Breaking Legs and Breaking Barriers: Your Theatre Department’s Diversity Journey
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email:
BROADWAY BEAT- Sandy Rustin is a new force for women in comedy on Broadway | How the regional theater crisis will be felt on Broadway | Broadway-Bound The Wiz Revival Tour Finds Its Dorothy | Playwrights Horizons Commissions New Works From Jordan E. Cooper, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu, and More
HOT TOPICS - Did You Know Shakespeare Had a Daughter? This Edinburgh Fringe Show Will Tell You All About Her | How Hamilton created a Roblox simulator and a pickleball paddle for greater audience reach | Applications are open for Black Theatre Coalition/Broadway Across America fellowships
WEST END AND BEYOND- Cast and Creative Team Revealed for UK Revival of Joe Calarco’s Shakespeare’s R&J | Cast Complete for London Premiere of Lynn Nottage's Clyde's | Caissie Levy, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Jamie Parker, More Star in London Premiere of Next to Normal
REGIONAL THEATRE NEWS - Phylicia Rashad Will Direct World Premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose | What is the RISE Theatre Directory, and how will it change the industry? |Cast Announced for Lizzie Borden Musical Lizzie at TheaterWorks Hartford
THE BIG IDEA – Breaking Legs and Breaking Barriers: Your Theatre Department’s Diversity Journey
PLAYSCRIPTS FREE READS - Free Reads for August 2023
The Broadway Beat
SANDY RUSTIN IS A NEW FORCE FOR WOMEN IN COMEDY ON BROADWAY - The ‘Cottage’ playwright delves into her unconventional process and what’s coming next.
HOW THE REGIONAL THEATER CRISIS WILL BE FELT ON BROADWAY - Producers Sue Frost and Aaron Glick, playwright Douglas Lyons and more predict possible benefits and challenges caused by the ripple from America’s theaters.
BROADWAY-BOUND THE WIZ REVIVAL TOUR FINDS ITS DOROTHY - Director Schele Williams' new production of the '70s musical launches from Baltimore in September.
PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZONS COMMISSIONS NEW WORKS FROM JORDAN E. COOPER, BRANDEN JACOBS-JENKINS, ANTOINETTE CHINONYE NWANDU, AND MORE - The Off-Broadway theatre company partners with several foundations to support artists at various stages in their careers.
Hot Topics
DID YOU KNOW SHAKESPEARE HAD A DAUGHTER? THIS EDINBURGH FRINGE SHOW WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT HER – The Play ‘Upstart!’ explores Judith's story, which is often overshadowed by her father's—and even her twin brother's.
HOW HAMILTON CREATED A ROBLOX SIMULATOR AND A PICKLEBALL PADDLE FOR GREATER AUDIENCE REACH - Behind the generation of two rare partnerships with the Juggernaut musical.
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR BLACK THEATRE COALITION/BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA FELLOWSHIPS - This will mark the third class of fellows in the partnership program.
West End Watch
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM REVEALED FOR UK REVIVAL OF JOE CALARCO’S SHAKESPEARE’S R&J - The Reading Rep Theatre production will be directed by Paul Stacey.
CAST COMPLETE FOR LONDON PREMIER OF LYNN NOTTAGE'S CLYDE'S - Lynette Linton will direct the production at the Donmar Warehouse.
CAISSIE LEVY, TREVOR DION NICHOLAS, JAMIE PARKER, MORE STAR IN LONDON PREMIERE OF NEXT TO NORMAL - Michael Longhurst directs the Pulitzer Prize-winning Tom Kitt-Brian Yorkey musical.
Regional Theatre News
PHYLICIA RASHAD WILL DIRECT WORLD PREMIERE OF BRANDEN JACOBS-JENKINS’ PURPOSE – The Steppenwolf Theatre Company's spring 2024 lineup will also include Larissa FastHorse’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play.’
WHAT IS THE RISE THEATRE DIRECTORY, AND HOW WILL IT CHANGE THE INDUSTRY? - Project manager Adam Hyndman demystifies the newest professional theatrical directory and the organization behind it.
CAST ANNOUNCED FOR LIZZIE BORDEN MUSICAL LIZZIE AT THEATERWORKS HARTFORD - Through a rock score, the musical explores the historical record of the 19th-century axe murderer.
The Big Idea
Breaking Legs and Breaking Barriers: Your Theatre Department’s Diversity Journey
High school theatre is not just about putting on performances; it’s a platform to empower life skills, including fostering creativity, building confidence, and encouraging inclusivity among students. More than ever, theatre educators have a vital role to play in promoting diversity in theatre by understanding, showing empathy, and respecting all cultures and backgrounds. Luckily, there are unlimited resources that teachers can use to celebrate diversity in their classrooms and create a rich, inclusive environment for all students.
Diverse Play Selection: One of the most impactful ways to celebrate diversity in high school theatre is by selecting a diverse range of plays and scripts. Choose works that showcase characters from various ethnicities, backgrounds, and perspectives. This not only provides representation on stage but also allows students to step into the shoes of characters with different life experiences. It’s an opportunity for students to learn about the world beyond their own, fostering cultural awareness and empathy.
Unsure where to start? We recommend looking at Broadway Book Club. Every quarter you will receive a package of 7 plays handpicked into special collections such as Black Voices, Banned Books, Women’s Voices, and more!
Inclusive Casting: Inclusivity should extend to casting decisions as well. Encourage blind casting, where actors are cast based on their talent and suitability for a role rather than their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or abilities. This approach allows students to break away from traditional casting norms and challenge preconceived notions about who can play certain roles. It also sends a powerful message about equality and opportunity.
Cultural Workshops and Guest Speakers: Unsure how to spotlight other cultures? Invite cultural experts, artists, and performers to conduct workshops and share their experiences with the students. These workshops can focus on various aspects, such as dance, music, accents, and traditions relevant to the play being performed. Not only will students gain a deeper understanding of cultural nuances and perspectives, but you will too!
Student Input and Collaboration: Encourage students to take an active role in shaping the theatre program’s diversity initiatives. Create opportunities for open discussions where students can suggest plays, themes, or topics that resonate with them. This is a chance for your student’s voice to be heard. Collaborative approaches such as this empower students to contribute their ideas and help in creating a theatre environment that truly reflects the student body’s diversity.
Embrace Multilingualism: If your school has students who speak different languages, consider incorporating multilingual elements into your productions. This can include incorporating lines or scenes in other languages, with appropriate translation or context provided. This will also be appreciated outside the classroom when their family members attend performances!
Behind-the-Scenes Diversity: Diversity doesn’t end on the stage; it should be reflected behind the scenes as well. Encourage students to get involved in various production roles, such as lighting, sound, set design, and costume creation. This provides a holistic experience and showcases the diversity of talents within the theatre community. This is also an opportunity for teachers to reach out to industry professionals who are experienced in lighting different skin tones and costuming different body types.
Discuss and Address Stereotypes: Use theatre as a tool to address stereotypes and challenge biases. Select plays that explore issues related to prejudice, discrimination, and cultural identity. After performances, engage in open conversations about the themes presented and encourage students to reflect on their own perspectives.
For High School Teachers, we recommend these titles:
Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus
Anon(ymous) by Naomi Iizuka
School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh
On the Wings of a Mariposa from the novel by Barbara Joosse, by Alvaro Saar Rios, music and lyrics by Dinorah Márquez Abadiano
From the Mouths of Monsters by Idris Goodwin
For College Professors, we recommend these titles:
Sweat by Lynn Nottage
The Mountaintop by Katori Hall
Stop Kiss by Diana Son
Water by the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes
sandblasted by Charly Evon Simpson
Theatre is a powerful platform for celebrating diversity and promoting inclusivity. By selecting diverse plays, embracing inclusive casting, inviting cultural experts, involving students in decision-making, and addressing stereotypes, theatre educators and other theatre decision-makers can create an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
FREE READS
Read entire plays for free! These titles are perfect for your theatre, school, and competition performances. Simply scroll over the title, click on the "READ NOW" button, and enjoy!
Santa Claus Might Not be Coming to Town
by Don Zolidis
THE STORY: Dipsy the Elf is fed up with the way Santa’s Workshop is run. And she’s not the only one—tired of an increasingly long Christmas season and the demand for more complicated toys, Santa Claus leaves the North Pole, escaping to a glacier with a legion of penguins who worship him. Now, it’s up to Dipsy and her misfit friends to find Santa and teach him the true meaning of Christmas: good working conditions for all.
One act | 35 - 45 minutes | 20 Any (16-24 actors possible) | Set: Flexible
A Wicked Christmas Carol
THE STORY: The Wicked Witch of the West wasn't always that way, and when a ghostly figure whisks her away on a journey through her past, present, and future, she may find a second chance on Christmas Eve. Can familiar faces help to melt the Witch's heart, or is she doomed to melt away herself? A Christmas classic gets a thrilling transformation, set in the magical world of L. Frank Baum's Oz books.
Holiday | 110 - 120 minutes | 14 W, 10 M, 7 Any (10-40 actors possible: 7-37 W, 3-33 M) | Set: Simple set pieces representing various locations in Oz.
World War II Radio Christmas Play
THE STORY: This moving holiday show recreates the experience of attending a recording of a 1940s radio show broadcast on Christmas Eve during World War II. Using period songs and stories inspired by actual veterans, World War II Radio Christmas transports the audience to another time, brought to you by such generous sponsors as Vaseline Hair Tonic and Ipana Toothpaste. An inspiring look at strength in the face of hardship, this play is a reminder of the importance of coming together for the holidays.
Live Radio Play with Music | 60 - 70 minutes | 4 W, 4 M, 1 Any (6-16 actors possible: 3-8 W, 3-8 M) |Set: A sound stage with two or three microphones, labeled with call letters of the radio station; "On The Air" and "Applause" signs; chairs for actors not in sketches; cart with sound effects props, outfitted with a microphone. Musical accompaniment can range from a simple piano to a full band.
Unbreakable Timmy Cratchit
by Tyler Dwiggins, Kathryn Funkhouser
THE STORY: There are people who are excited about Christmas, and then there's Tiny Tim Cratchit - he's never met a seasonal sweater he didn't love. When he discovers his overworked parents could use some extra cheer this year, the oddball optimist drafts his skeptical sister Belinda into a last-minute quest to make enough money to buy the perfect gifts. The entitled customers, pushy elves, and ruthless carolers shopping on Christmas Eve are enough to test the most festive soul, but generosity comes from unlikely places in this galloping, joyful reversal of A Christmas Carol.
Comedy | 30 - 35 minutes | 14 W, 9 M, 23 Any (9-40 actors possible: 0-40 W, 0-40 M) | Set: Flexible.
Polar Twilight
THE STORY: When three candidates are called to interview for a PR position at the North Pole, they expect to find a dream job gift-wrapped for them. But all that changes once they meet Big Red himself -- suddenly, everything they thought they knew about him is proven terrifyingly wrong. Even if this revelation has sucked all the life out of the legend for them, the alternative is worse: what would happen if everyone knew? Can they help Santa maintain his jolly public image, or could this be the end of Christmas as we know it?
Comedy | 20 - 25 minutes | 3 W, 3 M, (6 actors possible: 0-5 W, 1-6 M) | Set: Simple staging.