Twi McCallum on Hiring Black Designers and Creatives
On June 8, 2020, broadwayworld.com published Twi McCallum’s Open Letter to the Theatre Community on Hiring Black Designers and Creatives. I came across this letter the following day, and I have to admit that I was quite struck by the letter’s tone. You really must read the entire letter for yourself, but I can tell you this: Twi gets right to the business of letting the entertainment industry know that hiring a Black cast does not mean your EDI box is checked. She writes that she’s, “tired of “inclusion” being exclusive to the actors, writers, producers, musicians, and dancers,” and that’s exactly the tone I’m talking about. She’s tired of it, and who wouldn’t be? The play does not stop at the stage. As everyone knows, that’s only the beginning, so why isn’t this inclusivity reaching backstage, to the shops, the design studios, etc.
