NTCP: Compendium

New Traditions Compendium Forums & Commentaries: 1992-96

LOOKING BACK

When New Traditions began, we wanted it to be something more than a typical organizational newsletter. Rather than concentrate on what was happening at NTCP, we wanted to concentrate on what was happening in the field. What efforts were being made to create a more racially, ethnically, and physically diverse performing arts -- and on whose terms? How were complexities of culture, history, and privilege being engaged as a result, if at all? Who was benefiting from these changes and why? We wanted to capture what it was like in the '90's to address the issues of diversity at the ground level. In doing so, we hoped to create a publication that would document the obstacles and opportunities, provoke and inspire new ways of thinking, and serve as a vehicle for the exchange of ideas.

An essential step towards achieving these goals, we decided, was to focus our attention on individuals over institutions. What choices did artists, producers, or funders make on an individual basis as they grappled with these ideas? What questions did they ask about non-traditional casting or the value of multicultural programming or funding for cultural diversity? What resistance did they discover -- in themselves or in others -- when it was time to put these ideas into practice? When was it acceptable to overstep the boundaries of convention, and when did it just not seem right? And how did that vary from person to person?

As a rule, three-quarters of every issue of the newsletter has been allocated to the comments, concerns, and insights of practicing professionals, particularly artists of color and artists with disabilities. African American, Asian American, Latino, Native American, and Deaf artists and artists with physical or visual disabilities often seem more talked about than heard from in framing the discourse on diversity or articulating action. What kinds of differences had these artists experienced with the upswing of interest in multiculturalism? Or has there been no substantive difference at all? What perceptions do artists of color and artists with disabilities have of the attempts to change the cultural landscape of the performing arts?

From 1992 to 1996, New Traditions published contributions from sixty-six actors, playwrights, directors, designers, producers, critics, academics, grantmakers, and others, representing a wide range of opinion on making the arts more culturally inclusive, from unabashed boosterism to deep skepticism. Most of these articles appeared as part of forums on a changing set of topics: actors' views on non-traditional casting; how directors of color and directors with disabilities engaged efforts at diversity; the evolution of thinking within the funding community; how playwrights of different cultures approach diversity in writing and production; the attempts of non-profit theaters to broaden their audiences; and the hopes and expectations for multiculturalism's future. The rest were part of a series of commentaries from critics and others on the possibilities and limitations of sustaining a performing arts truly representative of American society.

This special issue brings together thirty-eight of these articles from New Traditions' first five years. Taken as a whole, these writings present an intricate portrait of the impact and scope of attempts to make theater, film, and television more inclusive during the first half of this decade, the areas of progress and the many areas where much more needs to be done. Though there have been positive developments in that time, it is sobering to note that many of the articles reprinted here sound as relevant today as when they were written. From actors to directors to playwrights to critics, the same concerns are expressed again and again. Concerns about the persistence of stereotyping and prejudice, despite the many battles fought and won over them. Concerns about double standards; why artists of color and artists with disabilities seem always to be "emerging," despite years of work. Concerns about the audience and its profound lack of diversity.

For over ten years, NTCP has been at the center of efforts to raise such questions and encourage their answers. In that time, the organization has itself seen changes, growing in size and expanding the depth and complexity of our work. NTCP has acted as a catalyst for the field to recognize diversity and make reforms where practices have been exclusionary. As change has taken place, we have shifted focus and modified our approach as necessary, initiating new programs and ending others. With this compilation, we are now bringing New Traditions to a close as well. As the organization enters its second decade, the time seems right to explore other means of providing a forum on these issues.

The world of the performing arts, too, has changed considerably over the last decade. The opportunity to develop new work has shrunk as some institutions have closed and many others have undergone major transitions. The range and diversity of the work presented seems to have narrowed. And changes in availability of funding are inspiring transformations in the structure of producing theater, film, and television, which will have lasting effect. The heightened uncertainty of such new pressures could all too easily lead to a lessening of the commitment to forging a diverse performing arts. To remind ourselves of what can and must be achieved, we offer this volume.

No one shared NTCP's commitment to an American performing arts truly reflective of our society more than Bernard B. Jacobs, President of The Shubert Organization and The Shubert Foundation until his passing last year. A man deeply dedicated to equality and inclusion, Bernie was one of our first board members. Throughout his ten years with NTCP, he consistently brought the strength of his position and the resources of his organization to bear in support. Bernie's leadership, humanity, compassion, and generosity will always be remembered. It is only fitting, then, that we dedicate this volume to him.

Sharon Jensen and Harry Newman

The NEW TRADITIONS Compendium was made possible through the generous support of The Educational Foundation of America. The Web version of the Compendium has been made possible through the support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

All rights reserved. No reprints, translations, or any republication in any medium permitted without the written permission of NTCP. Articles reprinted here originally appeared in NTCP's newsletters published 1992-1996.