Gender & Casting
Gender & Casting
A brief guide on how to more accurately consider me in casting
A brief guide on how to more accurately consider me in casting
You may have noticed two different pronouns on my materials and social media, that means that I am comfortable being referred to with both they/them and he/him pronouns! I do not have a preference between the two, everyone in my personal and professional life uses them interchangeably; if you'd like an example of that please see my bio!
How you should consider me in casting: Most roles in the Musical Theatre canon are written to be on the gender binary (ie. Male or Female), but that doesn't mean that I don't want to explore their stories! In fact, casting a trans or nonbinary person in a historically cisgender/binary role can provide a lot of depth and new meaning to existing material without changing a word of dialogue. Some roles I am interested in to help guide you in the right direction would be Boq (Wicked), Emmett (Legally Blonde), Mungojerrie AND Rumpleteazer (Cats), Peter Pan, and Link (Hairspray) just to name a few. Since starting hormones I have been more drawn to roles that were written for and traditionally played by men, but there is some flexibility there; if you're confused just ask!
For Ensemble Casting: I dance in both flats and heels, and have a more "masculine", athletic, and grounded style to my dancing regardless of what shoe I'm wearing. I am also comfortable in both pants and skirts, as long as there is an open and continued dialogue about costuming and ensemble placements. A simple and respectful question goes a long way! For partnering I am able to perform low level lifts with a similarly sized or smaller partner (as the "lifter" or "male"), as well as be the partner who is lifted. I have a Testosterone affected voice, so I usually sing the Tenor or Alto part, and I tend to choose songs that were written for men for my repertoire.
Something I'm passionate about is inclusion in casting, and there is nothing I want more than seeing myself and my peers represented properly on stage whether it be Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, or Regional Theatre. I want to help move this industry forward and grow with it.
If you have any questions, please direct them to my email, MxShaneTaylor@Gmail.com! I will happily answer any questions, as long as they are presented in a kind and respectful manner!
-Shane :)