This volume offers rare insights into the connection between young
audiences and the performing arts. Based on studies of adolescent and
post-adolescent audiences, ages 14 to 25, the book examines to what
extent they are part of our society's cultural conversation. It studies
how these young people read and understand theatrical performance. It
looks at what the educational components in their theatre literacy are,
and what they make of the whole social event of theatre. It studies
their views on the relationship between what they themselves decide and
what others decide for them. The book uses qualitative and quantitative
data collected in a six-year study carried out in the three largest
Australian States, thirteen major performing arts companies, including
the Sydney Opera House, three state theatre companies and three funding
organisations. The book's perspectives are derived from world-wide
literature and company practices and its significance and ramifications
are international. The book is written to be engaging and accessible to
theatre professionals and lay readers interested in theatre, as well as
scholars and researchers. "This extraordinary book thoroughly explains
why young people (ages 14-25+) do and do not attend theatre into
adulthood by delineating how three inter-linked factors (literacy,
confidence, and etiquette) influence their decisions. Given that theatre
happens inside spectators' minds, the authors balance the theatre
equation by focusing upon young spectators and thereby dispel numerous
beliefs held by theatre artists and educators. Each clearly written
chapter engages readers with astute insights and compelling examples of
pertinent responses from young people, teachers, and theatre
professionals. To stem the tide of decreasing theatre attendance, this
highly useful book offers pragmatic strategies for artistic,
educational, and marketing directors, as well as national theatre
organizations and arts councils around the world. I have no doubt that
its brilliantly conceived research, conducted across multiple contexts
in Australia, will make a significant and original contribution to the
profession of theatre on an international scale." Jeanne Klein,
University of Kansas, USA "Young Audiences, Theatre and the Cultural
Conversation is a compelling and comprehensive study on attitudes and
habits of youth theatre audiences by leading international scholars in
the field. This benchmark study offers unique insights by and for
theatre makers and administrators, theatre educators and researchers,
schools, parents, teachers, students, audience members of all ages. A
key strength within the book centers on the emphasis of the participant
voices, particularly the voices of the youth. Youth voices, along with
those of teachers and theatre artists, position the extensive field
research front and center." George Belliveau, The University of British
Columbia, Canada
