Modern day Vaudeville: Representation of Disability on Broadway

Abstract

This paper will discuss a brief and relevant history of vaudeville and the disenfranchisement of disabled individuals on stage. It will discuss how the framework of vaudeville performances has evolved into modern Broadway theatre, and will show how ableist producing, casting, and language continue to be harmful to disabled communities. To properly gauge the use of ethical language and representation of disabled individuals in Broadway, a Disability Representation Checklist will be introduced. This checklist will note: openly disabled individuals on the production team; openly disabled individuals in the cast; and the use of ethical and inclusive language openly used by non-disabled cast members, producers, and reviewers. Three Broadway productions will be analyzed through the Disability Representation Chart: "Spring Awakening," "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," and "Wicked." The analysis of these performances through the Disability Representation Chart will show a major lack of representation of disabled individuals on Broadway, and a lack of knowledgeable and inclusive language when discussing disability in these performances. The conclusion will reexamine the relationship between vaudeville and modern Broadway performances, discuss short-comings and road-blocks in the stated research, and give recommendations on best practices for the ethical inclusion of disabled individuals in performance.