NY Times Today Editorial on
Jun 17
2024, 12:40:39 AM
Kad said: "I genuinely do not follow his reasoning why colorblind casting can be fine in this instancebut race-conscious casting isn’t. In fact, his arguments would seem to apply equallyto colorblind casting.
From what I've seen "colorblind" casting is completely race-conscious & a misnomer. The rather rigid race-conscious rules appear to be: 1. White people are restricted to portraying only white people. 2. People of color
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A STRANGE LOOP On Broadway - News & Discussion Thread
Apr 17
2022, 10:27:49 AM
I'm a Black man, and I too was uncomfortable with the flagrant use of the N-word. It's an offensive word with terrible history and present. It is just unnecessary to use it as conspicuously as it is used in this show.
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Canada Assassins N word controversy
Aug 12
2021, 01:17:11 AM
I'm Black and I hate hearing the word N-word casually used by anyone of any color on stage, be they Black or white or whatever ethnicity in the theater. Too many Black playwrights toss the word around for "authenticity" far too much for my liking. That said, I think the use of the n-word is crucial and historically accurate for the character of Wilkes Booth in Assassins. It is a necessary insight into Booth's political motive and psyche. I'm glad
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Arden Directing 'Merrily' in LA
Dec 5
2016, 02:05:34 AM
Despite some of the problems alluded to in the LA Times review, I really enjoyed Arden's conception and cast. I love this music and it was very well sung. Many of the problems with the show are really about the book. The music is the star in this show and it survived quite well.
I saw the Lapine revival in the 80's at the La Jolla Playhouse with John Rubenstien and Chip Zien and Heather MacRae, this is not as seamlessly cas
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THE CRUCIBLE Reviews
Apr 1
2016, 10:05:51 AM
I was profoundly moved by this production.
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Hamilton's
Dec 30
2015, 02:43:40 PM
Boy do I hear you on Hamilton. The music would be fine for a "B-side" of a Beyonce type singers single... not very memorable. "Hamilton" is bringing so-so hip hop music to middle-class, mostly White, people and they are beside themselves with praise "discovering" Black music that's been popular since the 80's finally has been made palatable to their cultural and historical tastes.
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Grammy Musical Theatre Nominees 2016
Dec 9
2015, 12:26:17 AM
I'm defending the guy who loves Fun Home. It's a beautiful and heartfelt score. I can't even listen to Hamilton past a few songs It's just horrible. Of course I have no interest in seeing it, the clips I've seen just look cheesy. It sounds like Broadway-ized rap music for White people who don't like and would never listen to real rap in the first place.
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Ring of keys
Jun 10
2015, 12:10:06 PM
I teach kids who are 12 and 13 an advanced 7th grade History class. I've had a few kids who have a pretty amazing vocabulary for their age. Just this fall I had a student tell me how much she loved reading The Great Gatsby.
I have my advanced students reading Hesse's Siddhartha and Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. You would be surprised at some of the sophisticated words some of my best students use in their writing. "Swagger" and "Bearing" are words my 7th
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The King and I or Fun Home?
Jun 8
2015, 03:24:58 AM
Fun Home is one of the great ones. You'll want to say you saw the original cast in a groundbreaking musical. I really liked King and I, but I was profoundly moved and in tears for most of Fun Home... it's that special.
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Black Mama Rose
Apr 3
2015, 12:35:19 AM
I'm black and I'm ok with it, even if she is the only black person in the cast. I'm an opera lover as well and this isn't even a question that is raised, people of all races are cast everywhere.
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NYC TRIP SUGGESTIONS
Apr 2
2015, 10:50:03 AM
Saw Hand to God and American In Paris yesterday. Loved them both, could not be more different. Hand to God is really something special and unique, if it sounds like something you would find interesting, I'd go with that.
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Hamlet
Apr 2
2015, 10:46:07 AM
Well, that's what they said at the box office...
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Hand to God Previews
Apr 2
2015, 01:45:54 AM
Went to the dreaded Wednesday mat. with what looked like a very unsophisticated audience, they ate it up. Really enjoyed the show. Well written, not just a bunch of cheap fowl mouthed puppet jokes. My Unitarian minisister husband found the theology compelling and sound.
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AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Previews
Apr 2
2015, 01:21:01 AM
Looked sold out in orchestra tonight. Really liked the show. Audience ate it up. Very much a dance oriented show.
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Hamlet
Apr 2
2015, 01:18:20 AM
Hamlet ran 3 1/2 hours with one 15 minute intermission and no time wasted in between scenes with elaborate scene changes.
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Hamlet
Apr 1
2015, 05:45:09 PM
I found this production to be unusual but quite compelling. The director has an atypical take on the story which I found interesting and supported by the uncut text. The director presents us with an unheroic and quite mad, but intelligent Hamlet. Sarsgaard is excellent, but Spinella really steals the show. How the language is delivered as chopped up common speech, not grand poetry. A very contemprary take.
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