A night at the theater for most is seen as a fanciful event of entertainment and leisure. This is how it should feel for actors too, with an added element. Being an audience member can be just as much of a learning experience as performing, and it should be held with the same importance. Here’s some tips on how to re-imagine your theater viewing experience into your own personal field research!

Peruse the programs and Playbills

A little light reading never hurt anyone! View the quality of headshots, details of the actor’s bios, and specific responsibilities of the cast members, as well as how many people are booked behind the scenes (swings, standbys, etc.).

Tips:

• Read the actor’s previous credits; notice the type of roles they play, the theaters they’ve worked at, and if they have done film/TV work

• Look at the schools or conservatories, if any, that the actors attended and notice if there isa trend in the institutions or if there is a mixed bunch

• Scan the cast list and clock if there are actors with specific leadership roles within the

production (ex. dance captain, fight captain, etc.)

Consider if this is a show that you could be in

Watch productions with yourself as a performer in mind and consider if you could honestly be in this show or not. If the answer is yes, figure out where exactly you would fit into the world of the show.

Tips:

• Take note of the skill sets required to be in this show (strong dancer, specific voice style, instrument playing, etc.)

• Go back to the program or Playbill and look specifically for the actor(s) portraying the role(s) you see yourself in. See what other roles they’ve played and if that aligns with you as well

• Consider learning a song from this show or adding an adjacent song to your book when an audition arises

  
  

Get specific on what you enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy)

Being an audience member is one of the best ways to flesh out and deepen your understanding of your personal taste in theater, as well as what you think works or doesn’t in specific instances, through the show itself and the performances given by the actors.

Tips:

• If there is a particular aspect of an actor’s performance that you enjoyed, try it on yourself and discover how you could implement that into your own practice

• Think about the show itself critically and keep a mental note as to what worked for you, what didn’t, and why; would you want to see another production of this show?

• Engage in a meaningful discussion about the show with someone else, ideally the person you saw the show with

  
  

Immersing yourself in the arts as an audience member is equally important as being the one performing. Aside from what has already been said about using the viewing experience to your artistic advantage, this is also the perfect time to appreciate the aspects of theatre that you can’t fully appreciate when performing, such as certain technical designs that look their best from the house. Every outing to the theater can be a learning opportunity if you let it!