Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music reimagines American songbook at Berliner Festspiele

Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music, a four-part theatrical production spanning 246 songs from 1776 to present, premiered at Berliner Festspiele. The performance, which runs for 24 hours total across four six-hour shows, features over 100 performers and audience participation. Mac, who uses the pronoun judy, received a 2017 MacArthur Genius Grant for such experimental theater. Costumes were designed by long-time collaborator Machine Dazzle. The October performance attracted over 500 attendees, with audience members engaging in activities like throwing ping-pong balls to symbolize conflict. Songs ranged from spirituals and Civil War-era tunes to Charles K. Harris's 1891 waltz After the Ball, reinterpreted with queer subtext. A 2006 Edinburgh Fringe show, The Be(A)st of Taylor Mac, previously showcased Mac's intimate style on politics and sex. In December 2019, Mac was named first artist-in-residence for WNET's All Arts streaming platform. The Berlin production faced cultural friction when audience members insisted on assigned seating despite Mac's encouragement to sit freely.