The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

One of the best ways to understand spects more deeply is to ask the question “Why?” Spects’ answers illuminate their values and priorities. This is useful information when playing the spect’s story.

Newlyweds Stella and Jasper are looking at apartments. Jasper remarks, “This one’s nice. I think we should take it.” Stella inquires, “Why?” “I don’t know. It’s in a good part of town.” Based on his response, Stella might assume that Jasper is concerned with safety or high status.

You can also set up a why question by summing up what the spect is doing.

“So you’re running for governor. Why would you want to do that?”

When you want to dig deeper into what motivates the spect, ask the question “Why?”