Creating your own post-play discussions

After nearly every performance, SCT artists return to the stage for a post-play discussion with the audience. They ask audience members about elements of the play, like the effect of parts of the musical score or whether they identify with any characters in the play, and also take audience questions. It is a valuable part of the SCT experience as it helps kids, and adults for that matter, make more personal connections to the material.

And the discussion doesn't have to, and dare we say shouldn't, stop when you leave the theatre. This article from the National Endowment for the Arts, which talks about dramatic play for children, offers some great suggestions for discussion points for your family after seeing a play:

- A good story. Theatre for young audiences today is wide-ranging, offering plays on subjects from traditional fairy tales to current events. Whatever the topic, a good production will clarify its subject. Did you learn something new or gain a new insight through the play?

- Credible characters. A “willing suspension of disbelief” is necessary for viewing theatre, but the characters should be plausible. Did actions seem totally out-of-character for someone in the play? If so, did you lose interest in the drama?

- Excellent performance skills (acting, dance, music, and any other skills called for such as juggling, fencing, etc.). Do these skills support the development of character? Are they at a level befitting the expectations of the actors, both in terms of the amateur or professional status of the company, and the actions of the characters?

- Effective visual elements. Do scenery, costumes, and lighting transport you to the place and time of the play? Are they visually engaging? In cases where scenery and lighting are minimal or absent, did the production stimulate your imagination in other effective ways?

- Challenging ideas. A good script can provoke thought, bring new ideas to light, perhaps help you look at a facet of life in a new or different way. Ask your child what he or she got from a performance. Try open-ended questions such as: What did you see on the stage? What was a particular character trying to do? What happened at the very beginning?

- Insight into other cultures. Theater can take us in time and place to other communities and cultures. Did the production help you learn about cultural or ethnic traditions?

- Strong emotional response and involvement in the plot. Were you moved by the action of the play? While emotions can’t always be verbalized, a discussion with your child about his or her feelings about what happened can benefit both of you.


Of course, it doesn't have to be anything so formal. Simple questions like "What did you like about the play?" or "Who was your favorite character?" on the car ride home can get the discussion rolling.

The ability to forge connections between people is one of the great strengths of theatre arts, and with a little encouragement it can start some great conversations with your kids. And that makes for a more enriching experience all the way around.