A slightly more mature thread on the "color-blind casting" issue- Page 2

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:00pm

And it's usually only an issue if a person of color is cast in a traditionally "white" role. No one flips out when Evita is done with a cast full of white people.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:05pm

See, a production with a black Blanche doesn't bother me if Stella is also black.

I don't care if a role is played by someone of a the non-traditional race, as long as the family members match-up. As talented as the young Korean boy (I'm 99% positive he was Korean, thought that's what it said in his bio) was in London's BILLY ELLIOT... I couldn't get past the fact that it would've been obvious he was adopted.

Maybe this makes me small-minded. But I just like these things to make SOME sense.

I'm directing an all-black STREETCAR at school. To me, that works fine. Why not? The family conventions are still accurate.

[Okayfine]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:14pm

The idea that you can cast Melba Moore as Fantine is ludicrous, and yet it was done. One would never dream of doing such a thing in film. I remember a TV production of Cinderella where Whoopi Goldeberg & Victor Garber played the parents of an Asian man (I wish I could remember the actor's name, but I'm sure someone will help me out & I'll appreciate it) & the evil stepsisters were both white & black. It was both illogical & distracting.

Having said that, I don't see why you can't have a variety of races on a stage where it doesn't matter -- the soldiers in Miss Saigon, comes to mind.

In another Saigon example, I saw an understudy for the wife, Ellen. She was Asian! If it were the show's creators' intention to add that layer (is he trying to reply Kim?), they would have done so. Casting an Asian as the wife was distracting.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:20pm

It seems you're easily distracted, Okayfine.

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:31pm

Cinderella is a fairy tale! It doesn't matter.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:47pm

And the rainbow of races was sort of the point. AND - even though it was made for tv - it WAS a movie, which makes me understand Okayfine even less.

[Eponine3]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:51pm

Personally, I think that color blind casting really adds to the diversity of Broadway and gives great actors the chance to play roles that might not be available to them if the casting was traditional. To me, theater is all about escaping from the real world and just being entertained and enjoying yourself. If the actor can perform the role the best and is working their bum off to give a great show.. I don't care what ethnicity they are.

The only possible exception to my feeling like this would be if the play or musical has an underlying racial theme and that the message of the play would somehow be damaged by color blind casting.. For example .. a white cast performing "A Raisin in the Sun"

And since someone mentioned her specifically, I thought Margaret-Anne Gates in Miss Saigon was amazing.. an Asian Ellen added a whole other layer to the story that made it really interesting.. Chris was so lost and sad over losing Kim that he married a girl that reminded him physically of Kim.. It also provided a great amount of tension during the scene when the girls finally meet because it was like someone was holding up a mirror and showing Kim what she COULD HAVE BEEN had she made it on that chopper..I think that it only helps to strengthen her resolve to do what she must to make sure her son has the opportunities she never had.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:57pm

Just commenting on a few threads - and that MIRACLE WORKER posting -- I agree that is just heavy handed (and bad) direction. I think non-traditional casting works best when its a case of 'the best actor happened to be (insert ethnicity here). But I think using blatant non-traditional casting to make a statement about the play or the time period it represents gets pretty tricky and probably rarely works.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 12:58pm

What really bothers me when it comes to color blind casting is this. That when people go on and on about it but then say that it is great that no one is making a big deal about it. By talking about it your making a big deal about it. I remember this during 110 in the shade.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:04pm

race in any show unless it's based on historical figures does not matter to me. Theatre is all makebelieve use your imagination.
Updated On: 10/16/08 at 01:04 PM

[Weez]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:07pm

HA!HA!HA! I'm not the only one who thinks ethnic casting is stupid. i knew it.

Yes, because the fact other people are close-minded and annoying as well means you're NOT!!! I see how that works!!!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:10pm

race in any show unless it's based on historical figures does not matter to me.

Even Evita?

[gypsy4]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:14pm

I didn't even consider evita i guess she doesn't matter.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:16pm

It's not that it doesn't matter, it's that you're point is lost then.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:22pm

No one has suggested putting minority actors in whiteface, Craig.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 1:23pm

I think it's actualy time that a african american played the role of momma rose. I know that she's was a real person but
gypsy is more of a fantasy story of there life.and talking more like abraham lincoln. Updated On: 10/16/08 at 01:23 PM

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 2:40pm

First of all, I completely agree with you Michael Bennett.
Second, galinda you make horrible points and there's no way you can redeem yourself from that Billy Elliot thread. Just stop, you're an idiot.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 3:15pm

All-black Gypsy would be amazing.

Rose: Tonya Pinkins
Louise: Anika Noni Rose
Herbie: Hinton Battle
June: Kenita R. Miller
Tulsa: Christopher Jackson

BAM.

[famefan25]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 4:15pm

I remember a TV production of Cinderella where Whoopi Goldeberg & Victor Garber played the parents of an Asian man (I wish I could remember the actor's name, but I'm sure someone will help me out & I'll appreciate it)

The actor's name was Paolo Montalban. After the movie came out and everything, when Cinderella was on a National Tour, he actually played the Prince, and I think he did a very good job of it.




I have always been a firm believer (as well as the directors in a lot of productions that I've done) that as long as there's not something in the script that specifically states or suggests that a character should be a certain race (such as theme, content, or dialog), that it doesn't matter what race the actor is.

I can actually speak from experience on the "color-blind casting" issue. At least, I believe that I can.

Rights are going to be released soon for Legally Blonde, through MTI. A director that I have auditioned for in the past has this on the season schedule for 2009 at the theater that he owns. He approached me about a week or so ago when I ran in to him, and he told me about it. He also told me that if I was available at the time that the show went up, that he wanted me to play Pilar. At first, I was like "Are you sure?" Now on Broadway and on Tour, Pilar is played by a black girl (which I'm sure all of you already know). But there was never any indication or anything saying that she had to be. The director apparently thinks that I'd do a great job at it, or else he wouldn't have brought it up. And I agree with his reasoning when I asked him if he was sure. But then again, maybe it might have been an easier decision to make because you didn't have to think about family or anything

Anyway... That's my two cents

[Weez]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 5:14pm

I would pay big bucks to see a Chris Jackson Tulsa. :3

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 5:40pm

"The idea that you can cast Melba Moore as Fantine is ludicrous, and yet it was done. One would never dream of doing such a thing in film. I remember a TV production of Cinderella where Whoopi Goldeberg & Victor Garber played the parents of an Asian man (I wish I could remember the actor's name, but I'm sure someone will help me out & I'll appreciate it) & the evil stepsisters were both white & black. It was both illogical & distracting."

Who cares? The show was family television, aimed for a primarily younger audience who, in my opinion, probably did not give a damn what race everyone was!

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 5:43pm

I think with plays you have to be a little more concious, it would be harder to believe a play with a family with total different races. In a musical, however, we are all ready suspending reality by accepting that they all burst into song regularly.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/16/08 at 6:04pm

It's OK to have "color blind casting" even when the shwois about actual people who really existed - as long as race isn't an important part of their story.

I'm fine with a black Rose in GYPSY, or a black Maria in SOM.

However, I WOULD have a problem with a black John Adams in 1776, since the issue of slavery is discussed in detail during the show. I think it would be distracting if there were blacks in the Continental Congress discussing whether blacks should be free!

[englishtoser]

Posted: 10/17/08 at 1:00am

Jon writ: "It's OK to have "color blind casting" even when the shwois about actual people who really existed - as long as race isn't an important part of their story. I'm fine with a black Rose in GYPSY, or a black Maria in SOM. However, I WOULD have a problem with a black John Adams in 1776, since the issue of slavery is discussed in detail during the show. I think it would be distracting if there were blacks in the Continental Congress discussing whether blacks should be free!"
Yes and no. We are living in 2008 not the time 1776 was set in (1776, I guess) and we have to bear in mind - whatever the issues - that these days people should not be restricted from roles by dint of their colour, gender, etc. You pick on a very specific role, but the general rules of "now not then" still, in my view, apply to ALL roles. Historically most parts in English-language shows/plays are 'white characters' because most scripts - particularly the known/classic/revival-happy ones - were either written in the past or are set in the (pre-multi-culturalist) past, so often have few if any specifically 'non-white' roles. Equally, ALL actors used to be male (in Shakespeare's day, for example, as women weren't allowed to do anything as fancy as acting). So if Shakespeare happily watched male actors playing Juliet, Lady Macbeth, etc (where womanly wiles/nature/sexuality were an intrinsic part of the character), why should we worry about a black actor playing a white abolitionist? It's about the performance not the person.

[Salene]

Posted: 10/17/08 at 8:38am

As talented as the young Korean boy (I'm 99% positive he was Korean, thought that's what it said in his bio) was in London's BILLY ELLIOT...

Matthew Koon's parents are from Hong Kong.
http://www.billyelliotthemusical.com/cast/Matthew_Koon.html