Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder: Welcome to Instructing Theatre, a podcast in regards to the follow and pedagogy of theatre schooling produced for HowRound Theatre Commons, a free and open platform for theatremakers worldwide. I’m your host, playwright and theatre professor Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder.
Welcome again to Instructing Theatre, a podcast collection on theatre pedagogy hosted by HowlRound. With extra emphasis being placed on collaboration, inclusion, and scholar buy-in, I needed to take a look at how departments are exploring these points within the context of season planning and casting. As we speak we’re going to do a deep dive into the practices which have been put in place on the College of Florida. Becoming a member of me immediately is Dr. Colleen Rua, the interim affiliate director and assistant professor of theatre within the College of Theatre and Dance on the College of Florida. Her major space of analysis focuses on Latin American and US Latinx theatre. Colleen, thanks a lot for becoming a member of me immediately and on your willingness to share the practices put in place at your establishment.
Colleen Rua: Thanks, Elyzabeth. I’m pleased to be right here.
Elyzabeth: So, let’s begin off with speaking just a little bit about what you do there on the College of Florida and the function that you simply play in season planning and casting.
Colleen: Positive. Particularly to season planning and casting, I’m at the moment chair of our season planning committee, and I additionally direct productions commonly within the College of Theatre and Dance. So I’m each chair of that committee and a director inside our season.
Are all of our college students being well-served of their curricular wants by way of producing a selected script?
Elyzabeth: Superior. So, what sort of buildings are in place to information your season planning course of?
Colleen: Positive. So now we have a season planning committee. Our season planning committee is comprised of college and college students, so I chair the committee; our producing director, Jenny Goelz, is part of the committee; then now we have school representing the completely different areas of our college, and now we have college students representing the completely different diploma packages within the faculty. In order it seems, on this iteration of our committee, however that is usually the quantity is on the earth of ten, and it’s balanced between scholar and school representatives. In order that committee meets, we convene in early September, after which we meet each different week for your entire tutorial 12 months or virtually your entire tutorial 12 months. Our course of is that we put out a name, the three administrators of the college—which might be the college director, me because the interim affiliate director, and our producing director—come collectively to place collectively the cost for the committee.
That cost is communicated to the committee at that first assembly. Then the committee works on some language that has been drafted by the administrators, works on some language for the decision for proposals. That decision for proposals goes out to your entire neighborhood, so anybody in the neighborhood can suggest a script. Then we’ve obtained our Google Drive, the place of us can suggest and drop their scripts that they’re proposing, and the committee evaluations the scripts. We learn in two groups in order that we are able to transfer by way of what is usually numerous scripts that comes by way of. We learn in two groups, and at every of our conferences each different week, we talk about every of the alternatives that got here by way of, after which we vote. We’ve an extended checklist to begin, after which we vote to maneuver to a shorter checklist.
As soon as we’ve gotten to a brief checklist for each a musical—we produce one musical theatre choice a 12 months—and the non-musical performs, which comprise the remainder of our theatre a part of the season, we even have choices and dance for the season. As soon as we’ve shortlisted these two issues, then the manufacturing director, together with the director of the college, take a look at all the different concerns when it comes to what’s possible round assets just like the calendar or budgetary assets, et cetera. The manufacturing director will come again to the committee with a proposed Season A and Season B, after which the committee votes on which of these to maneuver ahead with. Then that goes to your entire school for a vote, after which that season is communicated to the neighborhood, and we’re really planning two years upfront. So proper now we’re planning the ’25-26 season.
Elyzabeth: Oh, wow. What are the issues that you simply think about when you concentrate on season planning?
Colleen: In placing collectively the decision, each the cost for the committee and the decision for proposals, we actually are taking a look at connecting the cost to the college’s mission and imaginative and prescient. Then that turns into a part of the decision for proposals. So for instance, three factors or key sections by which now we have, sure, linked the cost to the mission of the college or the imaginative and prescient of the college this time round are that we’re asking for scripts that talk to the concept of constructing communities grounded in fierce solidarity and brave vulnerability. We prioritize inclusive illustration when it comes to intersectionality and identification. Additionally, when it comes to, are all of our college students being well-served of their curricular wants by way of producing a selected script? So design and manufacturing college students, are they properly served by this script? Efficiency college students, are they properly served by the script? Are the alternatives assembly studying outcomes, abilities that we’re hoping that college students will purchase of their time right here or rehearse of their time right here? And we additionally perceive that no script is ideal, however some will communicate to the cost extra urgently than others.
Elyzabeth: So once you’re contemplating your season planning and the performs that you choose, how a lot do you’re taking the scholars in your program into consideration, particularly castability? Do you’ve got the scholars who can play these components?
Colleen: Yeah. When the committee is reviewing scripts and proposals, now we have an preliminary rubric that we take a look at or that we full to begin the dialog. That features issues like, “Is there an entire proposal and an entire script? If it’s the musical theatre choice, is it from the time interval and within the model that we’re taking a look at?” Which really feel like actually elementary fundamental questions. Additionally, in that rubric of very elementary issues that we have to have to maneuver ahead is, can this play be forged from our scholar inhabitants? The proposal and script, are they embracing vast conceptions of intersectionality and identification? And is it inclusive when it comes to participation of all college students’ design manufacturing, performers, et cetera? So that may be a elementary query round casting, and if it may be forged by our scholar inhabitants, that’s a elementary query that we interact with on the committee.
In taking a look at our proposal type, I additionally needed so as to add, I’m reviewing it right here. We even have questions for folk who’re proposing. We ask them to offer a breakdown of roles that may be performed by any gender, male presenting roles, feminine presenting roles, roles for gender non-conforming or trans folks, ensemble roles. Sure. So in excited about castability, we’re actually asking each the committee and people proposing to contemplate our scholar inhabitants.
Elyzabeth: I like what you had been saying when it comes to ensuring that there was loads of illustration within the play, which brings me to my subsequent query. How do you make house for trans and non-binary college students in that casting course of, and the way does that influence how you choose exhibits that you simply produce?
Colleen: So I believe a few ways in which we’re working towards trans illustration in our season are, one, taking a look at performs by which playwrights welcome any gender for a selected function. So, we lately did a staged studying in November of a play referred to as The Day the Music Got here Again by Alvaro Rios. There are eight characters which will be performed by any particular person, particular person of any gender, any ethnicity, any race, any potential, et cetera. So I believe discovering performs and playwrights which can be representing trans folks or providing house for folks to be in roles is vital. So I hope that we’ll proceed to seek out scripts that permit for trans illustration, each inside casting and by trans playwrights. Additionally, that scripts that permit for flexibility in casting specific characters, that exact characters will be performed by all completely different varieties of individuals. We additionally lately did a manufacturing of The Promenade, and there was trans illustration and gender-nonconforming illustration in that manufacturing. So I believe we’re nonetheless working towards illustration of trans folks, and I hope that we’ll proceed to try this good work.
The scholars simply actually have so much to supply when it comes to assessing scripts, providing suggestions on scripts, actually excited about how a season would look total, how their 4 years—typically 5 years—right here will look, if the season we’re engaged on how that matches into what got here earlier than, what would possibly come after. So it’s simply tremendous vital for his or her voices to be within the room.
Elyzabeth: That sounds superb. I like how intentional that you’re being as you’re taking a look at potential tasks on your college students. How vital do you’re feeling it’s to incorporate college students in season planning?
Colleen: So vital. It’s in all probability an important factor when it comes to season planning as a result of our college students, it is part of their curriculum. They’re additionally actually on the heartbeat of what’s taking place in theatre proper now, and what scripts are on the market, and what’s talking to them, to their lives, to their era. Additionally, actually excited about… I believe they’re actually aware about what, within the season, can complement what’s taking place within the classroom and the way what’s taking place within the classroom can complement this season. So I believe our season planning committee is admittedly collaborative when it comes to school and scholar illustration, the conversations, the dialogue that occurred there. The scholars simply actually have so much to supply when it comes to assessing scripts, providing suggestions on scripts, actually excited about how a season would look total, how their 4 years—typically 5 years—right here will look, if the season we’re engaged on how that matches into what got here earlier than, what would possibly come after. So it’s simply tremendous vital for his or her voices to be within the room.
Elyzabeth: What function do your college students play in deciding on your season?
Colleen: Positive. So anybody in the neighborhood can suggest a script. So usually, college students are proposing, after which the coed members of the season planning committee signify their constituencies on the committee. In order that they’ll be in dialog with of us who’re proposing, letting of us know what issues are into consideration. All of our season planning minutes are posted and accessible. There’s nothing secretive in regards to the season planning committee. Every thing’s clear. Then college students who’re on the committee, college students and school, all have an equal vote on the committee. So college students are voting for scripts to both transfer ahead or to be placed on an inventory for consideration at a later time in the event that they’re not proper on this second. Yeah, so college students and school have equal half within the voting and dialogue, and the committee.
Elyzabeth: Are all the college students allowed to vote, or are there college students who’re particularly on a committee?
Colleen: Sure. So there are representatives from every diploma program on the committee. So there’ll be one scholar from every diploma program that sits on the committee, they usually vote.
Elyzabeth: How are these college students chosen?
Colleen: These college students specific curiosity. So within the spring, we’ll have a scholar curiosity type that goes out to the neighborhood, asking college students, “Hey, which of those committees would possibly you be serious about?” And college students will self-identify as having an curiosity within the season planning committee. Then perhaps we’ll take a look at if somebody has had that chance earlier than. Maybe one other scholar ought to have a possibility this time. Perhaps if a scholar is of their third or fourth 12 months, they might have understanding of how the method has labored up to now or perhaps have been mentored by a scholar that got here earlier than them. So yeah, they self-identify, after which we see how that each one matches up.
Elyzabeth: So the rehearsal course of will be very intimate, and it’s vital to create a secure house. Our division has simply instituted new tips for casting that features making certain that college students are in good standing with our Title IX workplace. Does your program have issues in place to create a secure house for college kids throughout that rehearsal course of?
Colleen: It’s actually attention-grabbing. We don’t have a means of making certain that college students are in good standing with the Title IX workplace, however that’s actually attention-grabbing that that’s taking place in your division. Yeah, some issues that we do to make sure a secure house is, first, that when college students are contemplating auditioning, they’re supplied with character breakdowns and an intimacy and violence file that’s created by our college director, Tiza Garland, who can be our violence and intimacy coordinator. So all of that info, together with content material advisories or content material disclosures, are all supplied upfront, together with entry to a full script and a full rehearsal and efficiency schedule. So college students hopefully perceive what the content material of the script is, what the expectations are round scheduling. When it comes to the violence and intimacy file, there’s a very detailed breakdown in a selected script: “On web page ten, it requires this motion; after which is that motion negotiable or not?” And the director will reply to the violence and intimacy file earlier than it’s printed to the neighborhood to say, “This kiss on web page ten is non-negotiable when it comes to the plot and what has to occur. This kiss has to occur.” Or, “That is negotiable. There must be an motion of intimacy or heat or love that occurs on web page ten, but it surely doesn’t must be a kiss.” In order that very detailed breakdown is there, and college students have an actual understanding of what the expectations are.
There’s additionally, when it comes to secure house or perhaps accessible house, that personally I love to do, which is for an audition, provide lodging for time. So if the decision is, you’ve got two minutes to do your monologue or monologues, I like to supply lodging for time as a result of not everybody has equal entry to time. There was, a number of years in the past, a This American Life piece referred to as “Time Bandit” that featured Jerome Ellis, a musician who talks about entry to time. That was actually impactful. So since listening to that, I attempt to permit for, or I do permit for, accommodating time for folk who would possibly want extra flexibility on time with an audition.
Elyzabeth: What precisely do you imply by that? Giving them extra time to arrange or giving them extra time to carry out?
Colleen: Oh yeah. So in that particular occasion, it will be extra time to carry out. So if two minutes doesn’t work for a selected scholar when it comes to accessibility, then perhaps they want three minutes or perhaps they want three and a half minutes, and that’s one thing that we are able to organize for.
Elyzabeth: Oh, attention-grabbing.
I simply actually admire you taking the time to speak to me immediately. I like listening to about all of these items that you simply’re doing to make the season choice course of, plus the casting course of, way more equitable and extra accessible to college students, giving them a bit extra company, which I believe additionally results in extra funding and buy-in total. You guys are doing nice work down there. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of me.
Colleen: Thanks, Elyzabeth. I admire it.
Elyzabeth: This podcast is produced as a contribution to HowlRound Theatre Commons. You’ll find extra episodes of this present and different HowlRound exhibits wherever you discover podcasts. Make sure to search “HowlRound Theatre Commons podcasts” and subscribe to obtain new episodes. When you love this podcast, submit a score and write a evaluate on these platforms. This helps different folks discover us. It’s also possible to discover a transcript for this episode, together with numerous different progressive and disruptive content material, on howlround.com. Have an concept for an thrilling podcast, essay, or TV occasion the theatre neighborhood wants to listen to? Go to howlround.com. Submit your concepts to this digital commons.
