Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY — Page 29

I guess some of you already know this, but Warren Carlyle has choreographed a Jerry Herman musical before; it was the 2006 Kennedy Center production of Mame of which some press footage has been recently released.

Seeing the footage makes me hopeful of the things Carlyle will do with Hello, Dolly. Sure I was disappointed with what he did with Follies and Chaplin but he was the one who did the wonderful choreography for Finian's Rainbow, After Midnight, She Loves Me and others that it's making me both excited and nervous at the same time.

Updated On: 10/18/16 at 07:28 PM

Minnie Fay is being played by...wait for it...JONAH HILL's little sister.

Link

Edit: Damn, two seconds too late!

Updated On: 10/18/16 at 11:28 AM

Whoops.

My alma mater did a production of Dolly a few years after I graduated and their Minnie was Asian. Not quite in the same ballpark as a major revival, of course...hah...

Some of that may be Jerry Herman's prerogative, not necessarily that of the creative team for the revival. As for Beanie Feldstein, she's certainly different casting for that role. She's more zaftig than the actress they've cast as Ernestina Money.

neonlightsxo said: "There's just no reason for all the principal roles in this show to be played by white people in 2016. What a clueless team."

But can she dance?

neonlightsxo said: "I don't care how "zaftig" she is. She's white. They're all white. Make it stop. (I say this as a white person.)"

^^^



(I make supportive carets as a non-white person.)

Intentionally or not, casting only white actors was a choice made by the creative team. And as fans of the theatre, we have every right to take notice of those choices and to discuss them. You can pitch a fit and call it "color counting" all you want, but nobody is colorblind. We all have bias whether or not you're willing to acknowledge it.

And in my opinion, that aforementioned choice can be interpreted as the creative team indicating that this is being put onstage primarily for a white audience. If their vision for their production was intended to have a more universal reach, they would have cast it that way. At best, it's institutional racism. At its worst, it could be a matter of white supremacy.

It matters because this is a story in which race is not integral to the plot.

Updated On: 10/18/16 at 06:19 PM

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'd say that black performers in NYC are quite possibly enjoying a rather golden period with shows like TheLion King, Color Purple, Hamilton etc..

I'm guessing since this is the full cast announcement, there is officially no alternate. Though I would have to imagine they'll still have a standby for Midler?

Cupid Boy2 said:

And in my opinion, that aforementioned choice can be interpreted as the creative team indicating that this is being put onstage primarily for a white audience. If their vision for their production was intended to have a more universal reach, they would have cast it that way. At best, it's institutional racism. At its worst, it could be a matter of white supremacy.



So, by your logic, Hamilton, The Color Purple, and The Lion King were intended for a non-white audience? Or maybe they were intended for people who were just looking for a good musical.

hork said: "So, by your logic, Hamilton, The Color Purple, and The Lion King were intended for a non-white audience? Or maybe they were intended for people who were just looking for a good musical."

I suppose my logic wouldn't make sense to the passive theatergoers you're describing. Otherwise, that is what I meant. In an ideal world, they should be created primarily with a non-white audience in mind to avoid pandering to the stereotypes and prejudices held by the majority.

Updated On: 10/18/16 at 08:06 PM

somechrysanthemumtea, according to BroadwayConcierge, we're racist.