Roundabout Theatre Company began the Refocus Project in 2021 as an initiative to expand the theatrical canon. The first phase of the project culminated in readings produced over three seasons to elevate the work of Black American, Latine, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities respectively. After evaluating the first phase of Refocus this past year—taking into consideration community feedback and project sustainability—Refocus is back with a new approach: selecting two Spotlight Artists whose work and legacy we can explore more broadly. This year we are proud to honor William S. Yellow Robe Jr. and Migdalia Cruz.
Why an Artist Spotlight?
Refocus is an inquiry-led project exploring answers to three big questions:
- What is the best way to expand the canon and make it inclusive and accessible?
- What would have the greatest impact on the legacy of artists?
- What is the appropriate role for Roundabout to play in expanding the canon- given the size, reach, and footprint the organization has in the current theatrical landscape?
Conversations with a range of theatre professionals and experts during the evaluation period of Refocus inspired a closer look at inclusivity in the canon. We want to prioritize the specific community of each artist and hopefully open doors to more unique representation than could be achieved by focusing on community groups. Shifting the original Refocus model to prioritize individual artists allows for a deeper engagement with their body of work and contributions to the form.
We recognize that expanding the canon is both a process of recovery and recognition. In selecting William S. Yellow Robe Jr., we want to keep his legacy alive and shine a spotlight on his work. In selecting Migdalia Cruz, we want to celebrate her vast contributions to our theatre landscape as she continues to create work. Additionally, while Roundabout seeks to inspire productions of Spotlight Artists’ works, we also hope to see these artists taught and included on syllabi.
What was the Artist Spotlight Selection Process?
The selection process began in early 2024 and occurred in three phases: Nominations, Initial Reading, Recommendations.
Nominations
A series of nominations solicited from theatre professionals across the landscape left us with a list of nearly 20 artists to consider for Refocus 2025. After gathering several titles by each artist, constructing biography packets, and lists of each nominee’s larger body of work we moved to the next phase, Initial Reading.
Initial Reading
A team of readers both internal and external to Roundabout were randomly assigned plays from a pool of 2-3 per nominee. Each play was read at least twice and evaluated by two different readers who provided us with thorough dramaturgical feedback and fresh perspectives on each piece. Based on the reader feedback, Roundabout identified six artists that were strong candidates for the recommendation panel.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Spotlight Artists came from a small group of theatre professionals that reviewed all of the material acquired on each nominee, alongside the feedback received on the scripts from readers. This recommendation panel provided us with two final selections, concluding the process in the winter of 2024. The Roundabout Artistic Team read multiple plays from each Spotlight Artist and selections for each reading were finalized throughout the beginning of 2025 based upon consultation with artists, estates, and licensing companies. Around 30 people from the theatre community locally and nationally, alongside the entire Roundabout team, were a part of the Refocus Spotlight Artists selections this year.