Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers, a play co-written by University Professor Geoffrey Cowan (pictured) and former journalism professor Leroy Aarons, will be performed in China Nov. 22 through Dec. 4 (read the press release). Top Secret is an inside look at The Washington Post’s decision to publish the top secret study about America's involvement in the Vietnam War. The play dramatizes a landmark legal battle that goes to the heart of the debate about the nature of democracy in America. "Freedom of the press is a value that Westerners often take for granted," according to a Los Angeles Times article about the play. "But in China, where the state controls much if not all of the national media, the power of the press is something that can be perceived as threatening and dangerous." Cowan, also the director of USC Annenberg's Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, said docu-dramas offer audiences a unique way to understand their own world as well as the lives of those who lived before them. “Dramas based on fact have a long and proud tradition in Western Culture – the most famous bard of the genre was William Shakespeare," Cowan said. The play, delivered by L.A. Theatre Works, has scheduled performances in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. Accompanied by Cowan, there will also be workshops and panel discussions with participation from China’s leading law and journalism schools, as well as with the general public. “Top Secret is a gripping story with all the elements of great drama. It has heroes, villains, lots of action, suspense and even humor. But it also depicts a pivotal moment in American history and in journalism,” said L.A. Theatre Works producing artistic director Susan Loewenberg. Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers Los Angeles Times article Press release