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These performing arts audiences are generally more challenged—aesthetically, affectively and cognitively—in their reception and interpretation of live performance. Also, due to the inherent nature of shared presence in live performance, the potential exists for authentic, meaningful interactions between performers and spectators in a way that is not possible in most media-based performance forms.
A curriculum theory of audience in performance (AIP) involves an increased awareness of the presence, attention and witnessing activities of live audience, as revealed in aesthetic philosophy. Performance the-ory sees the alienation, commodification, and dispersement of contemporary AIP, but also recognizes the potential for resistance, collaboration, participation, and shared memory and meaning making with performance. AIP theory consists of three parts: preperformance (preparatory/predictive), performance (attentive/interpretive), and postperformance (reflective/evaluative). The role and function of AIP is akin to that of choruses in Ancient Greek theatre, occupying the liminal space between audience and performance. AIP students prepare for performance as artists do, through the art form itself, and whenever possible in concert with performers. AIP theory, also called pedagogy of the spectator, has six key characteristics: aesthetic, improvisatory, performative, critical, political and social.
Successful implementation of AIP theory into curriculum in the worlds of education and performance requires a greater understanding of performance by educators and of education by performers. It requires the placing performance studies into educational practice to enhance and improve student/teacher spectatorship of both culture and curriculum. The essays and poems presented here are reflections of my own deeply held love of theatregoing and the pedagogical efforts I have made to instill a similar love in the secondary and postsecondary students whom I have had the pleasure to teach, and with whom I have enjoyed many nights at the theatre.