Antiracist Casting Practices
Join TYA/USA, in partnership with Arts in Color, in a national conversation on addressing the racism and oppression that impacts the entire TYA industry in personal, professional, and systemic ways.
How do we leave “Color-Blind Casting” behind, moving to models that sensitively and holistically reflect the diversity of our country on our stages? This session will explore issues that arise in casting across the theatre industry, and offer ways to intentionally and responsibly make casting decisions in TYA.
Over the course of a 11-session webinar series we will explore a variety of issues and perspectives regarding the ways artists and organizations can begin to (or further) embed antiracist practice in Theatre for Young Audiences.
In addition to the 11 webinars, participants will be provided with reading materials, resources, follow up questions to deepen their learning, and a Slack Channel for further dialogue. Join colleagues across the country in actively engaging with ways to dismantle racism and white supremacy in the TYA field, and work toward making (or sustaining) meaningful change in creating a truly equitable landscape for our artists, organizations, and our young audiences.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2020
Time: 1:30 – 2:45 PM ET
Cost: Sliding Scale. Visit www.tyausa.org/antiracism for details.
Register Now
Members Non-MembersThis webinar is part of an 11-session series. For more information, visit www.tyausa.org/antiracism.
Speakers
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Victor Vazquez
Speaker
Victor Vazquez, CSA is the founder of X Casting NYC. Current new-play and new-musical projects include: The Royal Court Theatre in London’s West End, The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, Dramatists Guild, WP Theatre NYC Pipeline Festival, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, The Alliance Theater, The Kennedy Center.
Previously, he served as resident Casting Director at Arena Stage for three seasons, overseeing the casting of over 25 productions and over 26 new play/musical workshops. He has auditioned thousands of actors, and cast over 500 actors in professional plays and musicals in such theatre’s as A.C.T. (American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco), Seattle Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and London’s West End. He has held casting calls in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, the SF Bay Area, and Washington D.C. He now lives in New York City with his partner Bryan.
Victor holds a master’s degree (with distinction) from the University of Oxford. He is the proud son of Mexican immigrants. Spanish is his first language. Victor is a member of the Casting Society of America, and a 2020 Theater Communications Group (TCG) Rising Leader of Color.
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Khalia Davis
Speaker
Khalia Davis (she/her) is a bicoastal multidisciplinary artist splitting her time between the San Francisco/Bay Area and New York. Directed and devised new works with prominent theaters such as Bay Area Children’s Theater, Atlantic Theater Company’s Atlantic for Kids, New York City Children’s Theater, Spellbound Theatre and more. Ms. Davis recently served as the Director of Inclusion and Education with Brooklyn Children’s Theatre restructuring their children’s musical theater programming through an anti-racism lens and taught with New York City Children’s Theater, the Atlantic Acting School, and for Disney Theatrical Group leading music and movement workshops and facilitating audience and community engagement. She also served as an Artistic Associate for the nationally-known arts education organization The Story Pirates. As a performer, she has worked regionally and toured nationally on both coasts. Recently named the Artistic Director of Bay Area Children’s Theatre and awarded the 2019 Emerging Leader Fellowship with TYA/USA and the NYCCT Leader Fellowship for 2019/2020. BA in Theater Arts from the University of Southern California. To learn more about Ms. Davis, check her out at www.khaliadavis.com!
