Once On This Island: An Exploration of Non-traditional Casting

Only in the world of acting can an individual be denied a job simply on the basis of their appearance. In this thesis, I sought to explore alternatives to this through the concept of nontraditional casting and casting against “type." This included the presentation of a full-length production of the musical “Once on this Island” which I attempted to cast based on vocal quality and skill alone rather than taking physical characteristics into account. I researched the history and implementation of nontraditional casting, both in regards to race and other factors such as gender, socio-economic status, and disability. I also considered the legal and intellectual property challenges that nontraditional casting can pose. I concluded from this research that while nontraditional casting is only one solution to the problem, it still has a great deal of potential to create diversity in theater.