If theatre’s goal is real diversity, it must challenge a number of inherent biases: towards men, towards the able-bodied, towards the cis-gendered. It could start by dismantling its white majority, says Nicholas Ward.
Every year, September in Chicago brings a whole new slate of white people plays.
While our population skews non-white, most theatres employ majority white leadership, ensembles, casts, staff members, playwrights, and directors. It’s also majority male, straight, able-bodied, English-speaking, and cis-gendered, but this piece will focus on the whiteness. If our goal is to create diverse, dynamic, multi-cultural, and relevant theatre, dismantling this white majority is highly important.
All white actors, writers, directors, designers, and audience members have a role to play as allies pushing against the pervasive gaze of whiteness... Keep reading on HowlRound
Every year, September in Chicago brings a whole new slate of white people plays.
While our population skews non-white, most theatres employ majority white leadership, ensembles, casts, staff members, playwrights, and directors. It’s also majority male, straight, able-bodied, English-speaking, and cis-gendered, but this piece will focus on the whiteness. If our goal is to create diverse, dynamic, multi-cultural, and relevant theatre, dismantling this white majority is highly important.
All white actors, writers, directors, designers, and audience members have a role to play as allies pushing against the pervasive gaze of whiteness... Keep reading on HowlRound