Natalie Reddish
Research Mentor(s): Amy Hughes
Mentor Department: Theatre & Drama
Authors: Natalie Reddish, Amy E. Hughes
Session: Session 1 (9:00am – 9:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 21
Abstract
As human beings, we are fascinated by the extraordinary. Many researchers gravitate toward events and people who stand out, and this is certainly the case with theater history; we know much about actors, directors, and managers who stood out amongst their peers. Academics have studied them to understand how today’s patriarchal, racist, and individualist (among other things) theater culture emerged. Although those findings are valuable, a lot of important information gets neglected. We must also study those who were ordinary; insignificant people that worked, in their own ways, to play into and further the system of today. One such “insignificant†contributor, a nineteenth century actor and playwright by the name of Harry Watkins, wrote an extensive diary (spanning 1845-1860) that offers many insights into the complicated and dynamic culture of American theater. Amy E. Hughes, in her upcoming book An Actor’s Tale, builds upon past research to explore these insights and their importance to understanding the shrouded “white male mediocrity†(an idea theorized by Koritha Mitchell and Ijeoma Oluo) that underlies American culture. The term encapsulates the idea that white men can be completely average to reap the rewards and prestige that other groups only obtain through exceptionality. Watkin’s diary shows us some of the mechanisms through which we maintain and uphold it (some being the “American Dream,†the “self-made man,†and meritocracy) as the standard of our society. It is crucial to study unnoticed, everyday white Americans to understand how everyone, at every level of society, accepts and forgives white mediocrity. Doing so unveils it and helps us understand what is needed to take action to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, physical or mental ability, and sexual orientation has a fair and equal chance at success in our society.
