ABSTRACT
Sex. How do college students talk about it, especially with partners, without ‘spoiling the mood’ and in a way that isn’t awkward and embarrassing? Facilitating honest conversations with college audiences about sex, boundaries, safety and consent is the focus of Get Sexy, Get Consent,1 a Theatre for Dialogue programme at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). In this essay I examine the complex responsibilities inherent in facilitating interactive theatre programmes, especially when dealing with sensitive personal and interpersonal issues. I propose that training effective facilitators requires an understanding of three key constructs: programme content, interactive intent and facilitator function. Through a case study of Get Sexy, Get Consent, I examine the skills and responsibilities of effective facilitators and argue that when training includes preparation for dealing with content, intent and facilitator function, novice facilitators will be more prepared to respond authentically to a group, going ‘off-script’ as necessary.
