THEATRE AND RACE. . .

Race, in terms of theatre, is such an interesting discussion because race is just a societal convention, right? It is a physical attribute that we have given a name to based on a first look, but, really, when you look at someone first glance, can you really tell what their ethnicity is? With casting, those producing theatre are just looking for what looks right. If I look at you and see a black person, I can cast you as a black person, whether you are black or not. The same goes with Caucasians with tan skin. Give them an accent and they can play a Hispanic; but, is that okay? Should we got out of our way to make sure that the person's specific ethnic background matches the profile of the character? 
This question makes me think of, once again, A RAISIN IN THE SUN. I learned a lot through that experience about how the color and shade of one's skin can affect casting. The director confided in me before putting up the cast list that he felt a sophomore was the best choice for Walter Lee, but that he was concerned about his image. He was mix-raced and very light-skinned, but was the best actor. He didn't know if it was appropriate to use him in a play about the struggle of the black man in that period. Perhaps, he should cast someone darker and cast this guy as George, the uppity, snooty, rich, black guy (another stereotype is that light-skinned black people feel superior to those darker than them). I told him to go with the best actor and though it was a bit non-conventional, I think be did a solid job. I actually don't think it was his skin color that held him back as much as his age and the fact that he had not grown up with any of his black family. He only knew his white side so he actually didn't have the experience or culture that comes with that. 
In that same production, the guy cast as Asagai, the African student, decided it was a good idea for him to put dark make-up on his skin. He also didn't feel dark enough! It started out okay, but by opening night, it was straight up black face! Very jarring and kind of scary. The audience was btk pleased. They felt it was a perpetuation of a stereotype. Not all Africans are dark-skinned!!!
This topic is worth more thought and discussion because it takes that, ya know? It's not something we are all aware we are being affected by, but it is worth taking the time to stop and think about it.

SAVE OUR HOUSING!

Right now, I live in the graduate housing on Nicholson Drive.  It is a perfect fit for someone like me who was just out of college and was going to need to adjust quickly.  I only had a 3 week turnaround from undergraduate graduation to entrance into graduate school.  I love my apartment.  It is an easy walk or bike ride from all of my classes and it is so affordable (they charge one flat rate for utilities and everything), particularly for a location right on campus and so close to everything.  It has this great vintage feel because it was built in the 1950’s.  Everything slides (the front door, the cabinets, the bathroom door), it has brick accents, and it is just the best place for someone like me, who has never had their own apartment and is rarely in their apartment because of graduate school life.

LSU has already begun the process of knocking down The Nicholson Apartments.  They replaced them with parking lots and many people were forced to move. The only ones that remain are the ones that I live in and in 2015 or 2016, they will be demolished. 

I want to schedule a protest/sit in where I get everyone from my building, including their children, to sit in the courtyard of the apartment complex.  We will invite people to sit with us, sign a petition, enjoy refreshments, and talk to us about why we are here.  We will make the residents and their stories real.  We all come from different walks of life.  Some of the residents are from different countries and brought their family all the way to Louisiana for an education and better life.  A lot of them have no car and need to be close to campus.  Our university needs to make education for graduates more efficient and, essentially, easy.  Uprooting some of these residents could prove detrimental to their education. 

We would not leave the courtyard.  We would sleep there, eat there, and show what can happen if graduate students aren’t given affordable housing close to campus.  They will just have nowhere to go.    

In this instance, I think that media would help us.  I would utilize social media, I would create a hastag, I would call The Advocate and the local news station, anything to make ourselves present.  I would take advantage of the fact that the residents of our complex are a diverse group and take a lot of pictures. 

I would know my protest was complete when I got enough signatures to present my petition to the correct officials and when I felt the graduate students had been adequately heard.  I can honestly say that my endgame may not even be that they keep the buildings up.  It may be too late for that; but, I want people to be more aware of what happens when they take these actions.