By News Team Tuesday, January 13, 2026
The intersection of art and ethics took center stage this week as the cultural landscape shifted from the digital hallways of Abbott Elementary to the high-tech grief of Broadway’s Marjorie Prime. In a series of deep-dive conversations, industry veterans and rising stars alike grappled with a singular, pressing question: In an era of rapid technological advancement and shifting social norms, how do we preserve our collective humanity?
Gregory Eddie’s New Lesson Plan: Tyler James Williams on Season 5
For Tyler James Williams, the journey from child stardom to becoming the emotional anchor of a hit sitcom has been a masterclass in professional evolution. On Tuesday, Williams joined the conversation to discuss the fifth season of Abbott Elementary, where his character, the meticulous and ever-observant Gregory Eddie, continues to navigate the complexities of the Philadelphia public school system.
Williams, who recently made his directorial debut on the series, noted that Season 5 represents a “leveling up” for the ensemble. “We’ve moved past the initial ‘will-they-won’t-they’ energy between Janine and Gregory and are looking at what it means to actually build a life and a career in a system that is often stacked against you,” Williams explained.
The actor also touched upon the unique challenges of working with a rotating cast of child actors. Williams, having lived the experience himself on Everybody Hates Chris, brings a rare empathy to the set. “It’s about speaking their language,” he said. “They aren’t just props in a classroom; they are young professionals. My goal is always to make sure they leave the set feeling like they’ve actually learned the craft, not just the lines.”
The Ghost in the Machine: June Squibb and Cynthia Nixon in ‘Marjorie Prime’
While Abbott finds its heart in the reality of the present, the Broadway premiere of Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime at the Hayes Theater looks toward a haunting, near-future reality. Starring the legendary June Squibb (fresh off her 96th birthday) alongside Tony winner Cynthia Nixon and Danny Burstein, the play explores the “Senior Serenity” program—a service that provides grieving families with “Primes,” or artificially intelligent holographic companions modeled after deceased loved ones.
Squibb plays Marjorie, a woman whose memory is beginning to fray. To assist her, her son-in-law Jon (Burstein) commissions a Prime of her late husband, Walter (Christopher Lowell), but with a twist: he is programmed to look and act like the man in his 30s, the version Marjorie loved best.
“It raises the question: Are we remembering the person, or are we remembering a curated version of them?” Nixon said during the broadcast. Nixon’s character, Tess, serves as the play’s moral compass and primary skeptic. “Tess is terrified that by letting a robot fill in the gaps of her mother’s memory, they are essentially erasing the real, complicated human being that her father actually was. We are editing our history to make it more palatable.”
The production, which runs through February 15, has struck a chord with 2026 audiences who are currently navigating the real-world rise of “AI Psychosis” and generative avatars. As Squibb’s Marjorie tells her robot husband, “I don’t have to get better. Just keep me from getting worse.” It is a sentiment that encapsulates the desperate, human desire to cling to what we have lost, even if the hand we are holding is made of light and code.
The High Price of Admission: Theater Etiquette in the 2020s
The discussion of “Primes” and programmed behavior naturally segued into the very real—and often unprogrammed—behavior of modern theater audiences. Following a viral video of a physical altercation at a recent production of Mamma Mia!, the industry is facing a reckoning over theater etiquette.
Larry Smiglewski, a Broadway production stage manager who also holds a degree as a marriage and family therapist, provided a unique perspective on the “etiquette crisis.” Smiglewski argues that the breakdown in decorum isn’t just about cell phones or loud talking—it’s a symptom of a post-pandemic struggle with shared spaces.
“We’ve forgotten how to be in a room together,” Smiglewski observed. “Theater is a contract. You agree to be silent and receptive, and the actors agree to give you their souls. When that contract is broken by someone filming or shouting, it triggers a fight-or-flight response in the rest of the audience.”
Smiglewski urged for a “de-escalation first” approach, emphasizing compassion even in the face of bad behavior. “Often, the person being ‘disruptive’ doesn’t realize the impact they’re having. They’re used to the living room experience. But as a community, we have to protect the sanctity of the performance without turning the theater into a battleground.”
The HawtPlates: Bringing the ‘Dream Feed’ to Life
Closing out the day’s cultural survey was a live performance from the Bronx-born family band, The HawtPlates. Comprised of Justin Hicks, his sister Jade Hicks, and his wife, Tony nominee Kenita Miller-Hicks, the trio performed selections from their new work, Dream Feed.
Currently playing at the HERE Arts Center as part of the Under the Radar Festival through January 25, Dream Feed is described as an “electro-acoustic vocal work” that explores the shared subconscious. Using only their voices and minimal electronic loops, the group creates a soundscape that Justin Hicks describes as a “family heirloom.”
“We grew up in a one-bedroom apartment,” Justin shared. “When you live that close, your dreams start to bleed into each other. This show is about that shared mental space.” Their performance in the studio provided a stark, beautiful contrast to the AI themes of Marjorie Prime—a reminder that while machines can mimic a voice, they cannot yet replicate the resonance of family bloodlines singing in harmony.