Join CastAndLoose Live! as we take on all the pigeon-holes and stereotypes facing Latinx actors and characters in film, TV, and theater.
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I have written a number of blogs about the importance of communication in order to have a successful production, but I recently realized that another keyword for a successful production is trust. Trust is something that you need to have when it comes to working on a show. I have learned this by being both an actor and a production designer. Even more so when you are the director.
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I have said in another column that I would like to see school productions being more adventurous, tackling more adult themes as and when the director of drama of said school considers it appropriate. But I wanted to elaborate a bit on that. Firstly, I will always endorse the attitude that with something as ambiguous and subjective as theatre, there cannot be a universal or even a national governing body that decides anything to do with what gets put on and where. The way I see it, the theatre has always been one of the least didactic aspects of life- as a more rebellious or enthusiastic personality might say "they can't tell us what to do", and though it seems too simplistic: here, it is apt. I would rather allow schools (and by extension anyone) to produce any play they like and 'offend' a few people, than put repression of any kind upon the cultural niche I call home. You don't have to agree with me, but I thought I'd clarify that for context to this column, as when I now come to write about productions I'd like to see in schools, I shall mean versions that are unchanged, uncensored and unabridged. What's more, I would have no age restrictions on said productions. So without further ado, here are 7 plays of which I want to see an unabridged, all-accessible, school production.
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I think I could probably write a book on the numerous conspiracy theories that surround The Wizard of Oz. And Wicked is, essentially, a whole conspiracy theory in itself: an alternative slant on the well-known story; one which, personally, I much prefer. For this blog, I have sifted through the most enjoyable theories that I could find on The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, and have summarised my absolute favourites.
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Don’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter twelve. Comparison is the thief of joy. Flowers don’t worry about blooming more than the one next to it, only about how much it blooms itself.
Chances are, you’ve heard all the above and more.
Chances are, you still compare yourself to others.
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Last week, we called out a "semi-professional" theatre company in Queensland, Australia for casting white and non-Latinx performers in Latinx roles in the musical In the Heights. Given the fact that the article was shared on Facebook alone, over 13,000 times, there was intense backlash against Matt Ward Entertainment, the producing theatre group.
In response to the controversy, it was announced today that Matt Ward Entertainment has canceled their upcoming production of In the Heights. They have also deleted their Facebook account.
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When I was growing up, and before I became involved with theater, I had injured my hands and wrists. I have had an issue since birth which is the cause of the injuries, it turns out. I also had thumb surgery on top of it all. So, needless to say my hands/wrists are super weak and I can easily injure them which causes pain faster than it takes for you to read this sentence. One wrong move and I can be out of commission for at least a couple of days. But I have always been able to figure out how to rest and relax in order to give my hands enough time to get better.
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For many performers the audition process is a tiresome, nerve-wracking and endless process. It's a task plays with our emotions and exploits our insecurities. So I'm basically saying, it's tough enough already, it doesn't need to be made harder by the behavior of those behind the table.
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This is usually a time where college seems to be on everyone's mind. Whether it's incoming freshmen getting ready to move into their residence halls or high school seniors preparing their applications, college is a constant discussion.
For theatre students, where you attend can certainly have an impact on your career with the type of training you receive. It's also important to note that while each school listed here is excellent, a college degree doesn't guarantee success nor is one required to become successful in this industry.
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It’s only fair to allow actors to do the same without demanding that they come visit fans when they have no energy to do so. They need time to rest. Emotions are exhausting. Making sure that the actor recovers safely from their performance is also crucial – some actions and emotions that result from those actions can overwhelm the body, and the body doesn’t know the difference between an actor’s behavior as the person versus as the character. Making sure the body recovers and the actor is safe is important.
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