Current Social Upheaval Spotlights Theater and Diversity

Does colorblind casting hide a programming problem in local productions?

When Audra McDonald was cast in a 1994 Broadway revival of “Carousel” as Carrie Pipperidge, a traditionally white character, it caused a stir.

More than 25 years later, audiences no longer balk at such casting decisions, according to Thom Hofrichter, managing artistic director at First Presbyterian Theater.

“I don't think people any longer go to the theater and say, ‘Wait a second. They're supposed to be brothers. How come one of them is Black and one of them is white?’

“I think people accept the premise, when they’re in the theater, that human beings are human beings,” he said. In the late 20th century, it was common for theater directors to tout so-called colorblind casting when it was used on certain productions. These days, it isn’t touted as often because it is generally considered a given. Clearly, inroads have clearly been made nationally and locally. But is Fort Wayne theater diverse enough?

The area theater professionals we spoke to agreed that more work needs to be done.
Philip Colglazier, executive and artistic director of the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, said the Civic has always made it clear in all its literature and correspondence that everyone is welcome.

“In all aspects of our organization, we try to incorporate and invite all minorities,” he said. “You can see that on our website and on volunteer pages.” When the Civic produces shows with a predominance of Black characters, like “Memphis,” the theater sometimes reaches out to the Urban League and to African American churches to find the right actors.

During preparations for an all-female version of “1776,” which opens at the Foellinger Theatre on Sept. 12, Colglazier said he made sure to email the audition notice to the cast of “Memphis.”
“I wanted to really encourage them to audition,” he said. “And that’s all we can do at this point is encourage, especially in this environment.”

That environment being the one created by COVID-19, which might keep many actors, but especially Black ones, away from auditions. Given that some data shows that racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to die of COVID-19 than white people, Colglazier anticipates there will be an understandable reluctance among minority actors to audition for the foreseeable future.

COVID-19 might not be the only thing keeping Black actors away. Asked if he thinks there is a perception among some minority actors that the Fort Wayne theater community is not welcome to them, Hofrichter said he’s not sure. “I can only tell you my perception,” he said. “We’ve tried to be open and accepting for anybody who is interested in coming and doing a play with us. I think we’ve been at least a little successful when it comes to the African-American community.”

Albert Brownlee, a local actor and director who has participated in productions at every major area theater and who has served on the Civic Theatre board, has a more decisive answer to that same question.
“I don’t think there’s a perception that theater is white in Fort Wayne,” he said. “I think theater is white in Fort Wayne.”

Brownlee believes Black actors are reluctant to audition — not because they don’t think they will be cast in a role, but because they believe certain roles will inevitably be cast with white actors.
“I think a lot of people of color and minorities don’t come out for these shows because they know they have limited opportunities to ever be in featured roles other than being an ensemble member,” he said. “The leads are going to be a white male and (a white female).”

Brownlee doesn’t think this is intentional. He describes it as systemic. Colglazier disagrees. He points out that there was an interracial couple in the Civic’s “…before I wake” in 2011 and Black leads in Civic productions of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in 2001, 2010 and 2016.

“I would say it’s not always the case,” he said. “His perception is his perception and I will always honor someone’s perception.” As for shows that address specifically minority concerns, perspectives and narratives, there just aren’t enough of them being produced in Fort Wayne, Brownlee said.
“It’s not just African-Americans,” he said. “I think any other cultures aren’t historically represented on Fort Wayne stages, whether it be Asian or Hispanic – you name it. What you see is stories with scenes and characters written for whites and intended to be portrayed by whites.”

Fort Wayne Youtheatre executive director Todd Espeland agrees that programming is the key to bringing in minority actors and patrons. “Creating work that either appeals to the people-of-color community or makes them want to attend and then being consistent with that programming,” he said. “It can’t be, ‘Oh, we're giving this so that we look diverse and then we're taking it away.’”

John O’Connell, dean of the college of video and performing arts at Purdue Fort Wayne and a sometime director of local shows, said there seem to be two tiers of Black actors in Fort Wayne: a small group that shows up for many auditions and a bigger group that only shows up occasionally. Programming is one way to entice that second group to audition, he said.

“It’s a matter of programming,” he said. “It’s a matter of messaging. It’s a matter of cultural and community networking. I don’t have it. Phil (Colglazier) doesn’t have it. Thom Hofrichter doesn’t have it. You go to the people in the first tier of the African-American or Hispanic communities and you say, ‘Hey, we want to do “Memphis.” But we need your help.’” Even when a show with a preponderance of Black roles is produced, Brownlee said, the backstage crew tends to consist mostly of white people.

“Another concept that comes into play is, ‘Are theaters capable of telling our stories?’” he said. “Sometimes I think what has happened is that when they do attempt to highlight another culture, (the stories are) not told in the best manner because the directors, choreographers, music directors -- people who are selected to work on the shows -- are typically white men and women…It’s like projecting your thoughts of what you think should culturally happen versus someone who may have lived that experience or have more of a cultural understanding of it.”

A few years ago, Brownlee decided that minority actors and theater creatives can’t wait for the status quo to change. They must be the agents for change. “I decided that I could, at least in my span of control, produce a show annually,” he said. Brownlee has since produced and directed “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” a multicultural version of “The Vagina Monologues” and a production of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s “Choir Boys.”

“I am no longer waiting to tell my story,” he said. “There are stories that interest us. Stories that need to be told. Stories that need to be told in a respectful manner. Stories that expand our cultural, educational and social enlightenment.

“And if the local theater scene is unwilling to do that …” Brownlee said. “We shouldn’t wait for someone to give us a show every three to four years. We can do it ourselves.” Brownlee said he is currently planning a production of Christopher Demos-Brown’s “American Son.”

Steven Penhollow is a local writer and a former entertainment reporter for the Journal Gazette.