With conVERGEnce, Verge Theater Company Imagines a More Equitable Theater Industry The online discussion series continues on March 15 Tweet
Lisa Troi Thomas, Daniel Jones and Beth Thielman
A play ends. The lights come on. Spectators gather their belongings. And then, a crew member brings several chairs onstage, and the actors and director come walking out.
Shit, you think.
Can I get out of here without anyone noticing?
You’ve just entered a talkback the post-play discussion that you never asked for, but nonetheless keeps happening.
Tessa Bryant has worked on multiple programming teams and has orchestrated many such after-show discussions. “Talkbacks are almost universally terrible,” Bryant says. She doesn’t blame the programmers, the actors or the play. “The format doesn’t give people much, and I think it’s because we weren’t able to focus on those topics.”