Participatory theatre

Performances that asked the audience to join in, whether it was to take off one's clothes at a Living Theatre production or to come on stage and have some wine with the cast of Godspell, were expected occurrences beginning in the 1960s. But two decades later a unique genre of participatory theatre developed and, in a few cases, found success. The first and most elaborate of these was Tamara (1987), an intricately plotted tale set in an Italian mansion in which audience members chose which characters they were interested in, following certain actors into certain rooms where the story would continue in pieces and they would see different aspects of the same story. Part of the evening involved a multicourse gourmet dinner with selected characters. Indeed, food seems to be the common link in all the successful participatory programs. The longest‐running such show was Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding (1988), in which the audience attended the church service and then the reception of a fictitious Italian wedding. When the same idea was tried with the Jewish Grandma Sylvia's Funeral (1995) and the Irish wake Finnegan's Farewell (1999), the result was much less popular. Another long‐running example of the genre is Late Nite Catechism (2000), in which the audience becomes members of a religious education class and are quizzed (and scolded) by the nun who is teaching them. The Angel Project (2003) even took its audience to different locations in New York City to tell its tale. Also, murder‐mystery performances, in which the audience participates in discovering the identity of the culprit, have become very popular regionally. Participatory theatre may be a minor genre but one that is likely to continue for some time.

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Participatory theatre is a form of theatre in which the audience interacts with the performers or the presenters. Classroom exercises often include elements of participatory theatre.

In the United States, avant-garde organizations invite audience members to the stage. Often, performers would socialize with audience members before the show while seating them. Then, they would surprise these members by inviting them to the stage.

References

• Gerald Bordman, Thomas S. Hischak (eds).: The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, 3rd edn., Oxford University Press 2004, ISBN 978-0195169867

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