This Place Called America

By Helgard Haug / Daniel Wetzel

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, American Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
09.10.2023

Daniel and Helgard spent a morning with the students of Professor Michelle Robinson’s AMST 101: This Place Called America. Professor Robinson described the class as a multidisciplinary examination of American Culture, focused on (in the words of fellow American Studies professor Dan Cobb) “the many and often times conflicting ways in which “America” manifests as a lived experience.” Given that 100% The Triangle aimed to depict what life is truly like in the region, this class and the performance were a well-made match.  In addition to teaching the students about their 100% City project, Daniel and Helgard also shared about their larger practice, walking the class through previous and current works, discussing themes, and taking questions. This class visit occurred during the week leading up to performances of 100% The Triangle, and the show was still a few participants shy of the 100 needed to fully represent the region. A handful of students from AMST 101 expressed interest in participating in the show, and two of them ended up joining the cast by the end of the week.