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WELCOME TO THE FINAL POST
Hello and welcome back!
To recap from the past couple of months of my research:...
Question: How are high school theater productions in different districts in Colorado promoting inclusivity for all ethnic backgrounds?
Hypothesis: High schools in districts with any amount of ethnicity will still produce shows with a more Caucasian cast.
Throughout my research I was able to find that my hypothesis was correct, due to El Paso County, until I reached Cherry Creek School District. To support my hypothesis, Vista Ridge and Cheyenne Mountain are great examples! Cheyenne Mountain had a much greater percentage of diversity than Vista Ridge, however, their production only had 1% diversity. Vista Ridge, however, had a much higher Caucasian population and ended up producing a show that had 30% diversity. This demonstrates that even though Cheyenne Mountain has more diversity, producers still casted a more Caucasian population for a reason we are unaware of. Maybe it is because individuals of different ethnicities did not audition or directors simply typecasted their shows.
However, my hypothesis was wrong when I reached Cherry Creek School District due to the outstanding statistics I found. Overland high school had a much more diverse school than any of the other chosen schools, and they made sure to produce a show that had 65-79% ethnicity. This shows that directors most likely accounted for the highly diverse population of the school and accommodated to it. Additionally, one of their shows was Sister Act, which is a show written for primarily a Black cast as the storyline is based on Black heritage/history.
Therefore, there are a lot of factors that result in the overall diversity of a high school production. Factors that require greater research than I was able to conduct. With my research, however, it is clear to notice that there is an issue regarding overall diversity in high school productions as there is a great array of findings. However, with more time and more factors put into play, we can come up with solutions on how to help more individuals feel represented in high school productions!
WHAT'S NEXT?
There's so much that can be taken into account when researching about diversity in theater. We can look at Broadway, Picture Films, Scriptwriting, Directing and Leadership, etc.. There can be research done on the comparison between scripts written by an individual of a different race and a Caucasian writer. We can also see how productions differ in different states as different areas of the country have different views on major issues such as inclusivity and equality. There's a lot of ways for my project to continue as the theater industry is one that has taken over the globe, therefore, this research is vital to the progression of equality in theater productions.
IMPACT
This research I have conducted, not only impressed me in the results that I found, but intrigued me in how the issue of typecasting is different than I thought it was. We always believed that typecasting is a negative idea as you are targeting an individual, however, this "target" doesn't specify only for race. Directors have one goal in mind when casting: we want the best show possible. For this to happen, typecasting has to be in some shows in order to make sure that audiences are able to fully connect and relate to the show. For example, for a show like To Kill A Mockingbird, there has to be a predominantly Black cast as the show has to translate that emotion to the audience. The same feeling would not be shared if it was a Caucasian cast. Therefore, at times typecasting is beneficial and inevitable in the theater industry, but the move towards completely diversifying shows itself is what is needed in the future.
PROCESS
Overall, as vital this research was in enhancing my knowledge about the theater industry, it is more important for me how the process transformed me into the researcher I currently am. I struggled through many limitations, time limits, and changes in my project but the one value I took away was embracing passion. Research is nothing if the researcher is not passionate about the subject itself. I found a stronger love for theater than I had before due to my research, ultimately allowing me to have a successful research this year. Therefore, in my future research career, I now know that I have to be researching something I truly love and value in order to see any success in the project!
MY PRESENTATION:
Above are the slideshow and final paper I created and submitted into college board. Feel free to explore it!
MY NEXT ADVENTURE?
As high school is coming to an end, my researching days are just beginning. I plan to study Biomedical Sciences: Cell Biology & Genetics (pre-med track) at University of Maryland for the next 4 years in order to figure out what I want to pursue. Through the pre-med track, I will be partaking in a lot of research opportunities and internships to further prepare me for any occupational field I may hold in the medical field. I am hoping to use the lessons I have taken from these research projects I have conducted in high school, in my college-level research!
THANK YOU
I wanted to finally thank Mrs. Dale, Rock Canyon Choir Teacher, for all her help on my project and being a wonderful mentor. A special thank you to Robert Scott (Castle View Director) and Abigail Cate (Overland Director) for allowing me to interview them. I would also like to thank Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Dobos, and Mr. Winkelman, Rock Canyon admin, for guiding me throughout this project. Finally, I would like to thank all of YOU for supporting my research and having interest in my project!
It has been an honor representing high school students who are interested in performing arts and I strongly believe that with my research, many can find comfort and love for the stage as I have!
Much Love,
Nishi Veer :)
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