VTA 2019: Find Your Light

This is a workshop and forum discussion for theatre teachers dealing with honoring multi-culturalism and diversity within theatre programs. An honest self assessment of your theatre program will be the starting point - Do you color-blind cast? Have you ever- when permitted- changed character genders? Are your play choices diverse in their appeal to different cultures? Do you cast a wide recruitment net for your cast and crews or do you rely on the same group of die hard drama kids? When students of different ethnicities come to the play do they ever see themselves reflected in it? Strategies will be workshopped and different approaches shared that will make theatre teachers aware of meeting the needs of differing school populations and fostering a better sense of inclusion for all races, religions, orientations and beliefs of students within high school theatre programs and for the diverse audiences they serve.