Discussions & Forums

Jennifer Rohn and Nathan Malin in . Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

To deepen our audiences’ experience of our productions, we offer post-show conversations and additional resources for those looking to engage further in the material. For each production, we offer a series of panels specifically designed to fit the themes of each show.

Over the past year, Speakeasy produced a number of panels virtually, engaging academics, artists, and community experts in digital conversation. A selection of those panels can be accessed below.

“2020: Black & Male in America – a Conversation Continued”

A reprise of the conversation originally held in January 2020 in response to SpeakEasy and Front Porch Art Collective’s co-production of PASS OVER by Antoinette Nwandu. Following the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, we decided to present further discussion on the topic of what it truly means to be a black man in our country today. Watch here.

“2020: Emerging Theatre Leaders of Boston”

As the theatre industry makes major shifts in response to the Coronavirus epidemic and the Movement for Black Lives, millennials and Gen-Z are on the frontlines of bolstering justice and equity within our field. Inspired by their work, SpeakEasy invited a selection of emerging theatre leaders for a discussion about Boston’s arts and culture scene. Watch here.

“Learning the Impact of Language”

To supplement SpeakEasy’s virtual production of The Pink Unicorn by Elise M. Forier, writer, coach, and preacher Taj M. Smith assembled members of the trans community to share their insights about their experiences, their views on language, and their responses to the play. Watch here.

“Finding Black Joy in 2021”

In response to our virtual production of TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever by James Ijames, WBUR’s Cristela Guerra hosted a conversation with the piece’s directors and some of the actors to discuss the intersections of race, gender, social justice, and theatre, and how to navigate that as a woman of color in 2021. Watch here.

Additionally, throughout 2020 and 2021, SpeakEasy hosted a weekly Play Discussion Club, where community members had the opportunity to read scripts and then gather via Zoom for a moderated discussion. Often, the playwrights or other artists involved with the pieces would join for the conversation. Over 14 months, members of our Play Discussion Club read and discussed 35 plays. As future discussions are scheduled, the dates and topics of these programs and panels will be listed here.

If you have any questions about this programming, or are interested in hosting a panel at SpeakEasy Stage Company, please contact our Community Programs & Events Manager Alex Lonati.