Black versions of Musicals

[jaso_n]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:28am

What musicals could you see benefitting from a an All-Black cast? I was thinking Hairspray and Jesus Christ Superstar. How about the rest of you?

[theatreguy]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:36am

Haispray???

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:39am

Hairspray can't work with an all black cast...

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:43am

Why? I think Hairspray, Ragtime and West Side Story would work wonderfully with all black casts...Oh and South Pacific and Show Boat too.

Akiva

[jaso_n]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:46am

Okay, so I was kidding with Hairspray. I was curious to see how strong the reaction would be.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:47am

Well, there was a Black Version of "Guys and Dolls" with Ernestine Jackson and Ken Page.

[DancNdaMoonlite]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 1:41am

Akiva- I totally agree.

LMAO

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:09am

As long as race isn't a major theme in the show, anything.

I'm a firm believer in colorblind casting, but when race or national origin is a major issue of the plot (Cabaret, Ragtime, Hairspray, Dreamgirls, etc.) it clearly doesn't work.

[musicalsaregreat]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:41am

I once saw a Sound of Music where the Von Trapp children were like a Benetton ad, one asian, one black, one hispanic.

[jimmirae]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:42am

This is very frightening, I don't believe you were kidding about "Hairspray" and, that is - VERY frightening.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:45am

I don't see why any show (aside from ones such as Miss Saigon or others which require a certain race) need to be all of anything.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:47am

Obviously those who said HAIRSPRAY have no idea what the plot of the show is about.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 2:49am

"I once saw a Sound of Music where the Von Trapp children were like a Benetton ad, one asian, one black, one hispanic."

I was actually in a production of SoM where all the girls (myself included) were white, and our two brothers were black. It was really amusing to people.

[andyf]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 3:02am

How would Ragtime work with an all-black cast?

Things I would like to see:

- Side Show with black twins (then you'd have to reverse all the races, but seriously, that score would rock with some black up in it)...exhibit A: Baby at Papermill.

- Jekyll & Hyde

- The Last 5 Years

and, of course

- Evita

That's all I got.

Here's my "For No Particular Reason/What the Hell" List:

- Little Women

[sweeneyfan]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 8:11am

I did a production of Joseph... that had a black guy selling Joseph as a slave... the audience laughter and applause stopped the show.

On a similar note, and this is likely because Baltimore is so backward, but when the Jesus Christ Superstar tour came through here (for the BILLIONTH TIME...CLOSE IT PLEASE)at one performance, the understudy for Jesus was on, and he was black. Many people left. One woman demanded her money back, saying she liked her "Jesus white, like milk." The B.O. guy looked at her and said, "ever heard of chocolate milk?" He was black.

[Behind_the_Spotlight]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 8:20am

sweenyfan: That is just depressing.

On a similar subject, my best friend's high school did Joseph, and the brothers were a random mix of black and white. Joseph was black and so was the father, and then there were all these white sons. It was kind of funny.

Of course, this is the same school that had a half and half white and black cast when they put on The Wiz, so...

[timote316]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 8:49am

If people go the Jesus Christ Superstar and get upset by a black Jesus, I'm pretty sure they should leave before the show starts. The strippers and paparazzi during "Superstar", the rocket ship like departure of the cross at the end, and the Wall Street temple may just kill them.

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:17am

Well, it didn't help that the understudy was TERRIBLE.

Overall I just didn't like the tour, just plain bad... no matter whether Jesus was black or white.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:33am

They should have moved the all-Asian production of Sweeney Todd to Broadway about ten years ago, from the East-West Players in Los Angeles. It was magnificent in all respects, with a small cast and set, and Sondheim even flew here to check it out.

I think we should mix things up a little more in general, when we can...

The all-Latin production of Mame.
The all-Caucasian production of The Wiz.
The all-African-American production of Oklahoma!
The all-Asian production of The Secret Garden

I'm tired of thinking in "black and white" all the time. I'm ready to open the door into Oz and see some more colors!

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:36am

LilMiz, the understudy you called terrible is my close friend.

I found him remarkably good. A different voice for the part, but so involved on stage that you couldn't take your eyes off him.

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:03am

I don't konw, whther it was the sound in the theatre (couldn't understand a word anyone said) but the whole production was just underwhelming. I don't know how long your friend has been with the tour... I saw it a few years ago, but just the whole production was just terrible.

[kasim]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:23am

"One woman demanded her money back, saying she liked her "Jesus white, like milk." The B.O. guy looked at her and said, "ever heard of chocolate milk?" He was black."

< avenue q voice > Jesus was Jewish .... bwahahhahh < / avenue q voice>

[ThatBitc]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:27am

Tired of thinking in black and white?

How old are you were you born yesterday what do you know about the black theater community?

Oh you only know blacks doing big shows like a Dreamgirls, Once on this island, and Aint Misbehaven and you only know of the following actors huh?

Debie Allen
Lillias White
the great WHITE Audra Mcdonald
Heather Headley
Jennifer Holliday
Brain S Mitchell
Billy Porter
La chanze
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sharon Brown
Sharon Wilkins
Taye Diggs
Nell Carter
Ken Page


Why dont you get real we are around and if producers and the world wanted to see a black Millie or Charity it would happen.

You want to see an all white version on The Wiz why dont you find a local school production im certain there are many

No Im tired of people of color not getting roles that whites know we can do because we would take over broadway and wes dont wants dats to happens now do wes maser?????


child i went crazy
sorry girls Updated On: 12/9/05 at 11:27 AM

[sweeneyfan]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:49am

Hmmm. I've also heard of Andre de Shields, Jesse L. Martin, Cleavon Little, Ben Vereen, the original cast (7/8ths of it anyway) of The Lion King, and all replacements of said show, Meschach Taylor, Stephanie Pope, about 1/3 the cast of Fosse and subsequent replacements (another third of THAT cast was Hispanic)... I could go on, but I have to work to pay for my next theatre ticket...Not bad for a white guy, though, huh?

You know, I think equality in every way is a great goal. I harbor no ill-will toward anyone, minority or otherwise (I'd be a hypocrite as a gay man). That said, how about an all White Raisin in the Sun?

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:00pm

I"m all for white actors getting in black skin -- I think while it may seem like selling out to some, it seems like someone is trying to understand to me. And, knowledge is half the battle.

See, GI Joe did teach me something.