In 2022, the Public Theatre in New York City presented “Richard III” with a nontraditional casting twist: The role of the villainous king was portrayed by black female actor Danai Gurira. Speaking about the appropriateness of this choice, Gurira reasoned that great writing “transcends culture, it transcends the specificity of the color of your skin or even gender. It transcends those things. It’s about the human experience.”
This year, a revival of “Cabaret,” set in Nazi Germany, starred three black performers in traditionally white leading roles: Billy Porter as Emcee, Marisha Wallace as Sally Bowles, and Ato Blankson-Wood as Cliff Bradshaw. This casting, remarked Porter, was useful to depict “how Black people are being treated today to how Jews were treated during the rise of the Nazi party in Germany.” London’s Broadway Buzz commented that the nontraditional casting “invites audiences to reflect on their own perceptions of race and artistry.”
