ABSTRACT
It is important to stress that Dani Snyder-Young’s theorization of “Black experience” is tied to a broader “society”, which, in the United States, is historically and contemporarily organized by White supremacy. When research-based theatre productions like The Green Duck Lounge seek to educate audiences about local histories and prioritize Black experience within a predominantly White institutional space, artists need to know how spectators experience the performance. Following the work of Snyder-Young, this chapter focuses on post-performance talkbacks – common events within the broader performance context – and uses discourse analysis to study the talk that flows among moderators, panelists, and general audience members. However, because all discourse analysis rests upon the shared, cultural knowledge through which communication is made meaningful, it is first important to know more about the University of Missouri, the plot of The Green Duck Lounge, and the talkbacks.
