Episode 2: Black Hair

Dirty Laundry: Unpacking The Costume Closet

Johanna talks with Cassandra Freeman, Nikiya Mathis, and Cody Renard Richard about Black hair in theatre and film. Black actors' hair needs are continually neglected in the industry; producers are often woefully lacking in knowledge of the time, money, and work required to achieve various hairstyles. Companies often have no relationship with Black hair/wig stylists in their community, and leave Black actors to spend their own money and time on styling for their roles. In this episode, we discuss the ways theatre and film can end Black hair discrimination, and the effects such discrimination has had on Black artists.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Oscar James
Molly Rogers
Bridging The Gap
National Black Hair & Makeup Registry
The CCR Scholarship Program
Broadway Advocacy Coalition
More From Our Guests:
Interview with Cassandra
Cassandra's Twitter
HAIRversations & HAIRstories
Nikiya's Website
Interview with Cody
Cody's Website

Additional Resources:
Black Hair Guide
The CROWN Act
Hair Love, A Short Film by Matthew A. Cherry
8 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Black Women's Hair
How Natural Black Hair at Work Became a Civil Rights Issue
12 Reasons Why Hair Is Important in Black History
Who Decided Black Hair Is So Offensive Anyway?
My Black Hair: A Tangled Story of Race and Politics in America
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Host: Johanna Pan
Producers: Shayna O'Neill & Johanna Pan
Music: Jay Ong
Audio Engineer: Justin Sabe
Transcript