Theatre can reflect and promote cultural diversity in several ways. Theatre of identity promotes a particular culture's traditions and point of view to both cultural insiders and outsiders. Examples include Yiddish theatre in New York and plays chronicling the African American experience. Theatre of protest objects to dominant cultures and demands that minority voices be heard. Cross-cultural theatre mixes cultures to find understanding, like plays adapting Native American perspectives. Keeping diverse theatres alive ensures healthy cultural debate in a society.

1. Chapter 3Chapter 3
Theatre and Cultural DiversityTheatre and Cultural Diversity

2. Critical Mirror:Critical Mirror:
Art and Entertainment Reflect CultureArt and Entertainment Reflect Culture
Culture – the values, standards, andCulture – the values, standards, and
patterns of behavior of a particular grouppatterns of behavior of a particular group
of peopleof people
Enculturation – the process by which weEnculturation – the process by which we
learn our culturelearn our culture

3. Theatre Outside the DominantTheatre Outside the Dominant
CultureCulture
Multiculturalism –Multiculturalism –
the endeavor tothe endeavor to
overcome all forms ofovercome all forms of
discrimination,discrimination,
including racism,including racism,
sexism, andsexism, and
homophobia, so thathomophobia, so that
people can coexistpeople can coexist
peacefully andpeacefully and
attempt to achieve aattempt to achieve a
pluralisticpluralistic society.society.
MichalDaniel/Proofsheet

4. Basic TypesBasic Types
ofof
Theatre of the PeopleTheatre of the People
Theatre of IdentityTheatre of Identity
Theatre of ProtestTheatre of Protest
Cross-cultural TheatreCross-cultural Theatre

5. Theatre of IdentityTheatre of Identity
PPromotes aromotes a
particular people’sparticular people’s
cultural identity andcultural identity and
invites members ofinvites members of
that culture andthat culture and
others to experienceothers to experience
their joys, problems,their joys, problems,
history, traditions,history, traditions,
and point of view.and point of view.
©MarthaSwopePhotography

6. Yiddish TheatreYiddish Theatre
During the first half ofDuring the first half of
the 20the 20thth
Century,Century,
NYC’s SecondNYC’s Second
Avenue was knownAvenue was known
as the “Yiddishas the “Yiddish
Broadway” becauseBroadway” because
so many Jewishso many Jewish
theatres were locatedtheatres were located
there.there.
HultonArchive/GettyImages

7. African American TheatreAfrican American Theatre
August Wilson’s plays have chronicled theAugust Wilson’s plays have chronicled the
decades’ long struggle of Blacks in his nativedecades’ long struggle of Blacks in his native
Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh.
DonIpockPhotography/KansasCityRepertoryTheatre

8. African American TheatreAfrican American Theatre
WithWith Topdog/Underdog,Topdog/Underdog, Suzan-Lori ParksSuzan-Lori Parks
became the first African American woman to winbecame the first African American woman to win
the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Michal
Daniel/Proofsheet

9. Asian American TheatreAsian American Theatre
In response to a whiteIn response to a white
British actor playingBritish actor playing
the Asian lead inthe Asian lead in MissMiss
SaigonSaigon on Broadway,on Broadway,
actor B.D. Wongactor B.D. Wong
asked, “If Asianasked, “If Asian
American actorsAmerican actors
aren’t good enough toaren’t good enough to
play Asian roles, whatplay Asian roles, what
are we good for?”are we good for?”
Joan
Marcus/Photofest

10. Theatre of ProtestTheatre of Protest
Objects to the dominant culture’s control andObjects to the dominant culture’s control and
demands that a minority culture’s voice anddemands that a minority culture’s voice and
political agenda be heard.political agenda be heard.

11. Hispanic American TheatreHispanic American Theatre
 El Teatro Camesino
(The Farmworkers
Theatre) was founded
in 1965 by Luis Valdez.
 Valdez’s play
concerning the Zoot
Suit riots in the 1940s
is Zoot Suit .
Universal/TheKobalCollection

12. Cross-cultural TheatreCross-cultural Theatre
Mixes differentMixes different
cultures in ancultures in an
attempt to findattempt to find
understandingunderstanding
or commonalityor commonality
among them.among them.
Denver Center for Michal Daniel/Proofsheet the Performing Arts

13. Cross-cultural TheatreCross-cultural Theatre
The playThe play Black Elk Speaks ,Black Elk Speaks , which was adaptedwhich was adapted
from an oral biography of a Sioux holy man, tellsfrom an oral biography of a Sioux holy man, tells
the story of white America’s westward expansionthe story of white America’s westward expansion
from the Native American perspective.from the Native American perspective.
Japanese director Shozo Sato stages WesternJapanese director Shozo Sato stages Western
classics such asclassics such as Medea, FaustMedea, Faust, and, and MacbethMacbeth inin
Japanese Kabuki style.Japanese Kabuki style.

14. Theatre as a Way of Seeing throughTheatre as a Way of Seeing through
Another’s EyesAnother’s Eyes
Ethnocentrism – privileging how one sees other
cultures through the lens of one’s own
Michal
Daniel/Proofsheet

15. Keeping Theatre of the People AliveKeeping Theatre of the People Alive
““A healthy state needs vigorous, lively, pluralistic debate,A healthy state needs vigorous, lively, pluralistic debate,
not enforced acquiescence to a bullying majority.”not enforced acquiescence to a bullying majority.”
Tony Kushner, playwright
L.Mueller/Staff/TheCharlotteObserver

16. National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the Arts
 The NEA enrichesThe NEA enriches
our nation and itsour nation and its
diverse culturaldiverse cultural
heritage byheritage by
 supporting works ofsupporting works of
artistic excellenceartistic excellence
 advancing learning inadvancing learning in
the artsthe arts
 strengthening arts instrengthening arts in
the communitiesthe communities
throughout thethroughout the
countrycountry
Jane Alexander, former head of the NEA,Jane Alexander, former head of the NEA,
testifies before Congress in the earlytestifies before Congress in the early
1990s.1990s.
TerryAshe/TimeLifePictures/GettyImages

17. Curtain CallCurtain Call
““Cultural diversity is as necessary forCultural diversity is as necessary for
humankind as biodiversity is for nature.”humankind as biodiversity is for nature.”
UNESCO’sUNESCO’s Universal DeclarationUniversal Declaration
on Cultural Diversityon Cultural Diversity