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Communication in a community theater group: Managing multiple group roles

A bona fide group perspective emphasizes that group members are simultaneously members of multiple groups that compete for their time and commitment. Previous research has focused on group membership in work and home settings to the exclusion of membership in “third place”; or “life enrichment”; groups such as religious, community and social groups. This ethnographic study examines how members of a community theater group communicate to construct, maintain, and negotiate their roles in order to produce a theatrical performance while managing potential conflicts with their roles in other work, social, and family groups. The most significant findings suggest that members of this community theater group make a strong temporary commitment that prioritizes membership in the theater group over other group memberships for a short period of time until the production ends and commitments to other groups resume normal levels. Members manage to make this commitment and minimize potential conflicts resulting from roles in multiple groups by auditioning for the production only if they think conflicts will be minimal, by negotiating conflicts that exist prior to committing to the group, and by informing members of other groups of their temporary commitments. This allows them to focus on their group role in order to produce a successful theatrical production.