Audra McDonald in Light in the Piazza — Page 3

is that like "ashy"? i knew i was right, i knew there was verbage in the show to back it up, not just my prejudiced point of view.

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thanks so now on this board i've been labelled:
1) weird
2) an inept teacher
3) immature
4) sex-starved
5) and now racist! whoopie!

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Adam Guettel wrote the lyrics, not Craig Lucas. And I think if there was a concert staging of Piazza or even just an operatic production vs. a Broadway production, Audra would make an absolutely amazing Margaret. I really, really want to hear her sing Fable.

I honestly don't think it would matter or detract OR distract even one little bit, especially since we have had one non-anachronistic staging.

My, my, how many aneurisms in a row would you have if the mother was black and the child was white? It's so anachronistic!

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How old is she? Isn't she ancient??

I feel like no matter what you say, anytime you bring up non-traditional or color-blind casting it just causes HUGE uproar and people just end up fighting over it no matter what. Even though it was wierd sometimes, I think color-blind casting really doesnt make a difference. Obviously in something like Raisin in the Sun or like Ragtime, shows that are specifically about race, then it doesnt really work that well. But look at Les Mis. They played around with so many different races such as having a black little eponine's and a white older eponine, and if you care about the story itself, you wont even notice.

I may just be saying this because I really really want to hear Audra sing the Piazza score, but I feel like you would barely notice. Although it maybe unlikely to have a black mother and daughter in Italy in the 1950s, the show itself is not about race. Social class, yes. But there is not one reference to race problems or anything like that. The only line that I can think of (I may be missing something, in which case I will take that back) that mentions that Clara and Margaret are white is the "Your milk" line. Its such a miniscule part of the show, and in the overall picture, I don't think it would matter. I don't think anyone can honestly say that Audra would not sing the hell out of those songs and make everyone cry, just like Victoria Clark has been doing for a year now.

To me the show is about love, and the various forms of love. Whether its between a mother and daughter, a broken marriage, or two young starcrossed lovers.

Exactly Scottie....the show is about a family that is visiting Italy in the 1950's and the daughter falls in love....the show is not about race at all and there fore i don't think that colorblind casting is out of line at all. I think that Audra is a little old to play the role but she could pull it off i think...it just requires us to use our imagination...it's not hard.

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Oh I don't think she would be good as Clara. Yes she would of course sound incredible, but she is a little too old. In a few years she would make a breathtaking Margaret though.

The Carnegie Hall Performance on NPR is AMAZING!!! Its under Creators at CARnegie. AMAZING!!!

I know. Hence the word some. Althought I think most people here say they're all for it, but aren't totally...only in 'selected circumstances'.

The phrase about "skin like milk", or however it goes, is hardly proof positive that Clara should always be white. They changed the line in Oklahoma's "Lonely Room" from "golden hair" to "tangled hair" when a brunette Laurie was cast, didn't they?

There may be other reasons why a non-white Clara shouldn't be cast, but that line is hardly the be-all and say-all in the matter.

And Audra McDonald is completely the wrong age for Clara, anyway. If you want to hear her sing her songs, hope she does them in concert. It's not a reason to impose her on a role that's completely wrong for her.

Updated On: 3/2/06 at 03:11 AM

This thread reminds me, I should watch Annie when I get back home!

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Has anyone thought about the racial tensions of the time period that the play is set in? Inter-racial relationships were not nearly as accepted then as they are now. I'm just sayin.

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