A GW Law Professor made his stage debut in New York City's Public Theater this August—but not as an actor. Daniel J. Solove, John Marshall Harlan Research Professor of Law, was written as a character in the show "Privacy," starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame.
The play, by Olivier-nominated playwright James Graham and director Josie Rourke, "explores our complicated relationship with technology and data through the funny and heartbreaking travails of one lonely guy arriving in the city to figure out how to like, tag, and share his life without giving it all away." To put it together, Mr. Graham interviewed dozens of journalists, politicians, and academics, Professor Solove among them.
The New York Times review of the show explains that actors playing Professor Solove, Sherry Turkle of MIT, and Jill Lepore of Harvard appear to debate "the pros and cons of virtual communality." Each of these academics is a recognized commentator in the field. Professor Solove specifically has lectured around the world about privacy law, spoken to the media in several hundred articles and broadcasts, and written numerous books on the topic.
"I’m truly honored and excited to be a character in a play. It wasn’t something I ever expected, and is quite a neat thing to have happen," he said.