“It Touched Me Deeply”: Evaluation of Theatrical Performance and the Post-Performance Dialogue to Reduce Prejudice Toward LGB Adolescents

Discrimination against LGBTIQA+ adolescents in schools is a global issue. Perspective-taking and empathy are widely recognized as effective mechanisms for reducing prejudice and discrimination. Theater plays have the potential to enhance audience members' empathy for marginalized groups represented in the play. This study examines the impact of a theatrical performance and the post-performance dialogue on reducing prejudice among students at secondary vocational education toward LGB people. The theatrical performance depicted the lives of several gay individuals, aiming to foster empathy. A qualitative non-participant observation of student reactions was conducted across 16 observations at 11 schools in the Netherlands. Findings suggest that both perspective-taking and empathy are elicited by the theater performance itself, particularly through its emotionally charged scenes and the moderator's questions. However, some unexpected findings revealed that several critical conditions must be met to avoid adverse effects.