Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change

This report from the field describes some of the author’s methods of audience engagement as a means of social engagement, discussing the implications for practice. The report invites dialogue with the reader about the usefulness of audience engagement and ways it can be manifested before, during an...

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Main Author: Jessica Litwak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Saskatchewan 2019-06-01
Series:Engaged Scholar Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://esj.usask.ca/index.php/esj/article/view/68351
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author Jessica Litwak
author_facet Jessica Litwak
author_sort Jessica Litwak
collection DOAJ
description This report from the field describes some of the author’s methods of audience engagement as a means of social engagement, discussing the implications for practice. The report invites dialogue with the reader about the usefulness of audience engagement and ways it can be manifested before, during and after performance. Theatre is a vibrant and valuable tool for sparking dialogue and inspiring action around challenging social topics. Audiences who are engaged in the process of the performance beyond the standard role of passive spectator are more likely to be motivated to deliverable endeavors post performance. This report from the field offers four brief case studies as examples of audience engagement and includes pragmatic techniques for using theatre as a vehicle for personal and social change through audience engagement. It explores how artists can galvanize and empower audiences by creating experiential communities pre, during, and post-show. Drawing upon examples from high-quality international theatre projects written and directed by the author, the essay investigates and describes the work of The H.E.A.T. Collective including My Heart is in the East (U.S., U.K. and Europe), The FEAR Project (produced in the US, India and Czech Republic), Emma Goldman Day (U.S.).
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spelling doaj.art-14756a443e1c425da168a8baa00ec8a02023-09-26T23:11:24ZengUniversity of SaskatchewanEngaged Scholar Journal2369-11902368-416X2019-06-015210.15402/esj.v5i2.68351Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social ChangeJessica Litwak This report from the field describes some of the author’s methods of audience engagement as a means of social engagement, discussing the implications for practice. The report invites dialogue with the reader about the usefulness of audience engagement and ways it can be manifested before, during and after performance. Theatre is a vibrant and valuable tool for sparking dialogue and inspiring action around challenging social topics. Audiences who are engaged in the process of the performance beyond the standard role of passive spectator are more likely to be motivated to deliverable endeavors post performance. This report from the field offers four brief case studies as examples of audience engagement and includes pragmatic techniques for using theatre as a vehicle for personal and social change through audience engagement. It explores how artists can galvanize and empower audiences by creating experiential communities pre, during, and post-show. Drawing upon examples from high-quality international theatre projects written and directed by the author, the essay investigates and describes the work of The H.E.A.T. Collective including My Heart is in the East (U.S., U.K. and Europe), The FEAR Project (produced in the US, India and Czech Republic), Emma Goldman Day (U.S.). https://esj.usask.ca/index.php/esj/article/view/68351Theatrecreative leadershipaudience engagementsocial changeparticipatory artexpressive arts
spellingShingle Jessica Litwak
Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
Engaged Scholar Journal
Theatre
creative leadership
audience engagement
social change
participatory art
expressive arts
title Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
title_full Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
title_fullStr Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
title_full_unstemmed Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
title_short Audience Engagement in Theatre for Social Change
title_sort audience engagement in theatre for social change
topic Theatre
creative leadership
audience engagement
social change
participatory art
expressive arts
url https://esj.usask.ca/index.php/esj/article/view/68351
work_keys_str_mv AT jessicalitwak audienceengagementintheatreforsocialchange