Roundabout Theatre Talks

[vikingstuff]

Has anybody gone to one of these? The site is pretty vague on what it consists of, and I'm considering going to one for Cabaret. Any experiences? Thanks.

[dramamama611]

They can be great. You never know who will come out for the discussion (actors, techies, etc) but the talk back is usually guided by audience questions.

The only parts that aren't great is when an audience member really only wants to show how brilliant and complex they are.


(Wow, edited for lots of typos...sorry!)

[haterobics]

Not related to Roundabout, but my favorite talkback ever was in San Francisco with Clybourne Park, before it was even on Broadway, and the artistic director or somebody associated with the theatre said something like "We really debated bringing the show here and whether our audience would be able to appreciate it in all its complexity."

As you can imagine, the entire talkback became about what was so complex that SF audiences wouldn't be able to appreciate, with even the actors jumping in to say they didn't understand that concern at all.

You could tell that person never wanted to lead another talkback ever after that one.

[FishermanBob]

It's funny you mention Clybourne Park. I saw it on Broadway on a Sunday and they happened to be having a talkback after the show which I stayed for. Pam MacKinnon, the director and I think 5 of the actors came out. With the exception of Pam and 1 of the actors, I have never seen a group of people that looked like they would rather be just about any place else than those folks.

[dramamama611]

^Aw, that's a shame. I've always been impressed with the amount of enthusiasm and generosity of those that participate.

I seem to get very lucky with these...just in the last 3 months, I happen to have been at performances with talkbacks: Casa Valentina, Velocity of Autumn (OK, I could have done without that one.) and The Tempest (at the ART). I think my favorite, however, was a talkback at The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

[Alix]

I've gone to two of the Cabaret talkbacks. The first was part of the Lecture Series, the second was part of the Celebrity Series...there isn't much distinction between the two, from what I can tell. Both were led by the same Roundabout Education guy and started with a brief history of Cabaret, which was interrupted when the participating actors came back onstage after getting changed (the first one I went to was with Linda Emond and Danny Burstein, the second was with four of the Kit Kat boys and girls). Then the Education guy briefly interviewed the actors and took questions from the audience. Both were a little over half an hour, I think, and were pretty loose. Seems like the Theatre Talks might be somewhat different since they happen in the lobby before the show, while the two I saw happen on the stage right after the show ends (anyone staying is invited to move to a closer seat). There are some transcripts from past talks on their websites, if you're interested. Hope that helps!

http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Theatre-Plus-Events/Lecture-Series.aspx

[furry_bean915]

I went to the one last weekend for Violet. I believe it was a Celebrity talk back, but it was really just who ever came out after the show. Initially, a producer (I thing) told everyone about the production such as the background and the history behind the show and how it got to Broadway. Then the audience was given 15minutes to ask questions, and the ensemble members came and sat on the stage.

And I believe the Theatre Talks series occurs before the show and just describes the background and a little bit of the history of the show, if I remember correctly from seeing The People in the Picture.