Know Fear: The Culture of Fear in Community Conversations

Penelope Meredyk et al.
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:00 PDT

Know Fear is a verbatim theatre show and community conversation. The show is a word-for-word compilation of responses from in-depth and "on the street" interviews conducted by the producers both in the local Missoula community and globally. Each interview focused on fear and how it affects individuals personally and collectively. Fear is one of the few universal biological experiences for all living things. It influences how we relate to each other and how we present socially. When our fear responses are consistently activated, communities experience decreased social trust and increased conflict. Know Fear is an outlet for individuals to share their vulnerabilities with others without stigmatization. Additionally, it uses storytelling to inspire empathy within the audience. We hope the show creates a ripple effect of shared understanding amongst each other.