Diversity set to hit the stage

An Auckland theatre production may break new ground with a diverse range of actors in its progressive casting process.

Play Seven Deadly Monologues will explore the infamous seven deadly sins theme, but the show's director chose to ignore specific casting notes on ethnicity or gender in favour of 'blind casting' to increase the range of actors included.

Singaporean-born playwright Benjamin Teh originally wrote the play with several characters’ ethnicities and genders in mind, however the director Borni Tukiwaho cast “very different” actors in these roles.

“It had turned into full blind casting,” said Mr Teh of the audition process.

Mr Teh said he had initially wanted to include a range of people in his character descriptions to “show diversity because diversity is something that matters”.

“In society we’re facing this interesting situation where unless the writer says ‘this role is open to an ethnicity change’ or ‘this role is open to a gender change’, casting people won’t think about that,” he said.

The show’s producer, Joselyn Khor, said the unusual open casting process didn’t focus on the “actor’s skin colour or ethnicity” and should be used more often in New Zealand theatre.

“It should be [common]. It would allow for actors to play roles that can reflect who they are, not what society says they are,” she said.

The actor who is assigned ‘pride’, Marwin Silerio, said this is the first time he has experienced such an open casting process and Seven Deadly Monologues is a theatre show that lends itself to diversity.

“No matter what the sin is, every single person on this planet can relate to it because what we’re really focusing on is the humanity of the sin,” he said.

Seven Deadly Monologues is showing 6-9 April at Te Pou theatre. More information on the production can be found here.