I recently noticed while looking at the ladies in waiting across numerous productions, that almost all of them appear to be white which seems weird for a show that brands itself with having very diverse casting. While I know that most people sadly don‘t pay attention to the band and the "actresses" are not promoted, it still feels kind of weird to me since I can‘t imagine any practical reason as for why that is.
The thing with bands and orchestras is that they don't work the same way as casts. In most places there is no open call or audition for musicians. Instead they are chosen by the music department and are subject to certain rules. Many times musicians need to already be part of an union, or are required to be local, or are just whoever the music superviser or orchestrator knows and trusts the most. The diversity or lack of it is subject to the system.
And like with most six questions, the answer is it depends on the production: UK started as mostly white but recently has brought in a few non white LIW both as main and as deps (covers). Broadway brought in LIW from a few different pre broadway tour stops, most of them were originally chosen as local stablished theater musicians from the tour stops and as such are mostly white but have a couple non white aand added more on the move to Broadway. Aragon tour, is mixed and pulled from both former broadway and cruise LIW and new musicians. Australia is mostly white but hasn't had enough changes to see future trends (and I have zero clue how things work there). Cruises are basically all non white, and also interestingly the only companies that do have open calls for LIW (who have other music roles on the cruise too).
So tldr. Yes LIW are mostly white, but that is slowly changing. And it is not neccesarily on six, because they have to follow certain rules that make it harder to have a diverse band.
