Diversity In Plays

Although, the writers and the directors are the main people who create the content of the film, they do not have a responsibility to avoid stereotyping ethnic characters in the movie because it is just the connection between the

In the early 1990s, the Communication Law Centre and the Media Entertainment and Arts Allegiance aka Actors Equity (MEAAA), with some assistance from the Office of Multicultural Affairs began a campaign to address what they felt was poor record of achievement when it came to the proper portrayal of cultural diversity in popular television drama. This came after research into the representation of non-English speaking people in Australian television drama. At that time, it was estimated that less than 2% of available roles were given to performers of culturally diverse backgrounds and there were no continuing or recurring roles for indigenous performers (May, 2001). Australian TV networks are failing to represent the people who make up the majority of this country’s population; it being one of the most culturally diverse countries on the planet. One of the main excuses given by producers and directors when asked why they don’t cast ethnic/LGBTQIA actors is that there are no actors from those two communities who want the job. That is a lie. If you go to any Performing Arts schools or centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or all of Australia, you will find actors of colour as well as LGBTQIA actors waiting for a chance to be cast in a good role, or any role available. Another excuse that is regularly given out is that they would not know what to do with such characters. They would not know how to properly

Dressing as movie characters outside of your race is acceptable when the movie does a good job in representing that race and culture. Take, for example, the difference between Disney’s Pocahontas and Moana. Disney took the liberty of hiring Native American voice actors and consultants when making Pocahontas. However, some of the consultants, such as Shirley Little Dove Custalow McGowan, were under the impression that the movie would be historically accurate. She claimed that "Disney promised me historical accuracy” , but instead made a movie that distorts the history of a real Native American woman. The real Pocahontas, who name was actually Matoaka, was taken prisoner by the English when she was 17, forced to marry the English widower John

I decided for my play review that I would go see Mary Poppins The Broadway Musical at the Jefferson Davis Fine Arts building this past weekend. The play is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film; the original music was by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, the book written by Julian Fellowes, and the co-creator of the original was Cameron Mackintosh.

roles would be lost to Caucasian actors so as to resonate with American audiences. It is

Three sources analyze the racial conflicts of white actors playing colored parts, and all agreed that it was not a trivial situation, for audiences, or actors. Racial tensions are very popular with the media. While there is some minor tension today, the movies and plays of Othello top the charts for most racial conflicts. First, The article, “Othello: the role that entices and engages actors of all skin colours,” by Andrew Dickson shows the history of the actors that played Othello, and when the actors were black, they were either not cast, due to segregationists, or were criticized in their performance for the same reason. Also, this article uses diction to convey the seriousness of white vs. minority crisis. Next, the video, “SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED White Actors Playing Othello” by PBS, shows the performances of many Othello actors that were white. Additionally, the video shows one white actor who used makeup to make himself more than than black. The video uses hyperbole to describe the absurdity of Othello movies. For example, Laurence Olivier, the 1964 Othello was black-top showing how far film industries will go to cover-up racial tensions, and the narrator describes the makeup as ridiculous,and dramatic. Finally, the last article, “Aladdin: putting a white character in Disney’s live-action remake is offensive,” by Hannah Flint displays that film industries feel obligated to please a white audience, keeping the minorities second fiddle by adding characters white people

Diversity is a very broad and complex term, which encompasses numerous aspects of our lives. Throughout our time in Diversity in America Drama this semester, we read many plays, each demonstrating a unique aspect of diversity. While all of the plays displayed at least one aspect of diversity, the two that I am choosing to write about are The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and Lydia by Octavio Solis. In these plays, individuals struggle to seek not only tolerance, but acceptance from both themselves and others due to their homosexuality. Specifically, I will be discussing the violence and prejudice they face because of their homosexuality.

roles would be lost to Caucasian actors so as to resonate with American audiences. I think it is

Most plays or television shows ban certain races from them because they are afraid of the outcome of starring them. Jennifer Schussler, the author of, “Hamilton and History: Are They in Sync?” states, “This show is the best advertisement for racial diversity in Broadway history…” (Schussler). In other words, putting diverse races in the show(s) showing what actually happened in history keeps the peace. Schussler also says, “Casting black and Latino actors as the founders effectively writes non-white people into the story… in ways that audiences have powerfully responded to” (Schussler). The audiences see this and enjoy as well as appreciate it whenever their races get noticed for the fundamental purposes. Not only does Hamilton affect racism in a positive way, it is sophisticated enough to give a history

From countries across the world, such as China, Indonesia, and Africa, to the United States, theatre is all similar in implementing theatre. Such productions including Raja Edeupus, Master Qi and Monkey King, and Julius Caesar all show different sides of their own culture throughout the piece. For example, Raja Edeupus shows their Indonesian culture through their praising of a master and their artistic design within costumes and setting. Much like the Chinese culture widely expressed in Master Qi and Monkey King that utilized martial arts with dancing to implement a story. Likewise, Julius Caesar played in Africa, shows traditional African dancing through drums and song to show their own political beliefs. In America, we also have productions

Sometimes plays have to be made, just because it brings deeper emotions to us. You bring up a good point that some aspects of life we can not experience without expressing it through art. It makes us bond more with the similarities we have, rather than the differences we have. I too, would connect to the common humanity of the play, while being exposed to some cultural differences, since there are some similar obstacles in life that we all share, no matter our race. I think this play really opens up our minds about challenges and the various ways that we overcome our challenges, while incorporating some humor.

The exclusion of multi-racial performers in musicals is a problem, we certainly have come a long way from minstrelsy but you can say there is still progress to make. When I was speaking to Jeanine Tesori, renowned American composer and music arranger the first thing she said was “there is a difference between color blind casting and color conscious casting.” There's a very fine line between the two which is often confused. Color blind casting is casting a role regardless of race and color conscious casting is acknowledging a race and cast anyway. Jeanine Tesori used an example regarding shakespeare, she said when you cast a black actor in a part in shakespeare “do you have to say this part should be played by an african american? It doesn’t

Plays from around the world have similar situations and characters; but what a play different are the cultures and regions the plays are performed and written in. This affects the structure and the stages of the plays; examples of this are Noh Theater and Ancient Greek Theater, both different but have some similarities. Euripides and Zeami both apply different techniques in their theater ways, but both help apply each theater practice a way to make the audience more reactant of the characters, the story, and the stage. In example, The Bacchae by Euripides and Atsumori by Zeami are similar in how both use influences of their belief system and integrate in the play, however they are different culturally and they both have distinct stages for

I agree with you that if someone fits the role they should play the role, but I wonder if we have our own bias and conditioning to think certain rolls should be played by certain groups of people. I think that is what it dangerous in away, Obviously, in your example about Straight Out of Compton would have cast someone like DiCaprio in that role would have been not representing the true story. But sadly, this is seen all the time in Hollywood. For example, they recently made a movie showcasing the events that happened in Stonewall (LGBT rights riots in 1969 in retaliation of police raid at the Stonewall Inn. A place the LGBT community felt safe), there was one major fault. One of the most famous scenes from the events that happened was a brick

Othello in the play was described as a black man mostly in derogatory terms such as “thick lips, African horse, a noble brave man.” The man is black in the book he should be in the acting play, it is so incredibly offensive that they have a white person painted black, because they don’t want to hire a black man. They way I see it is if the whole play they talk about a black man wouldn’t it make the most sense to have the actor be a black man. I think regardless of the hate and discrimination of a black actor the acting team should have swallowed their racist pride and let an African American play