Research-based Theatre about veterans transitioning home: A mixed-methods evaluation of audience impacts

•Research-based theatre (RbT) is an effective method for knowledge translation.•The embodied experience of theatre bolsters empathy and receptivity to learning.•Short and longer-term cognitive and affective impacts for audiences were achieved.•RbT can also shift social responses to and professional practices in mental health.•RbT holds untapped potential as a mental health literacy intervention.