2016 has been a pivotal year in theater history. Since "Hamilton" took on Broadway in August of 2015, Broadway buffs have been glorifying the strides the musical has made for the acting community. It has opened doors to racial minorities and given women a more pivotal role in the chorus and cast. As exciting as it is to have a play that has now given a voice to more than just the white cis male (male assigned male at birth), the theater community can't stop here. We have to keep the ball rolling to make more productions inclusive and move away from the stereotypes placed on the theatrical world.
While I myself am a super fan of "Hamilton," I also know I have to keep supporting other productions that build opportunities for all actors. Support will encourage more of these shows to be produced. So what's in store you might ask?
In spring of 2017, "Miss Saigon" will debut its revival on Broadway. The story is centered around Kim, a Vietnamese woman working at an escort club in Saigon during the war. While most shows portray night-walkers as weak or trashy, the women in this piece are given a voice and made out to be real people trying to escape their lives in Vietnam. The show is also credited with allowing a large amount of diverse actors to have a role in the spotlight. The show will star Jon Jon Briones as the Engineer and Eva Noblezada as Kim. Both are of Asian descent. This is what the media has been crying out for in several recent articles highlighting the shockingly high percentage of non-Asian actors in these roles. The "Ghost In The Shell" controversy that has been headlining every online news site will hopefully draw people in to see "Miss Saigon" and support these actors in other roles once they branch out. Eva will also be featured in "Les Miserables" as Eponine in the coming months, following in the footsteps of the original Kim, Lea Salonga. The inevitable controversy about Eva getting the role will open opportunities for actors to begin conversations that touch upon race and the stage and how it race should not affect decisions in casting. It will also shed light on an ethnicity often ignored in the theatre.
"Miss Saigon" is a great segue into talking about race in the theatre. Another classic piece that has recently had its revival has sparked a conversation about opening theatre up to everyone as well as paying tribute to cultural roots of a work. The infamous "Romeo and Juliet" of the musical world, "West Side Story" is a piece about Cubans escaping persecution by immigrating to New York, only to find they are still marginalized, but in different ways. Arthur Laurents' revival is the same classic script but the "Sharks" gang speaks in Spanish with English subtitles. This pays tribute to cultural authenticity. Bringing culture into pieces allows the audience to connect with the story-line on a personal level. As Laurents said in an interview with NPR, "I don't think there's any point in doing a revival unless you have a really fresh approach." This new edition gives Hispanics in the industry a chance to be proud of their heritage. Much like "In The Heights", "West Side Story" gives Hispanics opportunities on the stage, rather than being passed up because they have accents or a "certain look." These productions empower actors and let them express cultural concerns within the community that still ring true today.
While it's easy to say that race has recently been a hot topic in the theatre, we forget another portion of the theatre that has been segregated for something they can't control. Ableism is a common problem in the theatre. There is a fear of some actors lacking the ability to meet ends. The theatre world has not taken the initiative to understand that actors with disabilities are people as well. Two new troupes have been blowing up the social scene with their work with people who have disabilities. The "Blue Apple Theatre Group" from London and "Deaf West Theatre" in Los Angeles have been featuring actors who are deaf, in wheel chairs. Some have social and mental disabilities like Downs Syndrome and autism. These troupes give the actors a voice to put on shows that we would see at any other theatre. The actors are just as astounding as any other trained professional, yet in the audition scenes, they are passed up for someone who doesn't have a disability. This discrimination often goes unheard of, since ableism doesn't gain traction quite like racism. At least, not yet. These actors' missions are to shed light on the discrimination in the field and to make it possible for actors everywhere to be empowered, not only in their own voice, but to be seen as another human trying to express a role artistically.
Theatre is and always has been a place for artistic expression. It was designed to be a platform that gives voice to those lacking a way to communicate to a wider audience. The stage is a place to shed light on social problems, as well as a safe place for protest. These inclusive and diverse productions are allowing new sects of people to rise up and say, "Hey, I'm here too!" This is something we've lost in recent years, to by sticking to the cookie cutter productions like "Wicked" and "Cats." Although these productions are fun to watch, they are problematic in the way that important dialogues are ignored in favor of popular shows. By never addressing problems, this practice enables them. This is as dangerous as being explicitly non-inclusive. If Broadway were to have a metaphorical coup d'etat, it's easy to say it's happening now. With the shows in store, as well as the ones currently in theatres, Broadway has been given the opportunity to allow the people to once again rise up and use their voice.
Go support these shows and tell the community that you care about these social issues, rather than just praising "Hamilton" for its unique cast. Your voice will give these shows long runs and make them mean something. After all, a message can't be distributed without someone to receive the idea. It's a two way street and you have to make the conscious decision to be a part of the change.
