Bias. Typecasting. Stereotyping.
These are some of the issues North Texas performers say they face in the audition room. While the performing arts has made strides in recent years to be more inclusive, Dallas actors from underrepresented communities still face barriers that make them feel overlooked or unseen.
That鈥檚 why some Dallas performers and a local producer say it鈥檚 important for performing arts organizations to take the lead in making auditions more equitable. Here are the tips they outlined to make auditions more inclusive:
1. Reach out to performers from underrepresented communities
Charles Jackson Jr. is an associate producer at in Fort Worth who scouts talent for the theater and helps cast performers. The Fort Worth native is also a playwright, actor and director.
鈥淚t's just looking to make sure that we are finding every avenue of discovering talent that represents the community that we're serving,鈥� he said.
He said it鈥檚 important for performing arts organizations to be proactive in seeking talent from underrepresented communities.
Often, he said theater companies will post an audition notice on their website with DEI buzzwords, but fail to do the work to actually connect with communities personally.
鈥淲e can't place the blame on the misrepresented communities on not showing up when we have never had a place at the table for them,鈥� he said.
Jackson said he consistently makes an effort to attend shows around North Texas and looks through pamphlets to identify performers who might be a good fit for future Jubilee productions. If someone catches his eye, he鈥檒l personally introduce himself and ask them to fill out an online submission form so they鈥檙e added to Jubilee鈥檚 network and notified when auditions happen. He also uses Facebook groups and sends out individual emails.
Actress Natalia Gutierrez-Borja has struggled with sizeism in the industry. She wants to see the performing arts evolve and have more spaces for plus-size actors where the storyline isn鈥檛 about their weight.
Gutierrez-Borja, who鈥檚 also been on the other side of the table as a casting director, said she agrees engaging with communities is essential to quality casting.
鈥�I think getting to know the communities you pull from is so important,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think if you're going to do a show about a certain community, you have to have ways to communicate and to get in touch with them. So you can say, 鈥業 have this opportunity and I would love to do as authentic casting as I can, and I want your help with it.鈥� 鈥�
2. Consider how the selection of shows and creative teams shape casting
鈥淲hen you're picking the shows you need to be aware of, OK what room do we have to explore? What room do we have that can affect the story differently?鈥� he said.
Meanwhile, production teams and directors can bring their own biases and opinions and shape the vision of the final production.
鈥淲e know that statistically you are more likely to hire someone who looks like you and that's anybody,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou're more likely to hire a person that you can relate to on that type of level.鈥�
3. Evaluate whether casting decisions are being led by bias or story value
鈥�Figure out the things that are required and the things that are just the biases,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o then when we get into the audition room, you aren't shutting people out for a role just because they don't fit the traditional mold.鈥�
Jackson goes by this rule of thumb: 鈥淒oes it affect the core of the story in a way that isn't the intent of the story? If it does not, then it should not matter who you cast.鈥�
For instance, Jackson said 鈥淎 Raisin in the Sun鈥� is a play that鈥檚 written for a specific community and will require certain actors due to the social context of the work. Meanwhile, he said other shows like Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淢acbeth鈥� provide more opportunity for open casting.
4. Designate an accessibility advocate on audition notices
For Galloway and other performers, conversations about accommodations need to happen far in advance of the audition so her needs can be met.
Earlier this year, Galloway auditioned for a show at . She explained some of her neurological diagnoses to a staff member and was able to get a video of the choreography ahead of time.
鈥淚t meant that I was able to review it and to start to get the skeleton of the movement into my brain and let my brain figure out how to translate that into my body before I was in the pressured situation of the actual dance itself,鈥� she said.
In the future, Galloway said she鈥檇 like to see audition notices clearly indicate an accessibility advocate who can discuss accommodations ahead of time.
鈥淭hat person has to be open to hearing what the artist is trying to say and providing options and asking intuitive questions,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here is no 鈥榦ne size fits all.鈥� So I think that having that person who is specifically there to be an advocate for that individual artist or those individual artists is imperative.鈥�
5. Take steps to make all performers feel safe and seen in the audition room
Ultimately, Jackson said performing arts organizations must support performers so that they feel safe and seen in auditions. He said that starts by being empathetic and flexible.
鈥淚n general, we try to make sure that the artist doesn't feel judged in the audition, making sure that they feel like they have an opportunity because they do,鈥� Jackson said.
That includes having forms in the lobby where performers can share how they identify, so they鈥檙e not misgendered and can list any accommodations they may need during the audition. Still, he said there鈥檚 always ways the theater can do better.
Jackson said there鈥檚 no quick fix for making auditions more equitable 鈥� it鈥檒l require tough conversations and going back to the drawing board. That鈥檚 why he said it鈥檚 easy for performing arts organizations to give up on more inclusive casting.
鈥� 鈥極h, we tried to cast a diverse show. We want anybody to come and audition, but nobody came. So, you know, we tried.鈥� It's very easy to feel that mindset and it's very easy to blame the artists for not coming in to audition instead of blaming a society that has made it where you are rarely represented,鈥� he said.
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