Thanks for those new suggestions, Michelle. I think we're at a point where it would be best if you and Brianne just try things out and see what feels right and what doesn't. Perhaps then we can work more with the language? (Though I do like your idea of writing stuff and deleting parts.)
I like the idea of involving the audience. I think it's important to put them in the supposed position of power (as the Teacher). In the Waitress/Customer dynamic the Customer supposedly has more power, so it seems as though the Waitress ought to be the Learner and the Customer the Teacher. However, this issue of tipping doesn't seem like an immediate enough punishment (unless it is about zapping people when they don't tip enough, which requires the Waitress be the Teacher).
I don't know that discipline necessarily equates pain. We're trying to train a puppy right now and we're trying to use a lot of positive reinforcement. I suppose discipline is putting off immediate gratification for some future reward (people will think better of you, you will get a treat, you won't end up trying to do a ton of work at the last minute).
If we went with the subway model I could see one of you approaching audience members over and over again. Asking them for things? You increase tension by asking for simple things at first, such as programs. Then you ask for pieces of clothing. Finally you ask for cell phones. When the Learner does not receive the thing being asked for, she gets an electric shock. This kind of makes the audience the Teacher.
I could also see a game of memory ... perhaps the Learner is presented with an extremely complicated food order and is asked a bunch of questions relating to that. (The person sitting at table 1 on the right has a food allergy to wheat gluten, the person sitting on the left at table 2 is vegan, etc.etc.) Or perhaps it is a paragraph about rhinoceroses. (Where do they live, what do they eat, etc).