^^ I guess these people saying that are simply overlooking me, and several other posters explaining to them that Mr. Sunjata is NOT white. Look at the photo OP, this thread is now moot.
I'm stunned that people today are still so focused on race that they sit around looking and keeping a record of what races appear in any particular theatre. What a sad way to spend one's life.
James Earl Jones DID do Love Letters two years ago with Tyne Daly at Bucks County Playhouse. I actually don't think too many people cared that he didn't fit every aspect of the word WASP, he was a megawatt star bringing a character's words to life. They both were great.
I had heard Jones did LOVE LETTERS. Why not? I'm surprised we don't have more black Sally Bowles. I saw Uggams do it in stock back in the day, and she was quite intriguing. Of course, the vocals were too good by half. But she toned down her show-stopping-ness was electric and gorgeous.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
The fact that less than a handful of non-Caucasian people have been on stage since Good People isn't the point that's being made though. As a non-profit (and in a sadly ideal world), MTC should be taking risks that the average commercial Broadway theatre won't. This includes producing plays about people of color. That's not to say that it's absolutely wrong to put on plays focusing exclusively on white people, but the issue is that doing so is all MTC really does. Because the theatre doesn't have to worry about the risks of commercial Broadway producing, it should be presenting programming that is far broader in scope than it is. And its a shame that instead the plays they pick, with some exceptions, are relatively safe pieces that virtually don't focus on the experiences of people who aren't white.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
If I've learned anything from this thread it's that white people should be ashamed of themselves and are disgusting people who don't deserve to be on a stage, let alone out alone on the streets. I'm so disgusted with white people for being white. I'm going to go and write a lot more faux outrage about white people so people will think I'm not a racist even though I never gave anyone reason to think that I was one.
I'm stunned that people today are still so focused on race that they sit around looking and keeping a record of what races appear in any particular theatre. What a sad way to spend one's life.
You sound white.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
'How can you possibly be stunned, when race continues to be a major cultural issue in the country?'
I'd amend that to be 'THE major cultural issue in the country'. And it has been since before the founding of this country.
It's not like there are black men, women and children being gunned down with little to no consequences for the shooter. Maybe we'll get a play about it some day. But it probably won't be on or near 47th Street.
MTC and Roundabout have become complacent, MTC less so than Roundabout and I wonder if both would benefit from new leadership. The older white subscribers may be their core audience but they need to find the next generation of subscribers to replace the older subscribers and a new artistic director would and should shake things up.
"Has anyone noticed that with the opening of 'The Country House', it will have been over 2 years and 8 productions since a non Caucasian played the theatre in any on stage capacity? "
So, several posters have proved you wrong, iWannaBEaSedaris, yet you are still talking like we didn't. How strange.