BE A HOST
What the Constitution Means to Me Watch Party Guide
Though we wish we could be sharing the Broadway national tour of What the Constitution Means to Me with you this fall, we’re thrilled to hear about the next best thing: Playwright and actor Heidi Schreck’s Broadway performance of the play will be available to watch on Amazon Prime starting October 16!
As we lead up to the 2020 Presidential Election on November 3, this is the perfect time to see Constitution, and what better way to enjoy some powerful award-winning theater, get out the vote, and #StayHomeStayHealthy than to hold a virtual watch party! We’ve put together this Constitution Watch Party Guide to help you set up your own virtual gathering.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. Tony-nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.
Heidi Schreck stated in the announcement about this broadcast, “In light of the moment we are living through, I am donating part of my proceeds from this film to the Broadway Cares COVID Relief Fund and to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s Voting Rights 2020 initiative.”
AMAZON WATCH PARTY FAQ
With an Amazon Prime membership you can host a Constitution Prime Video Watch Party, where you can invite friends and family to join you in watching the film virtually with opportunities to chat alongside the play.
Anybody who has an Amazon Prime membership can host a watch party. Click on the Watch Party icon on your screen for movies. You'll find it in the episode list for TV shows. Choose the name you'd like to use while chatting and create your Watch Party! Share your Watch Party link with up to 100 people. Your friends can join by clicking on their link. Start watching and chatting! Once everyone is ready, start your Watch Party. The host can play, pause, skip, and seek for the group. The whole party can chat during the event to share in the experience. Watch Parties are available on desktop browsers, except Apple's Safari. Other devices such as Fire TV, smart TVs, game consoles, connected media players, mobile phones, and tablets are currently not supported. You must be a U.S. Prime subscriber and located in the United States in order to host or participate in a Prime Video Watch Party. Amazon Prime members based in the U.S are eligible to access a Watch Party via desktop. Anyone can join a Watch Party as long as they have a valid invite link and an active Prime membership to access eligible titles included with their Prime Membership. Find more information at https://www.amazon.com/adlp/watchparty.Who can host a Constitution Watch Party?
How do I start a Watch Party?
How do I share my Watch Party with friends?
Can I use a mobile phone, tablet, or my Fire TV to join Watch Party?
Can I use Prime Video Watch Parties from outside the United States?
Who can access Prime Video Watch Party?
Where can I learn more about Watch Party?
WATCH & WRITE:
Write Letters to Get Out the Vote
Members of our staff are hosting virtual letter-writing parties – and you can, too! Take your watch party to the next level and host a virtual Watch & Write Party. Encourage your guests to join you in a get-out-the-vote letter-writing campaign as a pre- or post-Constitution virtual activity. Share a video call (sign up for a free Zoom account to plan 40-minute group meetings), listen to music, or chat while you write letters encouraging voters to make their voices heard.
There are many organizations coordinating these efforts – here’s one to get you started:
- Vote Forward: Encourage your guests to individually sign up to write letters with Vote Forward a few days in advance of your party (Vote Forward asks for time to review and approve all applicants). Once approved, you will be able to “adopt” voters to write letters to. You will need access to a printer, paper, blue pen, #10 envelopes, and stamps. Vote Forward has letter templates, example messages, and more to get you started. They even have tips for letter-writing party hosts!
SNACK BREAK
Any good party has a snack table. Share some Constitution-inspired snack ideas with your guests in advance so you can show off your plates while you watch the show.
- Heidi Schreck is from Wenatchee, Washington, “Apple Capital of the World.” Find some apple appetizer recipes you and your guests can make at Taste of Home. (Fall is also the perfect season to indulge in some apple treats!)
- Constitution includes multiple mentions of the late, great, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Make your own versions of her favorite eats at home, or support local restaurants by picking up some of her go-to orders. Find local small businesses near you to order from with Intentionalist.
CHEERS TO CIVIC DUTY
Watch & Write & Wine Party, anyone? Check out a few Constitution-inspired cocktail recipes you and your guests can raise a glass to.
- For gin aficionados: American Collins
- If rum is your go-to: El Presidente
- For fans of Maker’s Mark: The Ballot
- A twist on the Negroni: Americano
- For a spicy ginger kick: The American Mule
- Craving sweet and sour: The Muddled Rebuttal
Plus...
- Check out Wine Enthusiasts’ Global Guide to Black-Owned Wine Labels to choose a bottle of wine to toast the evening
- Make some incredible modern mocktails while trying out some basic tenants of mixology with NPR’s Modern Mocktail list
GAME ON
Add a game night component to your watch party!
U.S. Constitution Trivia
Test your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution with some trivia.
- Warm up with an online Constitution quiz you can take solo
- Be a trivia host for your guests!
- Ask each of your guests to have a white board or paper and pen at the ready.
- Read the questions from Constitution Facts’ PDF quizzes to the group. Have a timer handy and give everyone 30 seconds to write down their answer.
- Once time is up, ask everyone to raise their answer up to their camera. Share the correct answer(s), keep track of correct responses per person/team, and announce the winner(s) of the most correct answers at the end!
- Constitution Facts provides both starter and expert quizzes, as well as both short answer sheets and detailed answer sheets, which include additional historical context to go along with each response.
U.S. Constitution Word Search
Find the hidden words and learn more about the Constitution.
U.S. Constitution Crosswords
Quiz yourself and your guests with a Constitution crossword puzzle.
MORE TO READ & WATCH
- New York Theatre Workshop’s Constitution Study Guide: Read about Schreck’s “speech and debate”-style narrative, find a glossary of terms from the play, and more to accompany the show.
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History curated Constitution history: Dig deeper into moments of American history discussed in Constitution.
- Heidi Schreck in Smithsonian Magazine: Learn about the initial inspirations for the play, reception from the show’s first performances, and more in an interview with Schreck.
- Heidi Schreck discusses the play on PBS: Hear the playwright in conversation with journalist Christiane Amanpour about the amendments explored in the play and their ongoing impacts on women in the U.S.
- Heidi Schreck and Tony Kushner discuss the play with Vulture: Two acclaimed playwrights talk shop around Constitution.
Pictured: Heidi Schreck in What the Constitution Means to Me on Broadway. Graphic by Amazon Studios.
