Audience Talkback

Audience-Reading Best Practices

 

• Welcome and thank the audience for coming.
   

• Introduce playwright, actors, director.
   

• Introduce the play.
   

• Set expectations for the audience.
   

  • Explain where the play is in the development process

  • “Today we are here for the benefit of the playwright,” i.e. "This is the first time Kelsey is hearing this play from beginning to end, here is her email..."

  • Describe the specific feedback the playwright is seeking from the audience:
     

• • All and any (in person or via email) 

  • General reactions

  • Specific reactions

  • Images that remain with the audience from the story: Readback lines, images, theatricality, etc. 
     

• Place playwright’s email address in the chat and encourages the audience to forward their written notes or thoughts that arise after the reading.
   

• Hand off to the stage-directions reader, who begins the reading.
   

• Post-curtain, thank the actors and audience and invite the audience and actors to remain for a talkback 
   

• 5-minute break
   

• Introduce talkback. 
   

• Begin questions:
   

  • Actor feedback

  • Big picture: What was meaningful to you about this play?

  • Images that remain with the audience from the story:
     

    • Verbal

    • Visual

    • Theatrical

    • Aural

    • Emotional

    • Other
       

• Things that worked well
   

• Where the play is less resonant
   

• How is this play successful in meeting its objectives? (Refer back to playwright’s questions stated at the beginning.)
   

• How is this play NOT successful in meeting its objectives?
   

• What inspired you to focus this play on these particular characters in this particular place? 
   

• What resonates for you? In what ways was it meaningful to you? 
   

• Possible follow ups:
   

  • What was stimulating? 

  • Surprising? 

  • Evocative? 

  • Memorable? 

  • Touching? 

  • Challenging? 

  • Compelling? 

  • Delightful? 

  • Different or unique?

• To you, what is the story being told in this play? 
   

• What interests you about these people?
   

• What interests you about their circumstances?
   

• Did you understand the way they communicate?
   

• Did you remain engaged throughout the play? 
   

• "If you love this play, we want to know what we need to get it produced"
   

• In Conclusion: Thank audience for coming, and share the playwright's email with them again.