An Exploration Of The Exclusion Of Affinity Groups In The Arts Through The Lens Of Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles

Abstract

Theatre serves as a reflection of the human experience, but not every human's experience is reflected on and off the stage. Actors and directors often say that there are no small roles, only small actors, which applies to every aspect of the theatre. However, not everyone is treated as though they have an equal role in the world; Women and the LGBTQ+ community are just two of the marginalized groups commonly underrepresented in all of the arts. As a queer, femme-presenting individual, I have often wished to see myself on the stage, but the theatre has fallen short. I used Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles to explore injustices against women and other affinity groups not spoken for in the arts and the world through the lends of the theatre. The cast and creative team of this piece included others who have also wished to see people like them in their disciplines, which warranted discussion of out own experiences throughout the creative process. In directing Wasserstein's piece, I focused on asking how women and the LGBTQ+ community are forgotten about in the arts and what can be done to remedy the lack fo representation. The theatre aims to start conversations and contribute to making a difference. I want my creative peers and audiences to be thinking about the inequities they see in their own lives and ask questions that spark change.