explore the economic, environmental and societal forces shaping the world today.
