ABSTRACT
The plays of William Shakespeare continue to represent one of the most influential bodies of work in the English-speaking theatre. Shakespeare in many ways represents the center of the Western theatre tradition and the epitome of “classical theatre.” Every year, Shakespeare is the most produced playwright in America—no other playwright even comes close. In addition to strong vocal and speech preparation, an actor’s success will largely be determined by their ability to take ownership of the language and experience Shakespeare’s characters through their own eyes. Loosely defined, “color-blind casting” is the practice of casting the best actors for the job without regard to race and has emerged as a popular response to the changing complexion of American theatre. From the beginning of American theatre, there were some important efforts to re-imagine Shakespeare with Black actors in White roles, yet they had little resources and were met with rejection by the White mainstream.
