Examining the Intersections of Culturally-Relevant Pedagogies and Youth Literature in Theatre Performing Arts and Its Implications for a More Inclusive Learning Experience for BIPOC Students

Abstract

This work aims to examine the potential impact of theater guides based on the literary work of BIPOC authors and the culturally relevant pedagogical experiences rendered for students of color. We examine the ways that the exclusion of culturally relevant pedagogies in the creation of theater guides for BIPOC and non-BIPOC students hold the potential to further marginalize BIPOC narratives. We posit that standard approaches to the construction of theater guides of authors of color fails to center familial and cultural knowledge that centers the cultural authenticity of the literary work intended by the authors. This work acknowledges the historical exclusion of BIPOC voices in theatre performance and to that end, this work seeks to analyze how educational guides can work in tandem with Latina/o/x/e literature to center a more authentic experience of BIPOC communities. In this work we reimagine pedagogical practices that are 1) culturally competent and 2) bolster the intersectionality of the lived experiences of BIPOC communities in the educational guides of theatrical productions. This work will provide culturally competent two dramaturgical tenants for educators to consider.