Examples of What Dramaturgs Do - Part 4C - Media Packets - Talk-back Guide

In general, a talk-back guide is for immediately after a show. The cast and crew may hold the talk-back. The director may hold the talk-back or an invited guest may hold the talk-back. The way it starts is usually that at least one of the people holding the talk back will say a few things about the play and how it relates to things today or in the person's profession or personal life. It may be about why the play was chosen. Afterwards, talk-backs continue in different ways. In some talk-backs, it is opened up for audience questions. In other talk-backs, the people holding the talk-back may ask the audience questions. These usually come from the talk-back guide.

If there is an invited guest or if the director or the dramaturg is holding the talk-back, the cast and crew may not know the questions and they may be included in a dialogue with the audience when it comes to considering the answers. If there isn't a talk-back guide may be given to teachers to use with their classes after they see the performance.

The talk-back guide is a list of statements for comments or a list of questions to be answered. Since I've been working with The Crucible, I'll continue using that as an example at the moment. Here is a short example of a talk-back guide for this play. There would usually be more questions (a;though, it does depend on the theatre, the director, the person leading the talk-back, and more), but a good amount is usually about one page. The points or questions should take the audience into consideration. If you were doing this play exclusively for high school students, you wouldn't ask about the issues of voting because they don't yet vote.

The Crucible Talk Back Guide Example

• The Puritans believed in predestination. What does that mean? Is that still practiced today?
• Are there any codes of ethics used anywhere today that remind you of the code used in The Crucible
• Danforth is a representative of the state government? Is he fair? What about your representatives?
• In The Crucible the forest personifies the devil. Is there any place in your town that is used to personify a myth?