Assistant Director Tyler Greene discusses the talkback/post-show conversation in the context of SWEET TEA.
In recent years, the post-performance dialogue has begun to materialize as an extraordinarily useful tool for bridging the gap between what happens on stage and off. Four years ago, I had the distinct pleasure of working as an Artistic intern at Steppenwolf Theatre. At that time, Steppenwolf set out to create a Public Square and began to offer discussions following each performance. Two years later, I had the equally distinct pleasure of working as an Artistic Resident at Long Wharf Theatre in Connecticut. They too were piloting dialogue-based programming and, in fact, part of my job was to lead discussions following every performance. These experiences ingrained within me a desire to connect beyond what we say on stage. What I find most compelling about theatre is, of course, the event itself but inherent in that is also a unique opportunity for connection. When the house lights come up, unlike other modes of expression, both artist and audience breathe the same air, share the same space. These discussions help us to connect our disparate experiences at that crucial moment immediately following an art experience.
For our next production SWEET TEA, About Face Theatre has partnered in co-sponsorship with the Ellen Stone-Bellic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media, an organization committed in many ways to conversation and dialogue. This partnership is exciting for a myriad of reasons, particularly in the sense that it presents an extraordinarily fine opportunity for the Institute to continue the work that they do while we continue to honor the theatre’s commitment to post-performance dialogue. As a theatre dedicated to ‘advancing the national dialogue on gender and sexuality’ across the nation, it is artistically vital that we offer a forum for our audiences. This forum exists already in our blog and various social media avenues. It is our hope that the existence of this forum every night will enhance our audiences theatre-going experience. Jane Saks and the wonderful folks at the Institute have organized a series of panel discussions featuring a wide range of scholars, community leaders and artists. These discussions will occur once or twice a week for the duration of the regular run. At AFT, we are also interested in offering general conversations on each performance night where we are not featuring a panelist discussion. These in our mind provide the aforementioned public forum. It is my hope that these efforts appeal to our audiences and that each and every one of you will join us in the conversation.
Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar will post a special guest blog next week with her comments on this topic. Look for that!
Photo courtesy of www.chesapeake.edu.
