Considering Race when Casting a Play
Plays have been a part of the theater industry for a very long time. We start out by
explaining what a play is exactly. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of a play
is the stage representation of an action or story. A play often begins as a written script
where characters and dialogues are developed and made into a performance for
entertainment in a theater setting. Many African-American actors and actresses, like
husband and wife team, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Sydney Poitier, Phylicia Rashad and
even rap mogul, P. Diddy, who got their start in theater productions before moving on to
the big screen or television shows which allowed them all to go on to be megastars in the
entertainment
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Another example with color-blind casting was
expressed in an article written by Lisa Respers France for CNN Entertainment, The
problem with color blind casting in ‘Hamilton’ and ‘Harry Potter’. The article focused
on the casting of others of different races for a part that played a particular race and
expressed great displeasure for the idea to do so. The article explained that the choice is
often a complicated decision like any issue related to the subject of race. Minority actors
and actresses are not represented to their full capacity and they want to know why this is
such a problem that is being overlooked time and time again. The question has yet to be
addressed with a satisfying answer. France wrote at the end of the article, “color bling
casting might land a few promising actors prestigious roles, but it isn’t a sustainable
strategy’. (The problem with color blind casting in ‘Hamilton’ and ‘Harry Potter’, CNN
Entertainment). She also stated, “Creating interesting roles for actors of color is a multi-
layered challenge that can’t be solved by colorblind casting alone, but it’s