RE: Editorial: Sock ‘n’ Buskin should strive for more diversity, Nov. 19-25.
Ousting instances of discrimination based on race or gender on the Carleton campus is both justified and necessary. Unfortunately, The Charlatan seemed to suffer a lapse in judgement in their editorial on the supposed male-centric nature of the Sock ’n’ Buskin Theatre Company. Pointing a finger to Sock ’n’ Buskin as a culprit in gender and cultural division is both inaccurate and harmful to the diversification of Carleton’s student-run theatre.
While a revised version was later published online, both articles undervalue the efforts made by the student-run company to include all those willing and capable. Sock ’n’ Buskin actively strives to incorporate the demographics of their prospective actors and actresses to the onstage realizations of the chosen plays.
It is true, as the editorial attests, that four of the five original submissions feature male leads. However, I can say, as a female who auditioned for my first Sock ’n’ Buskin play a couple months ago, that an intended male-dominant cast was no deterrent. As the old adage goes, “There are no small parts, only small actors.”
I auditioned in front of a panel that included two male directors and two female stage managers. After succeeding in securing a role in my first Sock ’n’ Buskin play, The Crucible, and attending my first rehearsal, it became readily apparent that its directors had no qualms about deviating from the script.
Three male roles have been delegated to females, one of which is the role of a judge in the late 1600s, something that would have been unheard of in this time period. The revised editorial in The Charlatan does mention this.
Even so, it is also worth mentioning that those and some other roles have been deemed gender-ambiguous, meaning the actor or actress is permitted to decide for themselves which gender they will portray for the character. This outlook cannot be more encouraging for both female and male actors.
Would it be empowering to see more women in lead roles, both in script and onstage? Yes. Is more cultural diversity needed? Yes. But it is a circular argument to suggest that because the original plays lack diversity, a less diverse population will audition.
The onus does not lie solely on Sock ’n’ Buskin, but on the hopeful actors and actresses to take a leap and audition. So please, if you are a woman, or part of a culture that you feel is underrepresented, and are aspiring to exercise your acting skills, do not be discouraged. And know that so long as you fail to see the dividing lines of race and gender as they do, Sock ’n’ Buskin will not only accommodate you, but welcome you.
