What Kind of Diversity is Most Important?

Many theaters spend a great deal of time trying to promote diversity in the audience. They spend time creating projects that reflect this diversity. While I am all for a diverse perspective and diversity being represented in our art form (I don't think one can go far enough to promote these notions) many times the organization tries so hard for diversity just to be able to say that they are diverse, that they end up alienating their core audience. And in a time when audiences are dwindling, I don't think any theater can alienate the base.

There is an interesting discussion in Theatre Bay Area about this very topic. And again, while I am all about diversity, I think this is a topic that is more nuanced than is often given credit for. There are a handful of theaters around Chicago that could benefit from an honest discussion about what they consider to be their diversity programming.