Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Aronson, Donna Beth
Author's Email Address	aronson@universe.uiwtx.edu
URN	etd-04232004-113607
Title	Access and Equity: Performing Diversity at The New World Theatre
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Theatre, School of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Jean Graham-Jones Committee Chair Carrie Sandahl Committee Member Donna Nudd Committee Member Stuart Baker Committee Member
Keywords	Production History
Date of Defense	2003-12-08
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This dissertation examines the background, production history, and outreach projects of the New WORLD Theater (NWT) in terms of the NWT's usefulness as a model for diversifying theatre programs and, more importantly, for utilizing the work of theatre programs to address issues of access and equity in higher education for at-risk and students of color. Determining how theatre might be used as a tool to encourage young people to participate in society and eventually matriculate to higher education is integral to the motivation behind this study. The researcher’s extensive experience in both theatre and higher education, and awareness of equity and access issues among both students and faculty informs the goals for this study as well. Chapter two's literature review concentrates on research related to diversity, access, and equity. Additionally, the review covers critical educational theory and its relation to theatre and praxis. The production history and background presented in Chapter Three provides the context through which the NWT outreach projects were developed. Chapter Four describes the outreach projects of the NWT, beginning with the Latino Theatre Project and the Asian Theatre Project, two projects that set the stage for the Looking In/To the Future project. Chapter four also provides a detailed description of the Looking In/To the Future/Project 2050, as well as an in-depth account of the activities of and changes to the outreach program over a three-year period. Finally, Chapter Five considers the applicability of the NWT’s outreach projects to the national issue of student and faculty recruitment and retention, and the usefulness of the NWT as a model for expanding diversity in theatre programs at institutions of higher education. This study finds that the NWT’s Looking In/To The Future/Project 2050 is consistent with current national issues related to diversity, access, and equity in higher education institutions. By bringing together marginalized artists and scholars of color, the NWT has provided a site for continued discourse. The work of the project seeks to politicize the discourse of at-risk and youth of color, and, as such, is situated in the politics of performance.
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