AS YOU LIKE IT, OR DON’T

These are strange times we’re living in, and political correctness makes strange bedfellows. For years now, Oregon Shakespeare Festival has been a leader of inclusionary casting — meaning actors who have been looked over in the past will be readily accommodated regardless of physical disabilities, age, race, sex, deafness or some other category that isn’t solely white male (which could be seen as exclusionary to white males who never knew the so-called “privilege” of yore, but that’s another story). There has also been a call for diversity in directors and crew. What this vision means at OSF and stages across the land is that we can get revivals that add an awesome new dimension to oft-produced shows, such as last year’s same-sex Oklahoma! But the PC pendulum has swung so far that the results sometimes scream diversity for diversity’s sake, meaning a play can have odd, even unbelievable casting. (Unless perfectly cast, a family of all colors can stick out and remove us from the play — believability should be the key, not diversity.) Artistic Director Bill Rauch (who moves on to New York after this, his 12th season) and his staff no doubt desire shows to be as diverse AND as excellent as possible, OSF’s patrons (predominantly white at the eight shows I attended this year) may wonder if diversity is indeed more important than perfect casting.

which makes me wonder, if a transgender actress can play a man, why can’t a costitial man play a woman?

transgender

photos by Jenny Graham

As You Like It
Angus Bowmer Theatre
Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, OR
ends on October 26, 2019
for tickets, call 800.219.8161 or visit  OSF