ABSTRACT
As a white acting pedagogue striving for mindful practice of social justice, I frequently consider my classroom space—specifically, choices around the decolonization of play canon, casting students in scenework, and the methods by which I coach. Drawing on the theoretical work of Angela Chia-yi Pao, Amanda Rogers, student testimony, and more, this chapter explores the ways I strive for equity, inclusion, and belonging in scenework study. Students of color frequently feel conflicting expectations of learning to perform truthfully while simultaneously navigating cultural expectations from their teachers, which can be rooted in white supremacy and other forms of hegemony. While acknowledging my whiteness and its inherent limitations with regard to the experiences of BIPOC students, I focus on the ways in which I select, cast, and coach scenework toward the broader aim of a more inclusive, antiracist acting classroom.
