The Audience: The Most Critical Part of Live Theatre

I enjoyed MBS Production's Theatre of Death so much that I asked Mark-Brian Sonna, the Producer, if I could see it again, and he graciously consented.  However, I wasn't as entertained by the work as I was the first time.  What was the reason for this?  The performances were just as riveting—both from a comic and dramatic standpoint.  The playlets were still marvelously crafted.  Why then did I think I was watching a totally different production?  (The audience, that's why.)

The audience is an integral part of any theatrical experience—some say the most important.  Theatre Three's mission statement begins "To celebrate the three ingredients without which there is no theatre art; the authors, the actors, and the audience."  [Emphasis theirs.]  Every audience has a unique and distinct personality--just like a human being.  This personality is determined early on.  It is fairly easy to discern this personality early during the performance.  An inattentive audience can be spotted by their trademark behavior:  conversation during pauses in the production rather than paying attention; reading programs during the performance; and sitting in an relaxed, unfocused manner.  This behavior was on display at last night's performance of Theatre of Death in copious amounts.  Thus lines that got huge laughs when I first saw the show received minor chuckles and the dramatic moments fell flat.

On the other hand, the audience at Dallas at opening night of Dallas Summer Musicals' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a raucous fellow who delighted in the raunchy double entendres and the schoolboy humor.  This audience was doing more than enjoying Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  It had been subjected to a media blitz about what an outrageously funny show they were about to see.  In addition to enjoying the show, they were congratulating themselves for appreciating the way the way they were meant to.

Please keep in mind that there is a difference between inattentiveness and no reaction.  Sometimes, an audience is so engrossed in a production that they are taking in the action so carefully so they don't miss a single thing.  Recently, I attended a production of Frozen at Theatre Three.The audience barely uttered a sound during this intense drama, but gave it prolonged applause after both acts.  Performers understand and can relate to this rapt attention by an audience.  They can also fathom when they're not getting their message across.

What do artists do when they're not connecting with their audience?  I'm certain it must be difficult.  I was a member of Toastmasters International for several years and delivered dozens of speeches, many of them entertaining ones.  When one audience failed to laugh at a joke, I just went on with my material as if nothing had happened.  Early on, I learned on that you can't force a specific reaction from an audience, just like you can't demand a person act a certain way.  I imagine actors follow the same path.  Rather than force an uncooperative audience to participate in the entertainment, all performers can do is do is to fulfill their role as artists and simply hope the next audience has a personality which is open to their message.

You may want to keep some of this in mind the next time you go to the theatre.  Remember, the quality of a production is dependent upon many things, and a major component is the personality of the audience.  If you want a top-notch theatrical experience, then you have to do your part and ensure the audience responds to the work appropriately.

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