Routledge
280 pages | 21 B/W Illus.
The systematic practice of non-traditional or "colorblind" casting began with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival in the 1950s. Although colorblind casting has been practiced for half a century now, it still inspires vehement controversy and debate.
This collection of fourteen original essays explores both the production history of colorblind casting in cultural terms and the theoretical implications of this practice for reading Shakespeare in a contemporary context.
Foreword. Section 1: The Semiotics of (Not) Viewing Race Section 2: Practicing Colorblindness: The Players Speak Section 3: Future Possibilities/Future DirectionS Afterword: The Blind Side in Colorblind Casting. Notes on Contributors. Index