All black production of Sweeney Todd with Lillias White

Is anyone going this next week?

On a side not Chuck Cooper said he dropped out of the production because the producers did not get permission to do the show? Who does the producers have to get permission from to the show? And if they didn't get permission couldn't the show be shut down?

This the article were he talks about this

http://broadwayblack.com/breaking-chuck-cooper-will-not-cut-sweeney-todd/

They don't have to rights to do this? How is this working?

Seems like it must have been canceled. There isn't any information on the theatre's website or Facebook page.

Yeah that makes no sense. They wouldn't cancel a production for being "all black" and i doubt they'd do it without getting the rights? Unless concerts are under a different sorta thing.

I assume they have to get permission from MTI. Music Theatre International does have people that go to different shows and make sure that particular theater company is performing the show legally and only making changes that are legal.

That is patently false and just flat out wrong.

No licensing agency, MTI or otherwise, randomly sends representatives to productions in the nearby area to "make sure" of anything. They only investigate a production or licensee if a formal complaint is filed, and they only pursue further action against the licensee if said investigation provides evidence of a violation or at the official request of an MTI author and/or their controlling estate.

Updated On: 8/7/15 at 10:55 AM

Also, race and ethnicity are not factored into changes to character that must be approved. The largest one that remains is gender.

So, he wouldn't have needed permission, but only the rights. And strange, a production could land both Cooper and White and not have the rights?

Shame, as I agree they both would be sensational.

Does anyone know if this was actually cancelled?