Access-forward casting prioritizing bringing people into the room and onto the stage.
My passion for casting began very young, when I pitched my middle-school theater teacher full casts for 5 MTI-licensable musicals in protest of doing Annie yet again.
In addition to casting all plays and musicals I’ve produced or directed, I assisted in the casting of The Factotum and West Side Story at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Factotum casting specifically was rooted in unique outreach to the breaking and street dance community of Chicago. Half of our ensemble comprised of dancers making their stage debut and new inductees to AGMA.
The following thesis reviews a history of the American disability right’s movement and musical theatre history, investigating what practical and social changes need to be undertaken to make a truly equitable casting room as it pertains to actors with physical disabilities (mobility impaired, blind/low-vision, and Deaf/hard-of-hearing individuals).
Chapters include:
The History of Disability in Musical Theatre
Why Representation Matters: The Disability Rights Movement and The Fight for Theatrical Representation
The True “Best Practices” Across the Industry
Current [2023] Practices to Change
Appendix A: Timelines and Funding Needs to Implement Proposed Changes
Research for this thesis included interviews with multiple Broadway and regional theatre casting directors and professional actors with disabilities.