Category: theatre

“The increasingly fraught and emotional dialogue pits the progressive ideals of inclusion not just against historical business practices but also the definition of acting itself. If a role is written for a particular ethnicity, sexual identity, gender or disability, how far should the creative community go to find an actor who checks that particular box? And should the fact that many traditionally marginalized groups are fighting for better representation be taken into consideration? Who has the right to tell what stories? And who gets to make that decision?”

Green: “Not that we and the rest of the world didn’t adore Ms. Midler in the part. But Ms. Murphy so immediately makes it her own, and has such a different take on it, that you are not left wanting what you cannot have.” (They also talk about Brendon Urie in Kinky Boots and Norm Lewis and Carolee Carmello – who “would be a great Dolly if Ms. Murphy herself wants an alternate” – in the pie-shop Sweeney Todd.)

“The strategic touring funding [from Arts Council England] has been earmarked for work specifically outside London, something the National has been criticised for not doing enough of in the past.”

Reporter Erik Piepenburg goes backstage at Manhattan Theater Club’s production of Martyna Majok’s play Cost of Living and gives us “a look at how the performers navigate in ways their nondisabled peers never need to consider.”

“Fey is an alum of Upper Darby Summer Stage, a recreation program at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center that has exposed countless kids to musical theater since 1976. Founded by musician, director, and educator Harry Dietzler and administered by Upper Darby Township” – just across the city line from West Philadelphia – “Summer Stage gives practical experience to would-be actors and singers, directors, lighting designers, and set builders, who mount six children’s shows and a main-stage musical each season. They are guided by teachers, voice coaches, and directors, many of whom grew up in the program.”

Chris Campbell, literary manager of London’s Royal Court Theatre: “Diversity [in terms of] men and women has improved so drastically during my time working in theatre it is almost laughable. … I can’t remember the last time we sat down and talked about gender diversity in theatre. And that’s quite often because I’m the only man in the room.”

A.J. Campbell wrote and staged Constructive Fictions at the Capital Fringe Festival without actually interviewing either Rabbi Barry Freundel – who was arrested in in 2014 for secretly filming women undressing and preparing for the mikvah at his Georgetown synagogue – or those he spied on. Said one victim, “Our pain is there for public consumption in a way that no one had any say in”; says the playwright, “I would totally love to meet with them. It didn’t occur to me.”

Porsche McGovern’s data project tracks the gender of designers, directors, and artistic directors at the League of Resident Theatre members.

The literary manager of London’s Royal Court Theatre: “Diversity [in terms of] men and women has improved so drastically during my time working in theatre it is almost laughable.” But he’d also like to see more BAME – Black, Asian, and minority ethnic – playwrights being produced in his theatre and elsewhere.

Why was it so hard? Teachers are busy, the offer sounded too good to be true, students are overscheduled … and maybe uninterested. “We as artists want students to be exposed to art, but do students want to be exposed to art? I think sometimes, yes. As a high schooler at a school that offered no drama classes, I would have stabbed someone for an after-school improv club. But would I have showed up alone to meet a lady I didn’t know so she could make me pretend to be a chicken or something? Probably not.”