The whole crux of Julie's character is that she is able to pass. As amazing as Lonette McKee and Marilyn McCoo can both sing "Bill," there was no question that you were watching an African-American woman on stage. Let's not forget that the role was originated by Helen Morgan, played by women like Ava Gardner and Constance Towers, and is still regularly cast with white actresses. (Carolee Carmello did the Carnegie Hall concert three years ago)
Also, remember when SHOW BOAT takes place--at the turn of the last century. It wasn't uncommon for slaves and masters to copulate, producing offspring of various racial hues. It definitely wouldn't be unlikely for the child of a white man and a "colored woman," as Julie is, to appear as white as anyone.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Updated On: 7/27/11 at 12:43 PM
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