Sumayya Ali writes beautiful letter about COMET and the controversy

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:21am

I felt like this deserves its own thread , because it's such a necessary, beautiful, and eye opening read that deserves to be shared (especially from the perspective of an actress of color, who questions the sexism in what went down).

https://twitter.com/SumayyaSings/status/916645870082428929

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:31am

Wow.  This is what I've been thinking since the very beginning.  I was shocked that no one acknowledged the blatant sexism in this controversy that was even further pushed out into the open with Oak's recent statement.  This whole thing opened my eyes to the fact that, to many, women of color really don't matter.  It's horrible.

[BroadwayBaby4]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:36am

It's sad to think the issue got pushed so much that Sumayya Ali felt she had to post this, but I'm glad she did. This amazing, brilliant, talented cast deserve to have their story told in their own terms. Someone who was only there for a few weeks shouldn't be the one who gets the last say on their years of work. 

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:44am

"Planned trickery, blackmail, and manipulation led to our controversy"

 I hope we hear more about this

UPDATE: Dave Malloy has retweeted it. https://twitter.com/dave_malloy/status/916688305705676800

Updated On: 10/7/17 at 11:44 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:48am

This is absolutely beautiful. I hope she finds work quickly. Maybe she can replace oak on that tv show...

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:58am

Gelsey Bell as well https://twitter.com/gelseybell/status/916693956829859842

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:58am

Can someone post the letter? I don't do twiiter so can't read all of it!

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:59am

Wow this is beautiful and articulate. I hope this cast finds projects soon. They're an amazing group of people. Gelsey Bell also retweeted.

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 11:59am

Here is her post:

 

So I cannot BELIEVE articles are still being published about the closing of our show, The Great Comet. At this point, I feel obligated to add my voice to the discussion. Here it goes.....

SEEKING TRUTH AND THE AFTERLIFE OF THE GREAT COMET

I don't believe in death in its literal sense. Things are not always as they appear. A flower may appear dead; but we may still benefit from its fragrance in perfumes and potpourri or from the medicinal properties of its herbs. In its 'death;' it may bring us healing and more life. Humans pass out of this realm; but the organs may still give life to others and the spirit transcends.  Like this, I believe the post Broadway afterlife of Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812 is urgent and essential medicine for the world. It is necessary to wash the legacy of our show with the truth because so many false narratives continue to contaminate our sacred space. It is equally as important to learn from the circumstances that lead to the premature closing of our beloved show. I pray that not only The Great Comet has an afterlife on a massive scale; but that the controversy that surrounded it becomes an impetus for self reflection, forward movement and open, honest conversations about race, casting and growth in America. 

We are living in a crucial time in a country where racial tensions are high, mass shootings are gaining a sense of normalcy and civil liberties are in jeopardy. Risk is essential to changing the status quo. We must do everything in our power to change attitudes and shift beliefs that will lead to the changing of our laws. Unlike most Broadway musicals, The Great Comet was not created with the intention of making a lot of money on Broadway (although it definitely had the potential to.) Its creation led to an opening of the heart and subsequently shifting of the cognitive frame and changing of the status quo in a little non profit theatre called Ars Nova. In this world created by Dave Malloy, Rachel Chavkin, and Mimi Lien, actors and audience are able to sit together in the stillness of the dark, open their hearts and reflect upon light. Intimate, sacred moments between strangers are created and it is easy to see the face of humanity in everyone in the room. Characters of different races are of the same family. Lines are blurred, barriers are broken and genuine relationships are created. This show shifts the cognitive frame of race through having an Asian Russian Princess or a Black Russian princess with a white cousin. It normalizes strong powerful women making lionhearted decisions on their own and actors and audiences are given the chance to look at each other and see themselves and truth within each other.  This is spiritual and social medicine that our world desperately needs. 

Amidst the casting controversy, our cast took the high road. As a whole, we chose not to metastasize the toxicity on social media by engaging in the discourse. We waited hopefully for the whole truth to come out; but it didn't. I have no desire to shame anyone or expose anyone's faults. The saint and sinner live within all of us and we are all in this life journey trying to find our way. However, I cannot allow our show to continue to be plagued with confusion and falsehood. We as a whole have taken the high road and have chosen not to expose the faults of others; but that doesn't always work out for the best. Look where the high road took Hillary Clinton.  Planned trickery, blackmail and manipulation led to our controversy. Our cast, creative team, and producers were blindsided. I feel it's important to acknowledge this because Howard Kagan was used as a scapegoat in this particular incident. He was a victim of lies and his name deserves to be cleared. In these days of arts funding cuts, We need more people to take risks with Avant garde new works. Mandy Patinkin was also a victim of this fake controversy and we ALL lost big time in not seeing him take on the role. It is my ardent prayer that there is a sit down in LA or a West End production that stars Mandy Patinkin as Pierre. 

I pray that our premature closing was not in vane. I pray that this situation will reveal the ills of society so we may cure ourselves. In regard to the Great Comet, we must question and analyze the  irresponsible, false, manipulative use of social media that fed off of the heightened racial tension of our country; yet we must also acknowledge the reality of racism as a disease deeply embedded in the fabric of America. We must investigate the sexist lens that would have the audacity to label our show racist or question the value of black actors when the original, barrier breaking, titular,  leading lady of the show is black. To question the show's diversity is to make her and all of her accomplishments invisible. The fact that the temporary contract of one male actor that ended a couple of weeks early could negate the forward movement, awards and Tony Award nomination of Denee Benton is unfathomable- not to mention the seven additional cast members of African descent, three Asian Americans and five Latinos. To question the diversity and casting of the show is to assume we are all invisible. As a person/actor of color, it is very frustrating to see our struggle trivialized. We must become complex, deep thinkers. We must listen to each other and we must always seek out and fight for truth. If we as a community learn to examine race and its impediments in theatre and America as a whole- if we begin to think deeply with nuance, if we begin to see with spiritual eyes and listen with the ears of the heart- if we follow through with the uncomfortable dialogue; our premature closing will have been worth it. So in our death; please receive our organs to give life to social activism.  We give our spirit to the ingenuity of the future productions of The Great Comet and our heart will forever belong to the best fans a cast and crew could ever imagine. If you have the time, please watch the video below to understand our ineffable, unique bond. Ars longa, vita brevis. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U3sBmznvoZQ&feature=youtu.be

Updated On: 10/7/17 at 11:59 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:08pm

Good for her. 

I hope there are consequences for those who stoked this controversy, but I am doubtful. But I am heartened to see the solidarity of the cast and creatives; its rare to see such a united front in a situation like this, and I think that lends them a great deal of credibility. 

 

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:12pm

Update: Cynthia tweets

"I'm sorry that you, a cast member, have been misled, but I have the facts."

 

... not really, but is that too far-fetched?

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:15pm

PaulWom said: "Update: Cynthia tweets

"I'm sorry that you, a cast member,have been misled, but I have the facts."



... not really, but is that too far-fetched? "

She would. She totally freaking would.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:21pm

Thank you for posting it PaulWom.

Updated On: 10/7/17 at 12:21 PM

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:22pm

uncageg, to clarify- as I said in the post- she hasn't actually tweeted. That was a joke...  the joke being that it is totally believable that she WOULD tweet that

Updated On: 10/7/17 at 12:22 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 12:22pm

^she didn’t really tweet that

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 1:07pm

Side bar: it'll be interesting to see whether her beautiful post gets a lot of attention. I think it speaks to what you said, GeorgeandDot, about how awful it is that the perspective of women of color is not really considered valuable in society, even in our own Broadway community. 

Updated On: 10/7/17 at 01:07 PM

[Deedee23]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 1:29pm

I agree with you Georgeanddot and I was thinking something similar as well. It is so frustrating that he-who-shall-not-be-named blatantly ignores that the other individuals involved the show been cultivating the show's diversity since its infancy. 

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 2:28pm

Thanks, BwayWorld! https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/THE-GREAT-COMETs-Sumayya-Ali-Shares-Thoughts-on-Shows-Untimely-Closing-Diversity-and-Controversy-20171007

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 2:41pm

Wow, this is beautiful. I have noticed that throughout the whole ordeal the cast members who did speak out were beyond articulate and respectful. This just makes me feel sad all over again that such a genuine and talented cast had to go through all of it (and even that they have to write such posts). I wish Sumayya and the rest of the GC cast all the success in the world. 

(Also, geez Louise, that Erivo stuff almost gave me a heart attack! I thought for sure it was real!)

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 3:00pm

PaulWom said: "uncageg, to clarify- as I said in the post- she hasn't actually tweeted. That was a joke...the joke being that it is totally believable that she WOULD tweet that"

Didn't see that part. Edited my comment. Was kinda on the run when I breezed tbrough the comments here.

 

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 3:34pm

Katrina Yaukey and Bradley King have just tweeted their support of her as well

[PaulWom]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 6:32pm

Damn, when Hamilton cast members start coming out of the woodwork https://twitter.com/AntLeeMe123/status/916784061972144128

[trpguyy]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 6:42pm

A cast member writes on FB:

 

Thank you Sumayya for this.  By now the Broadway community and the Great Comet fans have picked up on the unfortunate events of how our show went down. The true story of a show steeped in ‘cultural diversity’ and inclusion was never really explained (short of one mans own delusions and to save face) but I hope this drives the point home

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 6:43pm

I love how she stands by the producers as well

[CorkySt.Clair]

Posted: 10/7/17 at 7:00pm

rosscoe(au) said: "I love how she stands by the producers as well"

Definitely. I was one who unwisely blamed the Kagans when everything was going down, but without them I never would have gotten to know one of my favorite shows. I hope that their getting scapegoated does not deter future producers from helping offbeat and potentially risky shows. We need more shows like Comet on Broadway!