Facts You Never Knew about White Theatrical Privilege on the Stage

Facts You never Knew about White Theatrical Privilege on the Stage

I’d never really thought about this until yesterday when in my Facebook feed this particular meme showed up with facts about white privilege on the stage.

Facts You never Knew about White Theatrical Privilege on the Stage

I’ve been involved with theater for over forty years. I can only think of a few times I’ve cast color blindly. Several students–Mahogany, Antonio, Cortaiga, Micah, Ayanna, Greg and John come to my mind. I directed all of these kids and hundred of others. Also, I directed a cast of boys for a play version of Holes comprised entirely of black males and one white one. Such an awesome experience.

Not many black students participated in my programs, though I don’t know if that was my fault or not. They certainly enjoyed my classes.

It’s always easy to find a student who is interested in participating on a production. They nearly shout it or jump in front of you for your attention.

Some students may be interested but don’t know how to cross the bridge to audition or be a part of the technical crew.

Did I make it welcoming to them?

I tried.

Just looking at the above meme startles me and makes me sad. There are several statements in that meme which really speak to me.

Casting for “Diversity’s Sake”

Here’s an example for you. I observed it in a children’s theater company who was casting a play of Cinderella.

I knew that color played a part in some directors’ casting.

A friend asked me to help her cast the production. Sometimes directors do this so that it lessens the blow if someone isn’t cast as they could be and accuse them of racial bias. However, at the time I didn’t know this was the reason I was asked to help.

Two women auditioned–one a pretty white, blonde haired and talented. The other was a black woman–beautiful, vibrant and equally talented.

After the auditions were over, I suggested the black girl be cast as Cinderella. I thought her perspective would make the show unique. How many Cinderellas have you seen in story books or movies?

Not many.

That’s why I thought she would be a good choice. Plus, I knew that school groups would see the show and many black students would enjoy and better relate to it.

The black woman was a student in college. After the production closed, someone asked her about the experience of portraying Cinderella.

She said, ” I never in a million years thought I would ever have an opportunity to play Cinderella. It was an amazing experience. I’d look out at the student audiences and see little black girls smiling ear to ear with tears in their eyes. It was incredible.”

Roles Written in Stereotype

In youth theater, I haven’t run into this problem very much. Probably it’s because I never selected a show which put a minority student in a negative light.

How awful for someone struggling to feel seen and accepted for themselves to have someone pigeon- hole you into the very thing you are trying to fight.

Last February, pre-covid quarantine, a new version of West Side Story was running on Broadway. If you know West Side Story, you are aware of the typical casting of whites as Jets and Latinos as Sharks. However, in this version the cast includes black in the Jets, too. How wonderful.

Never having to adapt our social behaviors for the cast and crew

Honestly, I don’t know what this statement means. Does it mean when a black person laughs loudly at a joke while a white person might not and vice versa? So the black person learns to “blend” to be included.

I asked one of my students, now an adult, what that statement meant to her. This is some of what Mahogany said, “We often have to minimize black culture for the sake of making white people feel we are no different than them. an example of adapting social behavior is for theme days: when asked to dress in costume or embody a theme for the day, a black person may think twice about what to choose so they make white people feel more comfortable i.e., they may choose to dress as in rode attire over Wakanda for the sake of now drawing attention to one’s blackness for the sake of white people NOT for their own pleasure.”

I’d never thought about it. Oh my gosh, how tiresome it must be for black people to do this. I’m sorry, Mahogany.

I just found information about a training program specifically for black actors. It’s called Black Acting Methods.com. Check it out here: https://www.blackactingmethods.com/

How to be aware of my racism

I’d like nothing better than to see a production with an all black cast or Latino cast or even a color blind cast. Let’s celebrate our differences and acknowledge that we are all different, but we all matter. Because of our differences it puts us in the same in that light in that regard.

The only way I can fix racism is to first be aware of it at all times. That’s where I’ve started. I hope I grow.

Let’s help our students never go there. Let’s celebrate the talents of others. In this case, I am speaking about black people. I create drama lessons and sell them in my store on Teacherspayteachers.com.

Here is one for you as an example. Famous Theater Artist-Billy Porter