How do we as a community talk about race and class? Get ready to find out, with this one night event, part of Concord Carlisle Adult and Community Education’s (CCACE) “Can We Talk” series.

The Defamation Experience is an interactive production where a defamation lawsuit plays out on stage while the audience acts as the jury. It takes place Wednesday, November 7, at 7 pm in the auditorium at Alcott Elementary School. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling CCACE.

The premise is a civil suit: An African American female business owner is suing a Jewish male real estate developer for defamation. The woman was invited to the home of the man for a potential business project. After the meeting, the developer realizes his family heirloom watch is missing.

After the 75-minute dramatic testimony, the judge leads the audience in a deliberation, and they determine the outcome. Will they find for the defendant or the plaintiff, or will they be undecided? The audience is then invited to stay for a post-show discussion. This is a unique opportunity to discuss race, class, religion and gender, and to explore issues of diversity in our community.

CCACE’s “Can We Talk” is an ongoing series designed to engender productive and respectful discourse here in Concord. The goal is to create opportunities for the community to come together to discuss and learn from what is happening around us. Since 2016, the CCACE Advisory Committee has promoted and hosted two other community forums: Fake News: The Changing Landscape of Journalism in the 21st Century, and Conversations in a Civil Society-Agreeing to Disagree.

More information about this presentation, including a video clip, can be found at defamationtheplay.com.

Get in on the discussion at this exciting event. Tickets are limited; register online at www.concordcarlisleace.org or call 978-318-1432.