...When your all-white cast is subjected to only all-white shows.
...The last multi-ethnic show you did was The Wizard of Oz, because they did Big River in the same season and had to put those actors in somewhere.
...When the actors do their own tech. (My HS did that this year and JWT does this to free actors)
...When the musical director has alo directed the show(s)...EVERY YEAR.
I can relate to the costume thing. At Jenny Wiley Theatre (Where I've worked the past 7 summers), they do a locally-written musical about Jenny Wiley. And they have like, 3 boxes of costumes from the show's performances since 2001. I had a skirt that was apparently from Into the Woods this summer!
But JWT is a professional theatre AND community theatre combined. Out-of-town actors make up 3/4 of the adult company, and local kids and teens are always cast. This year we had about 50 people in all, and 22/go-knows-how-many kids and teens were VERY lucky. Our cheographer is also the American Girl Place cheographer, and our Ren in Footloose is on the Jesus Christ Superstar tour. In 2005, Eugenia Primis (Japan's Elphaba) was an ensemble member. (
Every living soul has got a voice - you've got to give it room and let it sing.