Through our recent research with Theater & Policy Salon, a member of our Incubator for Creative Impact, it seems that audiences in the Washington, D.C. metro area are becoming increasingly interested in hard-hitting topical plays. Whether it is because of the urgency of this moment in U.S. and global politics due to rising nationalist sentiments or antiracist movements, our research unearthed the potential for the political to not only come center stage but to become the center of an experience which navigates the intersections of fiction and fact as themes from the play are explored by experts and creatives at post-show talk-backs.
Read more about the pilot project here.
To measure the impact of the experience and the audience’s interest in the content, we developed a modified tool based on the Aesthetics Perspectives Framework. Developed by Animating Democracy, it’s a framework designed to enhance understanding and evaluation of creative work at the intersection of arts and civic engagement, community development, and justice.
When surveyed, attendees demonstrated a real hunger and appreciation for events that allowed them to engage with and explore political content in these theatrical settings. Their interests for future experiences and discussions spanned the entire spectrum of political issues - from immigration reform to gun control to abortion.
The success of the pilot program will hopefully spark program growth for our partner as well as increased opportunities for this type of programming in other communities, wherever they may be.