Daily Stream: Gloria: A Life

To celebrate the centennial of women's right to vote in the US, PBS has launched the summer series Trailblazers: A Century of Extraordinary Women, offering programs that highlight female contributions to American society and the continued fight for gender equality. Through July 26, the featured stream is a moving portrait of one of the most influential champions of women's rights and a timely illustration of how the political starts with the personal: the Great Performances presentation of Emily Mann's Gloria: A Life, a portrait of feminist icon and Toledo native Gloria Steinem that debuted Off Broadway under the direction of Tony winner Diane Paulus in October 2018. 

The extraordinary Christine Lahti makes a perfect Steinem stand-in. Walking onto a rug-covered performance area that's set up as if a talking circle is about to take place, she spends over an hour sharing Steinem's significant life experiences. What she endured during her brief tenure as a Playboy Bunny is covered, along with the aftermath of her exposé about it being published, the days of being trolled at Ms. Magazine by Screw magazine publisher Al Goldstein, her inspiring relationship with outspoken New York Congresswoman and feminist icon Bella Abzug, and Steinem's more fraught relationship with her own mother. Joanna Glushak, Patrena Murray, and DeLanna Studi are among the versatile supporting players, seamlessly filling multiple roles as bosses, coworkers, friends, family, and fellow activists.

In the context of this historic moment, as allies from unexpected places rise up to represent for racial justice and performative wokeness remains a constant challenge, one of the most compelling aspects of this stellar production is summed up by a single line from Lahti: "The hardest part of waking up is the humiliation of seeing our own complicities." In the play, Steinem is candid about the injustices she could only recognize through time and experience—some not until well into adulthood. Here is the white female face of US political activism essentially saying, It's OK, I didn't always get it, either.

The other part of Gloria: A Life that makes it a must is Steinem herself. For Act Two of this performance, she shows up to start the talking circle that the set promised from the beginning. Steinem prompts those in the audience to share the unique stories and life lessons only they can contribute, highlighting how every movement is informed and made stronger by the experiences of the individuals who take part.

Watch the Great Performances presentation of Gloria: A Life on PBS.org.