Playwrights on Their Plays

Good theatre, as is often said, is like a “slice of life.” A play captures compelling and often uncomfortable elements of the human existence — and as more and more traditionally (and still) marginalized voices burst into the national conversation and more formerly taboo subjects become open to discussion, theatre provides a powerful avenue for these voices to share their stories.

Unfortunately, contemporary theater is often a luxury item for its patrons, as opposed to an easily accessible artistic medium. According to a report by The Broadway League, the average age of Broadway theatregoers from June 2013 through to June 2014 was 44. Moreover, Caucasians purchased almost eighty percent of all tickets — or more specifically, affluent Caucasians. An average Broadway audience has a reported annual household income of $201,500. Of theatregoers over the age of 25, 78 percent have completed college and 39 percent have earned a graduate degree.

The demographics of theatregoers are a result of the continuous increase of ticket prices, as well as the low incomes experienced by the younger generation. In addition, there is pressure on producers to match the special effects that have become dominant in film in the past couple of decades, leading o greater expenditures on state-of-the-art equipment to satisfy customers. Finally, regional theaters find that producing the latest Broadway hit or a famous American work is more profitable than taking a chance on a new, discourse-heavy play, something that would perhaps attract a new and more diverse audience. Hence, shows nowadays exist at the exclusion of the majority of the population.

Perhaps the most problematic aspect of contemporary theatre, however, is that plays are not adequately or accurately representing current U.S. demographics, both racially and economically speaking. Keith Hamilton Cobb’s new play, American Moor, tells the tale of a large, middle-aged black man auditioning for the role of Othello, as a young and white artistic character tries to impose his sense of race on the character. The story is, as Cobb tells it, a representation of the black experience in the theater business. Relevant statistics back up Cobb’s story. As of the 2012-13 season, actors of color make up only 25 percent of the staff in popular off-Broadway theatre companies in NYC. And, with respect to roles without racial specificities, no theatre company studied has an inclusive (non-traditional) casting rate of over 20 percent. Regarding roles pursued and performed by actors of color, only 10 percent of roles received by actors of color are not racially specific.

This has important implications, as the theatre certainly provides a stimulus for public discourse concerning social and political issues. Plays demonstrate the opinions and lifestyles that members of the audience may not necessarily be privy to, and provide a lens through which one can learn about human psychology and culture. They can also influence the audiences’ values and behavior, prompting them to analyze their environment and their interactions with it.

The cost of seeing a play can limit the impact it can have on dialogue surrounding key matters, as well as deprive people of the opportunity to experience something outside their realm of existence. The impact on the younger generation is one of particular concern, as a study by Theatre Bay Area found that younger respondents generally report higher levels of discussion following the conclusion of the play, as well as greater personal reflection. As a result, those who could benefit the most from contemporary theatre productions are those who are least likely to be able to attend such an event.