Devon's Hurt

After-play Forum

by Laurie Brooks

*For Pre-Kindergarten to Second Grade and Their Families

At the end of the play, the curtain call is held until after the forum. Instead, the facilitator introduces him/herself and invites the audience to participate in the forum.

The actors gather on stage, still in character.

The facilitator asks the children in the audience to raise their hands if they remember the character’s names. Go through each character’s name to remind the children. The characters move among the audience allowing the children to pet Sam.

Facilitator: If you were to tell a friend to come to this play what would you say it was about?

Audience responds.

Facilitator: Anything else? What happened in the play?

Audience responds.

Facilitator: What happened after that?

A dialogue is created between the Facilitator, the actors and the audience about what the children saw. The facilitator never makes a judgment of right or wrong but maintains an encouraging attitude.

The facilitator brings The Hurt forward.

Facilitator:Who is this?

Audience responds.

Facilitator: How do you think The Hurt knows Devon?

Audience response.  

Facilitator: How did Devon feel about The Hurt when he first appeared? How did Devon Feel about The Hurt at the end of the play?

Audience responds.

Facilitator: What kinds of feelings did you have during the play?

Audience responds. According to the thoughts generated above, the actors freeze moments of emotion that occurred during the play. Facilitator may prompt the audience with the following…

Facilitator:(referring to specific moments from the play as actors build those moments). How did you feel when...

Facilitator calls on children to respond.  

Facilitator: What do you think Devon could do differently the next time his Hurt appears?

Audience responds.

Facilitator: Thanks so much for all those good ideas. You’ve been a terrific group. Be good to yourselves and others. Now give the cast of Devon’s Hurt and yourselves a big hand.

Actors step out of role and take their curtain call.