Black Glinda?- Page 4

[zepka102]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:11pm

HAHAHAHA BSO, you're great

it would be interesting to see what they could do with it... personally, i'm not sure what it would be like


but whats sad is i'm picturing star jones from halloween...


::trying to shake images from head::

[me101]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:12pm

Mistress-

Thats an extremely good point. I never even though of it that way. And it makes a lot of sense too: a girl who has been prejudiced beacause of her race is trying to fit in and be like everyone else because shes been shown by those hardships that being balck is a bad thing. So she ridicules Elphaba for being green because she thinks being different is bad now

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:13pm

I, too, think that the extra psycological aspect that Mistress added could definitely work....

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:14pm

There's no doubt that it would work. No one would watch the show and think "WHAT! Glinda is blonde but she's black! Black people can't have blonde hair!" With all the plot holes and messy direction that show already faces, that would be the least of their problems.

[insomniak]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:15pm

I'm not quite sure why everyone insists upon keeping with the traditions the Wizard of Oz has created. Wicked is supposedly a twisted up retelling of the story, so why not twist it in this area too?It's also a little hyprocritical of a show that's about looking past skin color to rule out a black Galinda. I think having that would almost be a stronger reinforcement of that theme than anything else, because it's getting past the glinda sterotype we've seen for a hundered years.

I think Heather Headly would be fantastic in the role, by the way.

[me101]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:15pm

>>They could SO turn Wicked into a Soulfull Black version....
E: "He chose me, so get outta my face, BYATCH!"
::slap::
"Feel bettah?"
G: "You know it"
E: "Check this..."
::slap::
"Down wit' it now?"
G: "Ya know it"
::fight::

....I'm not even gonna start...it is getting way to late

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:15pm

Munk, you completey misread my posts!

I would NOT want to see Tevye or Caroline or Aida played by a black, white, or white person, respectively....

I was also, as I said, not comparing Wicked to Aida...so no analogy fell apart...

The Wiz, however, was created to be for black people....and it should be kept that way.

What I AM saying is that people are used to a certain "look." Black people and blonde hair - not something people are used to.

As for Fiddler...it takes place in Russia (my family is from a similar village).....but why can't the one or two Jewish Asians from eastern Russia be Tevye, Golde, and the family...having moved to Anatevka.....Yes, that sounds STUPID, but it could be true - without explanation.

Let's set up this scenario: The white cast of Caroline walks on stage before the show - or the Playbill (or some sign) CLEARLY says this: "THE CAST WILL ALL BE POTRAYING BLACK PEOPLE." Done. This is theatre. The audience NOW knows that everyone on stage is supposed to be black.

I know this is a DUMB idea and WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

All I am saying is that this won't happen because OBVIOUSLY something gets lost......

(I don't think Regina could sing for Glinda...if she could sing at all)

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:17pm

insomniak & me101~ I agree with both..

[Joshua488]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:17pm

People just can't understand that SOMETIMES, roles are written specifically for actors of certain races, i.e. HAIRSPRAY, AIDA, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, etc. In cases where the character's race is not explicitly designated, there is no reason for it to be played by a white person. I think I am more sensitive to this issue, as I am clearly not of the white persuasion. Every time I do another play or musical, at least one person comes up to me after the show and makes a comment about me "breaking down barriers." Although these comments are meant to be positive and encouraging, it's unfortunate that they have to be made at all. I've been cast in roles that aren't typically played by people of color (Scapin in SCAPIN, Pseudolus in ...FORUM, even though Whoopi Goldberg did play that part, Snoopy in YAGMCB, etc) and usually, people can't see past it.

On INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO, Morgan Freeman said something that really inspired me. I can't remember it verbatim, but when James Lipton mentioned a conversation in which someone told Morgan that he played a black president in DEEP IMPACT, Morgan said, "No I didn't. I never PLAY black." I love it! Who is to say that the President in DEEP IMPACT was black, just because the ACTOR was black?? It's kind of deep and challenges you to actually look past what you see and it makes you THINK and I love that. Updated On: 2/1/05 at 11:17 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:20pm

Don;t try me101...don't even try...

And I know that is the look Charlie Smalls received when he said, "Ease on Down the Road..."

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:21pm

Don;t try me101...don't even try...

And I know that is the look Charlie Smalls received when he said, "Ease on Down the Road..."

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:22pm

joshua~

I agree 100%...after shows, people come up to me and say the same thing about "how great it was that someone who isn't white could portray that character" ...and yes, i wish that these comments weren't made, but at least they were meant posititvely...

and to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't even WANT to play a character who, in the libretto or score, is referred to as a specific race that I am not. AIDA, and RAISIN are examples of shows which deal with racial struggles, and it just wouldn't be right for someone not black to play those characters...

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:23pm

We all know that if they made a show and said "ONLY WHITE PEOPLE" everyone involved with the show will be called racist.....

There's a lot of reverse discrimination....

And I KNOW (for the umpteenth time) that shows are written for certain races....I'm trying to get you all to look outside the box....

[me101]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:25pm

>>Don;t try me101...don't even try...

Well, now that I've been provoked...

You honestly don't see anything offensive about your post?

[BEKA531]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:27pm

YES, nia, heather headly! i just pictured that after you said it... that really could work.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:27pm

I do...and that was the point....

Believe me, I'm not racist and I grew up with that talk...that's how EVERYONE that lived near me spoke...no joke.....

Not to mention the particular stereotypes that Hollywood continues to put into its films, it's what an audience would expect...

I realize how this may make me sound racist...but believe me IT IS FAR FROM THAT....

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:29pm

BSO: I know what you are trying to say, but it's kind of hard to take seriously. In some of your wording, you sounded very opposed to the notion of an African-American playing Glinda which is why I might have misunderstood your posts, if I truly did.

And yes, there is MUCH reverse discrimination but those who usually call such instances as discrimination usually aren't worth taking seriously in the first place. Some people refuse to understand certain things, even when they are obviously wrong.

[me101]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:30pm

>>Not to mention the particular stereotypes that Hollywood continues to put into its films, it's what an audience would expect...

Ok, so your saying that your post was supposed to be satirical?

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:30pm

I agree, i think heather has the PERFECT voice for elphaba, she would be absolutely stunning...

Bsobw~ maybe that's how the people around you talked when you were growing up, but not all "soulful," people talk like that. And yes, it is horrible how hollywood depicts many, many different types of people...

[insomniak]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:30pm

I don't think race need be an issue unless it's a part of the show, like Hairspray. The story requires actors of certain races for particular roles, there's just no other way to do it.

Minor off-topic note- someone said that Radames should have dark skin. Radames is an Egyptian noble and thus not Eygptian. I am not sure when the show is set precisely, but the Ptolemy line (and others, I think) were Macedonian, from near Greece. They were fair skinned and had blonde hair or blue eyes. (Cleopatra was the last of the Ptolemies, so everything you've seen of her as having black hair and dark skin is inaccurate, by the way) Radames' race was one of the few historically accurate parts of Aida.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:32pm

It's really hard to make poins like this when you can't tell when I am being "sarcastic" etc...

NO, munk - the point of the "reverse discrimination" is that a white person could seriously not produce a show and say "NO BLACK PPL WHATSOEVER." A black person, however, could get away with saying "NO WHITE PEOPLE WHATSOEVER." Belive me, it has happened to a much lesser extent....but happened nevertheless...

Again, this makes me sound racist - but I truly am NOT (hell, I'm going to see "Black By Popular Demand"......because andre's my favorite performer....)

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:33pm

not to mention, insomniak, that nubians were much darker than egyptions, or egyptian nobility who, as you said, were macedonian...i actaully didn't know that, thank you..ya learn something new everyday!:)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:34pm

yes, it's a satire.....on Hollywood, what ever you would like...

but (save the modern BiatcH), it isn't far from the actual dialogue of The Wiz....

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:34pm

Audra McDonald has been able to trascend the whole "race" aspect with her amazing talents. Carrie Pippenridge in "Carousel," Dot in "Sunday in the Park With George," etc. One of her greatest wishes is to play Eliza Dolittle. Now, if Cameron Mackintosh would get his recent London revival up and running on the other side of the pond please....

There was also a black Madame Therardier on Broadway, who was with the company for some time. There was no ruckus raised about that....

[Joshua488]

Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:36pm

It always cracks me up when people try to PROVE that they aren't racist.

It reminds me of when I accused a girl of being racially prejudiced and she said, "No, really, I'm not! I have FOUR black friends!!"

Needless to say, we didn't talk after that.