Honoring Rasquachismo in el Teatro

Abstract

Supremacist, hierarchical and European ideology has dominated the field of theatrical study and performance, dictating process, learning, and purpose. Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekov, and Sophocles are often implemented in university theater programs as essential points of study and professional training without hesitation. Although these white men were part of the development of the traditional theater that is commonly accepted, they are not the only contributors to the art form. The notion that theater only “exists” once white men have explored it has led to a narrowing of the understanding and appreciation of work in the field. The exclusionary process of colonized theater must be challenged as this structure only serves to assign validity, resources, and viability to a narrow subset of the art form (Elliot and Dias 2018). This narrowing of the field is often only performatively combated; although theatrical training programs insist that they are expanding their programming, limited diverse theatrical contributions are showcased in educational settings (Ybarra 2018).