A Black Glinda?- Page 2

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 12:55am

I think stating history as a reason why NOT to cast something is bullsh*t. And it generally comes from white people. NOw culturally is something totally different. For instance I have no problem with an Asian Hedda Gabler. But a white Porgy and Bess is rediculous because it's about race. People need to stop using those silly examples as reasons why color blind casting doesn't work. It'd be equally foolish to see a black guy in the Diary of Anne Frank. I mean it's about a race of people.

I'm also getting a little tired of the ohhh remember Carousel, remember Hello Dolly and Chicago...as if to say see look how opened minded we can be. The truth of the matter is that while progress has been made, there's still a long way to go. A handful of examples (while good things they are) aren't a sign that we as a society have made it. Progress never stops.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 12:55am

Ooof, semantics, Schwartz thinks so much of himself, I'm sure adjustments can be made...It seems absolutely ridiculous to bar someone from performing a role because of 2 or 3 words...

In Chicago, the line about being seen with a cute whatever is changed, when I saw it with Michelle Dejean it was cute redhead, with Bebe Neuwirth I'm sure it was cute brunette...

Edit: LMAO, I love how my Chicago example ended up right after your rant, while I guess it proves your point

Updated On: 5/20/06 at 12:55 AM

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 12:56am

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."
"Blonde!"

Try replacing that.
***************************************

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."
"Black!"

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:00am

Is no one going to touch on the fact that Dioni Michelle Collins is the understudy for Morrible and not Glinda, and also the fact why the producers would have her understudy Glinda and not the normal standby or understudy?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:00am

Oh man, that is sooooo bad. Whew, that would be an interesting change. I'm not saying it can't be done, I was just pointing out other "blonde references".

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:01am

Ohhh, replacing it with black would go over like a lead balloon. Galinda hates Elphaba because she is green. Elphaba hates Galinda because she's black? Everyone's a rittle bit lacist!

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:03am

heh I thought that too. I think that would be interesting. However I think Elpheba would have a hard time making teh audience actually like her after that.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:19am

"Is no one going to touch on the fact that Dioni Michelle Collins is the understudy for Morrible and not Glinda, and also the fact why the producers would have her understudy Glinda and not the normal standby or understudy"

Exactly what I was thinking. Stacie has two understudies: Kate Loprest and Erin Mackey (both of whom are white, for the record).

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:23am

I have been searching the web for the last ten minutes to try to find a pic of Star Jones when she looked like a total idiot dressed up as Glinda for Halloween. She looked almost as goofy as Meredith dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West. I have the video, but of course, it won't screen cap.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:30am

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."
"Blonde!"

Try replacing that.
***************************************

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."
"Black!"
--------------------------------------------------------

Yeah, that might come off as wrong.


I actually think Wicked is one of the shows that's pretty good for color blind casting. Most of the Elphabas have been ethnic.

And I know I'm going to recieve flack for this, but I'm sort of interested to see what people have to say, but aren't "white" people the majority in this country? So, wouldn't it make sense that there are a lot of them on Broadway? Not in a mean spirited way, but you know what I mean? There's more of them, so they would be the majority? I dunno, maybe I'm not seeing something.

Updated On: 5/20/06 at 01:30 AM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:32am

Def not most of the Elphebas. I think MAYBE 2? I would love to see what the facial structure of an indian woman would look with green.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:35am

Is no one going to touch on the fact that Dioni Michelle Collins is the understudy for Morrible and not Glinda, and also the fact why the producers would have her understudy Glinda and not the normal standby or understudy?

I was wondering that, too. I guess it was way too late to fly in someone just in case. (Other shows have done that last minute.)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:41am

Oh, maybe I just thought they were ethic? The new Elphie in ATL doesn't seem totally white to me. But I'm really bad at judging that sort of thing, nor does it really matter. I'd love to see how an ethnic actor tackles the role of glinda. I think it could work, but not as an u/s. I think she'd have to take over the role because of all the problems it might make because of the dialogue.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:42am

The line would just have to be replaced with something stereotypically emblamatic of being popular...

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."

"a cheerleader"

"a slut"

Or ahem, maybe something less offensive...But lets face it, Galinda totally let Fiyero inside her Oz dust ballroom...

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:43am

Oh, maybe I just thought they were ethic? The new Elphie in ATL doesn't seem totally white to me.

There is just so much wrong with that I don't even know where to begin. Come to think of it, I am not sure I have ever seen a totally white person. Maybe that guy that played Napolean Dynomite.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:45am

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe."
"Pink!"

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:47am

You know, "pink" would work.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:48am

You know, this topic has been discussed so frequently, and is such a touchy subject that I hesitate to comment, but...color-blind casting does not work for all plays and all roles. Sorry, it doesn't. And I am not being racist, I am being practical.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:52am

I don't think anyone is disputing that. I think the dispute comes in WHY doesn't color-blind casting work for role X.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:54am

Agreed Baritone.

And to EDIT: I meant Chicago. And I didn't mean for that to be offensive. I just meant...well, I meant what I said.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:59am

Thank you, Distinctive Baritone.

Why are people objecting to the notion that a black Glinda wouldn't be ideal? Why are people even objecting to this thread?

This has been discussed to DEATH. Not just for this show, but for all shows.

It works with certain roles and shows, and it doesn't work with others. Carrie Pipperedge is not a race specific role. The show doesn't deal with racial issues, or social issues dealing with race. It doesn't matter WHO plays the role. Same with Don Quixote. Sure, it may not be historically accurate if you go back and study the time period and history of the inquisition, it's very unlikely that Don Quixote would have been black.

However, it's all about appearance. You don't have to BE the race or the character you're portraying in most cases, you simply have to LOOK like it fits. Stokes Mitchell is very light skinned, which opens the possibility of the race of Quixote to be white or hispanic - either works, either is possible. In the end, what matters is if the performer gives a convincing performance and if the integrity of the material is upheld. In the cases of Audra and Stokes in CAROUSEL and LA MANCHA, in integrity was indeed upheld and the artistic merit of the show wasn't slighted.

Of course, we've been down this road before. You can't have a white Coalhouse. You can't have a white Celie. It doesn't work.

The role of Glinda is borderline. I, personally, think the show WICKED has very little integrity to uphold anyway, but the casting of a dark-skinned woman in the role may not be ideal. On the other hand, it's perfectly acceptable for someone of any race to play Elphaba. It's just in the material. It's allowed for. It's accomodated for. And please, I don't need to be called a racist. I'm not one, so to waste your words would be a waste of time for the both of us.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 2:02am

Yes, a white Celie wouldn't work, but I think if a character is described as a certain way, if there is a possibility for that one word to be changed IE White skin to soft skin, ect, then who cares? But yes, if the whole show is about being of a certain color then it doesn't quite work.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 2:03am

Wicked is not Othello, its just not...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 2:05am

YES IT IS!!!!! DAMN YOU TO HELL FOR SAYING THAT!!!!

[BluCat500]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 2:07am

Well...I mean I certainly wouldn't mind a mass slaughter at the end...