Colorblind Shakespeare New Perspectives on Race and Performance [Hardcover]

The systematic practice of non-traditional or colorblind casting began with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival in the 1950s. Although colorblind casting has been practiced for half a century now, it still inspires vehement controversy and debate.
This collection of fourteen original essays explores both the production history of colorblind casting in cultural terms and the theoretical implications of this practice for reading Shakespeare in a contemporary context.Foreword.  Section 1: The Semiotics of (Not) Viewing Race  Section 2: Practicing Colorblindness: The Players Speak  Section 3: Future Possibilities/Future DirectionS   Afterword: The Blind Side in Colorblind Casting.  Notes on Contributors.  IndexAyanna Thompsonis Assistant Professor of English and Women's Studies at Arizona State University.