[NEohioPAL] August Wilson's Essay on Colorblind Casting

[Stephen via NEohioPAL]

August Wilson Assails Colorblind Casting



August Wilson attacked the trend to cast actors in roles regardless of their race. "Colorblind casting is an aberrant idea that has never had any validity other than as a tool of Cultural Imperialists who view American culture , rooted in the icons of European culture, as beyond reproach in its perfection . . . ," "To mount an all-black production or partial black production of a Death of a Salesman or any other play conceived for white actors as an investigation of the human condition through the specifics of white culture is to deny us our own humanity, our own history, and the need to make our own investigation from the cultural ground on which we stand as black Americans. It is an assault on our present, our difficult but honorable history in America; is an insult to our intelligence, our playwrights, and our many and varied contributions to the society and the world at large." Wilson proposes that more support be given to black theatres and other cultural institutions. "We do not need colorblind casting," he wrote, "we need some theatres to develop our playwrights." Wilson's words crystallizes points he has been articulating for several years.

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