Theatre TCU’s upcoming 2020-2021 Spring season includes two productions requiring the casting of Black people. The World Premiere production of For Bo (written by Theatre TCU Adjunct Professor, Ayvaunn Penn) requires AT LEAST 3-4 Black men, and Rent requires AT LEAST 3 Black men. Theatre TCU only has FIVE Black men in the entire department. 7 roles, 5 men. Due to the current political climate and evolution of theatre, it is imperative to cast these roles correctly. We as the Theatre TCU student body implore the faculty/staff to hear our concerns and requests for change.

We ask that Theatre TCU faculty/staff keep BOTH “For Bo” and “Rent” as the two mainstage productions for our Spring 2021 semester. This petition serves as an outlet to express support for the use of double casting this particular semester, as it’s frankly necessary. The department would be doing a disservice to its students by considering casting Non-Black students in specifically written Black roles. We request ALL roles written for BIPOC actors in “Rent” and ALL future productions be cast appropriately.