All Black Kiss Me Kate

[DAME]

All Black Kiss Me Kate#1

Posted: 8/20/14 at 9:48pm

Interesting. But it stars Wayne Brady whom I loathe.

"The Pasadena Playhouse production will view the work through a new lens, using the wonderful material of this celebrated production to showcase the trailblazing African-American actors and entertainers of the early 20th century."



Pasadena Playhouse

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 8/20/14 at 09:48 PM

[ShakinBaconGirl]

All Black #2

Posted: 8/20/14 at 9:51pm

Does seeing a show with just African Americans really make people want to see this relic?

[DAME]

All Black #2

Posted: 8/20/14 at 9:58pm

KMK is a wonderful show with a beautiful score. I would love to see a new production of it as would probably many other people. Just not with Wayne Brady. YUCK.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

[SNAFU]

All Black #3

Posted: 8/20/14 at 9:59pm

I'd only see it if directed by Tyler Perry with him as Kate!

Those Blocked: SueStorm. N2N Nate. Good riddence to stupid! Rad-Z, shill begone!

[Sutton Ross]

All Black #4

Posted: 8/20/14 at 10:06pm

Love this show, Wayne Brady is a great performer, hope this is really popular.

[dramamama611]

All Black #5

Posted: 8/20/14 at 10:06pm

A relic? KMK is an amazing show through and through.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

All Black #6

Posted: 8/20/14 at 10:16pm

I happen to love Wayne Brady. He's funny and a great singer. I would love to see this production.

[darquegk]

All Black #7

Posted: 8/20/14 at 10:21pm

Yeah... why is it that Wayne Brady perpetually gets hated on any time he comes up anywhere?

[mjohnson2]

All Black #8

Posted: 8/20/14 at 10:44pm

There is nothing wrong with colorblind casting for shows, but it sometimes irritates me to star an entire cast of the same race just because you can. Not only that, but you have to make a huge deal. Either way, KISS ME, KATE is a lovely show and it is always great when a show like this gets produced because more people get to see it.

Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.

[DAME]

All Black #9

Posted: 8/20/14 at 11:01pm

He just rubs me the wrong way. And I find his singing voice to be thin and flat.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

All Black #10

Posted: 8/20/14 at 11:11pm

To be fair, lots of times casts are all white "just because they can." And no one ever makes a huge deal about that.

[sabrelady]

All Black #11

Posted: 8/20/14 at 11:19pm

"I'd only see it if directed by Tyler Perry with him as Kate"


OOO I'd prefer as Lois Lane- think of him collapsing after some of those dance sequences!

("any Tom Dick or Harry, any Tom Hairy O'Dick")

[RippedMan]

All Black #12

Posted: 8/21/14 at 1:07am

I kind of feel the same way. Why not a multi-racial cast instead of just a blanketed cast? And even if it does turn out "all white" it's not like it's promoted as such for a marketing ploy.

[IllegallyBlonde]

All Black #13

Posted: 8/21/14 at 1:54am

No one complains about all white casts. All black casts gives opportunity to black actors and creates an opportunity to challenge the piece and get the story from a different perspective. Making the characters black can have a huge effect on how they are played. I think of the scene with Fred and Lily discussing their rise to fame and their experiences as struggling actors. Being a black person in the business is a different experience, dealing with racism, less opportunities, stereotypical characters, ect. An all black cast can add a whole layer of depth to these characters and this story.

[DAME]

All Black #14

Posted: 8/21/14 at 3:48am

"No one complains about all white casts."


And no one is complaining now.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

[GavestonPS]

All Black #15

Posted: 8/21/14 at 5:57am

I see nothing wrong with an all-black or a mixed-race cast.

But if I wanted "to showcase the trailblazing African-American actors and entertainers of the early 20th century", my first impulse wouldn't be to reach for Cole Porter. Not that he was a bigot. I honestly don't know. I just wonder why they aren't also celebrating "trailblazing" black writers.

OK, I'm lying. I do know why. It was a poor choice of wording by the marketing department. Why does an all-black cast need any explanation at all?

Updated On: 8/21/14 at 05:57 AM

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

All Black #16

Posted: 8/21/14 at 8:13am

Well, judging by the responses of some people in this thread, apparently vast parts of the world feel it does need some sort of explanation, though I can't imagine why.

Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05

Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28

[NewSynchopation]

All Black #17

Posted: 8/21/14 at 9:53am

Gaveston, Cole Porter was certainly a racist, and it was evidenced my this "lovely" lyric from ANYTHING GOES

When ladies fair who seek affection
Prefer coons of dark complexion
As Romeos,
Anything goes.

[Mister Matt]

All Black #18

Posted: 8/21/14 at 10:28am

Many people wanted to see this "relic" when it starred Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

[SonofRobbieJ]

All Black #19

Posted: 8/21/14 at 11:02am

'No one complains about all white casts.'

Then you missed the many posts about BULLETS OVER BROADWAY. It was absurd to see a group of white men sing 'Taint Nobody's Business without the slightest hint of irony.

[PalJoey]

All Black #20

Posted: 8/21/14 at 11:07am

Gaveston, Cole Porter was certainly a racist, and it was evidenced my this "lovely" lyric from ANYTHING GOES

That was NOT Cole Porter being racist. That was Cole Porter being autobiographical.

[NewSynchopation]

All Black #21

Posted: 8/21/14 at 11:15am

Oh my goodness thank you so much for that PalJoey.

[DAME]

All Black Kiss Me Kate#22

Posted: 8/21/14 at 12:25pm

Well put PJ. . I would have rather them cast Norm Lewis or bring back Brian Stokes Mitchell. The way their press release reads comes off as a marketing ploy. Plus the casting Of Wayne Brady comes off as cheap television D name stunt casting.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 8/21/14 at 12:25 PM

[LindaSmyth]

All Black Kiss Me Kate#23

Posted: 8/21/14 at 12:29pm

I'd love to see Audra McDonald as Kate/Lilli Vanessi!

[newintown]

All Black Kiss Me Kate#24

Posted: 8/21/14 at 12:44pm

As Dave Chappelle famously said, "White people love Wayne Brady because he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X."