“The issue of casting based on personal identity is a complex and nuanced one. But the bottom line is we can’t even begin to have a conversation about those issues until the playing field is significantly evened out.”

“I feel my family’s economical status is what truly drove my passion for the performing arts. I worked much harder because it was something that I wasn’t able to take for granted.”

“We want them to know that they have value, that their stories have value, that their voices have value, that their own way of speaking or writing has value, and that we deeply care about that,” Chavez said. “We care so much that we will bring in all these mentors and actors and a sound designer. We will bring this bevy of adults who care about their expression and that gives them the confidence to take what they’ve learned from our program and apply it to another class.”

“This week, it was announced that legendary British actor Sir Ian McKellen is about to start rehearsals for a new production of Hamlet with him playing the title character. Director Sean Mathias’s production promises to be cast ‘age-blind’ though the full casting details are yet to be released. Age-blind casting is an interesting idea, but it doesn’t seem possible that such a decision can ever be made ‘blind’ because characters’ ages have a substantial and significant impact on their relationships and situations.”

“One of the shared experiences that Myesha-Tiara and Jerulane “Jay” Jenkins had with their college careers was the discovery that there were few opportunities for people of color and that BIPOC students often went unsupported and their voices unheard. So, when they were trying to decide what their new company, Perceptions Theatre, would do for their spring show, they decided to create a BIPOC Playwrights Festival, a two-weekend virtual one-act festival that features BIPOC playwrights, directors, and actors.”

“A theatre professor at Northern Oklahoma College was arrested last week on charges of sexually abusing his students. The details of the allegations against him are disturbing, to say the least.”

“The Chicago Tribune’s Theatre columnist, Chris Jones, has continuously ignored both the process and labor of creating theatre and passed by the stories of workers organizing for a better, safer, more equitable, and accessible industry. It is time he took responsibility for supporting the exploitation many of us are working so hard to end.”

“Less than half said they would attend a show, regardless of whether safety protocols were enacted or not.”

“Outside of Michigan, most people have only heard the bad news out of Flint. It’s the city whose drinking water was poisoned by a state administration that took over the city’s governance and wanted to save money. But Flint is also home to the Flint Repertory Theatre, an organization led by Michael Lluberes that has been doing amazing work and this summer is offering pandemic-safe work that marries playwrights and visual artists and takes audiences all over the city.”

“April 29th marks 25 years since RENT opened on Broadway in 1996. As think pieces and tributes pour in, why not take a few minutes to appreciate these 5 things that RENT popularized for the Broadway community.”

“The final day of the Actors’ Equity Association’s(AEA) first-ever delegate convention featured a protest with many BIPOC delegates leaving the event in protest over the union’s failure to address racist actions that targeted a black delegate which had allowed “white supremacy culture” to create an unsafe space for other BIPOC delegates.”

“Actors’ Equity has removed a longstanding policy that prevented immigrant performers from working on union productions without a green ard of U.S. citizenship. Actress Jessica Wu spearheaded the change which is being described as ‘momentous’ by many in the community.”