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DIVERSITY OR DISPLAY: HOW DOES PERFORMATIVE DIVERSITY IMPACT AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION AND INCLUSIVITY IN THE AMERICAN THEATRE
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Dickstein, Rachel A.
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Spring 2025
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2025
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9503_Natalie_Nova.pdf
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Performative diversity, as described by Presidio Graduate School, is a surface-level commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that doesn't lead to any long-lasting change in racial equity. Many prominent NYC theaters made public declarations of support for marginalized communities but did not follow through with any structural changes. Theaters still cling to whiteness as the norm, focusing more on appearances than on real accountability. Genuine inclusivity goes beyond just making statements – it requires thoughtful policies, fair practices, and a real effort to elevate BIPOC voices both on and off the stage. Acknowledging these systemic shortcomings is the crucial first step toward reshaping theater into a space where every story is truly valued. As the director of my senior project, The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis, I reflected on the uncomfortable truth about performative diversity in the American theater – something that has and will continue to deeply impact BIPOC artists.
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