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Casting

Much of the content in this section deals with questions about and advice for authentic casting, whether in terms of race (yellowface in the American theatre, whitewashing Latinx stories, or casting non-Native actors in Native roles to ensure productions) gender (trans* actors and the character breakdown), ability (with regard to physically disabled characters and neurodiverse ones), or another characteristic. For an overview of the importance of casting, check out the Theatre History Podcast episode with Dr. Amy Cook about her book Building Character: The Art and Science of Casting, Lavina Jadhwani’s essay color-conscious casting, or Sophia Skiles’ piece on learning how to talk about casting.

The Latest

Imagining with Victor Vazquez
Podcast
Imagining with Victor Vazquez
by Yura Sapi, Victor Vazquez
8 February 2023
I Don’t Think It’s Just Me Anymore: The Shift Towards Healthier Theatre Education
Essay
I Don’t Think It’s Just Me Anymore: The Shift Towards Healthier Theatre Education
by Sara Božin
12 December 2022
No Longer Your “Token Black Bitch”
Essay
No Longer Your “Token Black Bitch”
by Latrice Richardson
8 August 2022
History Is Not Just For The British
Essay

History Is Not Just For The British

6 October 2015

Playwright Rehana Lew Mirza argues that those who defend producing The Mikado using yellowface on the basis of its “historical significance” are supporting centuries of imperialism and oppression.

Unpacking “Diversity” In Musical Theatre
Essay

Unpacking “Diversity” In Musical Theatre

30 September 2015

Michael R. Jackson proposes a way to challenge whiteness as the standard lens through which to see story and song artistically and politically.

Inclusivity and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Essay

Inclusivity and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

24 September 2015

Justin Kaiser explores the issues of representation and neurodiversity in casting for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

How (Not) to Write a Casting Breakdown
Essay

How (Not) to Write a Casting Breakdown

24 August 2015

Actor and Tumblr curator Lynne Marie Rosenberg shares her guide for writing inclusive casting breakdowns.

You Want a Diverse Theatre? Prove it.
Essay

You Want a Diverse Theatre? Prove it.

18 August 2015

Karena Fiorenza Ingersoll and Deena Selenow provide practical advice for making recruitment, retainment, and casting practices more equitable and inclusive.

A Case for Casting Teens
Essay

A Case for Casting Teens

2 July 2015

Addie Gorlin describes the benefits of casting actual teenagers to play the roles of teenagers, despite what common practice is.

More Love Affair than Assembly Line
Essay

More Love Affair than Assembly Line

Casting Practices in Devised Theatre

23 June 2015

Julie Rada shares her process for casting devised pieces, and explores the extreme difference in the way auditions are run when a group is creating together.

Believably Trans
Essay

Believably Trans

Who Counts as Trans Onstage?

13 May 2015

In this installation, MJ questions what makes a trans character credible onstage, and how does gender fit into color-conscious casting?

Two actors onstage facing each other.
Do White Playwrights Think About This?
Essay

Do White Playwrights Think About This?

27 February 2015

Larissa FastHorse explores the issues she deals with as a Native playwright, from finding an agent to what happens when she has to un-Native American a character.

Color-Conscious Casting
Essay

Color-Conscious Casting

Three Questions to Ask

21 December 2014

Director Lavina Jadhwani ask three questions, addressing how color-conscious casting impacts the story being told.

the actors equity association logo
Ask if it’s Equity—Maybe
Essay

Ask if it’s Equity—Maybe

28 November 2014

Are Equity tours of a higher quality than non-union productions? Very possibly. There’s a larger talent pool to work with and performers tend to be more experienced. That said, whether or not a tour is a union production has never been shown to have a demonstrable effect on ticket sales that I’ve been able to uncover.

Cast of the Fully Functional Cabaret.
Just Say Yes
Essay

Just Say Yes

22 October 2014

Drawing a comparison between the manifestation of love and activism, Annie Danger offers compelling insight into queer art in theatre.

Beyond Cool
Essay

Beyond Cool

Moving Towards True Transgender Visibility

19 October 2014

MJ Kaufman shares insight on the necessity of trans voices being developed and acknowledged in diverse, multi-faceted, and complex narratives. 

Pulling a New Rabbit Out of an Old Hat
Essay

Pulling a New Rabbit Out of an Old Hat

The Tempest at American Repertory Theater

22 May 2014

Srila Nayak reviews the American Repertory Theater’s production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and highlights how the production uses music, color-consious-casting, spectacle, and stage-magic.

Soul Serenade #3
Essay

Soul Serenade #3

A Few Words on Scrooge and Santa

17 December 2013

Pearl Cleage writes about color-conscious casting in productions of A Christmas Carol, and the importance of representation during the holidays and beyond.

The Twitter logo.
Weekly Howl on hashtag #newplay
Essay

Weekly Howl on hashtag #newplay

Trans Casting—Thurs, Oct 3

1 October 2013

This Thursday's topic Trans Casting will moderated by MJ Kaufman who wrote the recent HowlRound Journal article: Don’t Call me Ma’am: On the Politics of Trans Casting.

Don’t Call me Ma’am
Essay

Don’t Call me Ma’am

On the Politics of Trans Casting

29 September 2013

MJ Kaufman offers compelling insight on the politcs of trans casting.

Photo from The Jungle Book.
Race Representation in The Jungle Book
Essay

Race Representation in The Jungle Book

13 August 2013

A look into how director Mary Zimmerman brought The Jungle Book, steeped in racial contexts of British Colonization and 1960s America, to today’s conversation of what has and hasn’t changed.

Diversity in American Theater
Essay

Diversity in American Theater

The Mythology of Color Blind/Conscience Casting

12 July 2013

We need to stop asking to find space for artists of color and instead give them the space. This starts by looking at what plays we are and are not presenting.

Helen Mirren in The Tempest.
Conversation Starter
Essay

Conversation Starter

Open-Gender Casting

24 August 2012

If the play doesn’t explicitly need the genders prescribed to convey the story-do we need to cast the roles as listed then? It is time to start talking about open-gender conversation.

The word yes in multicolored font.
A Theater of YES!
Essay

A Theater of YES!

3 October 2011

P.Carl meditates on the power of saying Yes instead of No to new ideas.

Several actors stand and pose wearing colorful tutus, wigs, and makeup as an audience watches.
A Culture of Trust
Essay

A Culture of Trust

22 September 2011

Taylor Mac discusses actor professionalism, and trusting rather than auditioning them.

Yellowface in the American Theatre
Series

Yellowface in the American Theatre

In response to the protest and aftermath of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ now canceled production of The Mikado, this series addresses the racist performance and casting practices of Yellowface in the American Theatre.