"You must choose...but choose wisely..."

Audiences who attend the upcoming Broadway premiere of David Mamet's "Oleanna" will get to stay after class during preview performances. This show premiered off-Broadway in 1992 and had audiences buzzing (for a brief synopsis and history, click here). For this production, the producers have invited special guests (including former NYC mayor, David Dinkins) to be on a discussion panel while the audience "takes a side" and the panel debates the act of sexual harassment as it pertains to the central conflict of this show. Mamet's ending is ambiguous and audiences are, essentially, forced to draw their own conclusion. So, the producers are providing a forum immediately following the performance to do just that. The show is fresh in their minds and they can witness and participate in a moderated discussion with these panelists.

I think that this is what great theatre is supposed to do. Provocative theatre often holds a mirror up to society. Cliche, but true. And even though this show was written in the early 90s, the issue is still very much a part of our culture. If you've ever worked for a corporate employer (or any employer that wants protection from frivolous lawsuits), you've been to those "mandatory seminars" that show cheesy videos about "appropriate behavior in the workplace." These post-show panels are great way to not only discuss what you think happened in the show, but to discuss the issue itself--the history, the effects, and the future. Plus, from a producer's perspective, this is a great incentive to get audiences to the less-attended preview performances.

Keep in mind, although the show did well in its LA stint, I don't know how it will be received here yet (Previews have not even started. So, it's kind of impossible to know). But, just the idea of being able to debate what you think is right or wrong, based on the information you received in the play, is a fantastic addition to the theatrical experience.

Now, I don't think this business model can be used for every show. I mean, shows like "Mary Poppins" would not illicit the same kind of discussion or debate. Although, I am curious about one minor detail. Where the hell did she come from? And where the hell did she go at the end? What, she just drops out of the sky, whips those brats into shape with a bunch of sugar (which is so bad for them, by the way--it kind of negates the "medicine," don't you think???), and then opens her umbrella and flys away? Where's she going?

I guess there are some mysteries we'll never solve.