ABSTRACT
For many, a good discussion question is simply one that gets people talking. This is not a ridiculous criterion; community engagement of any kind is a rare commodity in the professional theatre, and one to be highly valued. But as we work toward more sophisticated engagement around our productions, it is worth asking what we hope our audiences will talk about and for what purpose. Bad post-show discussions fall into one of two categories: either they are insufficiently structured by the dramaturg – or whoever is leading them – and so susceptible to being taken over by audience members eager to share their own responses indiscriminately; or they are organized around a panel of experts who have a great deal to say about a given theme or content area but nothing whatsoever to say about the production. There are, in fact, appropriate situations for each of these types of discussions, but they arise much more infrequently than the discussions themselves would suggest. It is incumbent upon the dramaturg, first of all, to ask what or who the discussion is for. The answer to this question will inform what questions are asked and how the success of the discussion is assessed.
