galindagirl, while race is vital to the plot in the version as performed on Broadway and on tour, the regional rights to the show have the option of making Lorraine and Sylvia "poor" to justify Mayor Hyde's dissaproval of Lorraine and Dean's relationship in order to accomodate alternate casting.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.