It was so cool to see everything we have spent so much time on finally come alive.  I have found the over-all audience reaction to be positive, and thought provoking in and of itself.  I’ve talked to people after every run, and although the runs are, of course, uneven in terms of smoothness, I’ve found the overall reaction to be fairly consistent.  Everyone I have talked to has enjoyed the aesthetic of the play.  The nuanced beauty of the set and Bart’s original score have been particularly well received.  What I have found most intriguing is the audience reaction to the doubling.  Many of my friends were initially confused, but almost everyone figured it out eventually.  I found the audience to be split when it came to the alternation of actors.  Some found the doubling to be more confusing then edifying, and others said that it gave them an interesting perspective on the character.  Those who did not wholly favor the doubling said that they felt emotionally distanced from the characters.  Others, however, said that it is precisely that distancing that was interesting.  They said that by having to switch gears every act, they were forced to examine to characters more closely in order to follow the action, and this gave them a heightened appreciation for the characters themselves.

I was also curious to hear what the audience had to say after the talk-backs.  From what I understood, even those who found the doubling confusing said that the confusion did not stop them from enjoying the show.  It was also great to hear from Raphael, and to really appreciate how perfectly this translation fits in with the artistic directions we have taken.

I was also surprised at how much I have depended on the audience during the actual performances.  An audience can always alter the show in the way that they give back (or don’t), but I found myself particularly effected by the audience in this production.  When we would start a show with low energy, or when the audience was quieter,  I had a much more difficult time getting into the world of Vanya myself.  And when the audience laughed and gave audible reactions, I found myself more completely immersed in the show, and in the world of Vanya, than I would have thought possible.  I really discovered, at the end of the day, that the lack of walls in our show, physically and metaphorically, make the audience a key participant in the production.

I am very proud of the show we have put together, and we have all come a long way together.  Remember those initial workshops with Kali?  Seems like forever ago, right?  Thank you all. Finita la commedia.