A recent study of single-ticket buyers and subscribers at a major regional theatre – Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky – focused on measuring quantitatively the psychological benefits of engaging with theatre and gathering qualitatively observations by focus groups. Both confirmed the hypothesis that regular attendance promotes flourishing and meaningful social interaction, psychological stimulation, and positive emotions. The study also affirms that attending theatre contributes to a shared sense of community, this at a time when such community appears starkly diminished in the United States. In addition, focus groups wished that audiences better reflected the demographic diversity outside the auditorium. Evident disparities include urban vs. rural, prosperous vs. not, more education vs. less, black vs. white – reflecting those that splinter national politics. One microcosm of one theatre's audience provokes suggestions to foster a more democratic audience and plural istic culture that endeavours to cross rather than ignore the divides. Russell Vandenbroucke is Professor of Theatre at the University of Louisville and Director of its Peace, Justice & Con flict Transformation programme. He was previously Artistic Director of Chicago's Northlight Theatre. Suzanne Meeks is Professor and Chair of the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department, University of Louisville. Her research focuses on mental health in later life.

中文翻译：

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剧院如何促进幸福感并吸引更广泛的观众

最近对主要地区剧院（肯塔基州路易斯维尔演员剧院）的单票购买者和订户进行的一项研究侧重于定量测量与剧院互动的心理益处并收集焦点小组的定性观察。两者都证实了这样的假设，即定期出席可以促进繁荣和有意义的社会互动、心理刺激和积极情绪。该研究还确认，参加剧院有助于形成共同的社区意识，而此时这种社区在美国似乎已明显减少。此外，焦点小组希望观众能更好地反映礼堂外的人口多样性。明显的差异包括城市对比农村，繁华对比不是，更多的教育对比少，黑色对比白色——反映那些分裂国家政治的人。一个剧院观众的一个缩影引发了一些建议，以培养更民主的观众和多元化的文化，努力跨越而不是忽视分歧。Russell Vandenbroucke 是路易斯维尔大学的戏剧教授，也是其和平、正义与冲突转型项目的主任。他之前是芝加哥北光剧院的艺术总监。Suzanne Meeks 是路易斯维尔大学心理与脑科学系教授兼系主任。她的研究重点是晚年的心理健康。