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by Jeremy Lewit
photograph by Melanie Grizzel
Roundabout’s new weekly discussion series sets the stage for learning
The Penthouse Lobby at the American Airlines Theatre always opens at seven on performance nights so patrons can escape the bustle of 42nd Street — which can be especially nice on blustery winter evenings. On Tuesday nights, there is now a new reason to stop in on the 5th floor, as some pleasantly surprised early-birds have already discovered: the Roundabout education department’s new "Tuesdays@7" discussion series.
Education Director Margaret Salvante-McCann hopes the new Tuesday talks will encourage patrons to feel welcome to meet people and discuss theatre before the show. "We’re looking to really extend the impact of our productions," she says. The education department has long been doing just that with a number of previously existing programs, of course, many of which focus on providing arts education in local schools. For subscribers, Roundabout’s Theatre-plus programs also include the popular Celebrity Series and a probing Lecture Series. Roundabout has added Tuesdays@7 to augment performances with a spirited chat and question-and-answer session with a Roundabout Teaching Artist. Salvante believes that presenting theatregoers with a forum for communicating with each other and asking questions is important to their experience: "a subscription is not just a ticket," she observes.
So far the events have been a resounding success. Teaching Artist Ray Virta, who facilitated discussions about Harold Pinter’s Betrayal since the weekly program began last November, says he is constantly surprised by the range of reactions he hears and the things people remember about past productions. "Sometimes I forget shows I’ve been in, but they remember lines, actors, their experiences, and they enjoy comparing them. They all have an unconditional love of theatre, and I love getting them to open up, because there is a real depth of involvement and opinions."
"I like to think I’m serving them an apéritif,
a way to heighten expectation."
Before a recent talk Ray was found reviewing his notes in the warmly decorated lobby and preparing a few charming jokes. He said he likes to enrich the audience’s experience by pointing out special things to watch for in the production they are about to see — the resonance of a word in the text or a subtle but important detail in the production design. "I like to think I’m serving them an apéritif, a way to heighten expectation," he chuckles. As the male understudy for Betrayal, he has been intimately involved with the director’s process—a special qualification for the job.
When it’s time to start, Ray suddenly uses his actor’s voice to speak up and get the conversation underway — which feels a little like a verbal guerrilla tactic in the hushed lobby. As he invites the audience to participate by discussing their reactions to Pinter’s dramatic style, he improvises and creates an open atmosphere they seem to enjoy. One subscriber exclaims: "It’s like Papa Hemingway! Few words!" Ray interjects enthusiastically, responding to their insights and criticisms with words like "Exactly!" and "Fantastic!"
He offers to answer any question that arises, and the audience quickly takes him up on it. "Which is more challenging, acting in a Pinter play or in a play where the author gives you more descriptions?" asks one patron. "It’s a more dangerous trip for an actor," Ray responds. "I think it’s more terrifying, because you can’t hide behind anything…By not giving you those details, Pinter is asking you for gut-wrenching honesty. It’s like interpreting music. You have to give yourself to it."
After the house opens and ticket holders begin to head inside to their seats, Ray sticks around to chat with a few participants who want to squeeze in a little more conversation before catching the show. He finds that Roundabout subscribers have a real sense of involvement with the plays, and that their history with past Roundabout seasons is important to their experience—something he always enjoys hearing about. "It’s a rich subject for exploration," he notes. "It’s almost like they’ve come for the next episode in this continuing story about our lives."
The lively discussion that night confirmed his belief that audiences come to the theatre in search of something important. "I think Pinter is trying to let the imagination of the actor come to the forefront," one subscriber observed during a back-and-forth exchange about the author’s work. Roundabout knows that the imagination of the audience is what the theatre is all about, and Tuesdays@7 is another way to ensure that there will always be a place to imagine, together.
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