Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica? — Page 3

@Mister Matt "Nobody needs permission to state their opinion."

You are absolutely right. But what happens here all the time is that people post putative "opinions" about things that are factually determinable, and post putative "facts" that are nothing more than opinions.

In this case, it is not an opinion what the script says, what the breakdowns say or what the author has said. One can certainly have an opinion about what they would do if they were the author or what they would like to see the author do or not do. But one cannot have an opinion that "it doesn't neccessarily [sic] matter" when there is only one person whose opinion counts on the subject.

And all the nonGeorge principals should be POC. That's the only okay way to cast this show. That's the core of the show. It's not a casting idea that was overlaid onto to the show at a late moment; it's the heart of what the show is.

If that's the case, then fine, but i did not read what I quoted that way (and yes, we CAN have a difference of opinion about that!) Oh and I don't own the "didn't ask/don't tell" stuff.

Charley Kringas Inc said: ""No!!! I want to play the black role! Why does the black guy get to play Hamilton? Why can't I say the N word??? ME ME ME ME ME ME ME"

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You sound like Rachel Dolezal

One of my favorite things about Hamilton is that we are forced to talk about race and the theatre which is a conversation we've been having for a while but I think it's starting to become more serious.

Would it honestly be such a bad thing though to have this one as preferably "ethnic"? It would be nice to have more shows where I wouldn't have to have a Spanish accent and be a walking stereotype.

From Lin Manuel's interviews, he expresses a desire to open up opportunities for people like himself. He talks about how there are 3 good roles for Hispanic men (and how he will probably never be cast as them): Cervantes in Man of La Mancha, Paul San Marco in A Chorus Line and Bernardo in WSS. So now, he's creating more roles for people like him. So instead of waiting for people to establish these roles, he has made them himself. I am so greatful for that because it's opening doors for Hispanic men as well as other ethnic backgrounds. My type and roles I am able to play in my lifetime are growing. Not just the shows that he makes but in due time, the effect of his influence. It's not necessarily about keeping Hamilton off limits to white people. It's trying to prove a point that putting POC in roles in a colorblind fashion (in a show that is not about race) can work really well. The goal is to see more characters as more than the white default.

Updated On: 1/5/16 at 01:05 AM

You're right that it's not colorblind. A lot of media has called the Hamilton casting colorblind, but they're incorrect.

Actor opportunity is important. But just as important is the fact that this show is what it is specifically because of having a cast of color. That's the heart of it. It would not be the same show without POC casting -- it wouldn't be a show at all. It wouldn't exist.

Front Row,

Each element can be as good on its own, but the casting is integral to the story Miranda chose to tell ("the story of America then told by America now".That story is absolutely not color blind, and it is not as effective when not honored. The show will still be great if a white understudy has to go on in place of the correct ethnicity but not as great, and for that reason I would expect that they will try to continue to make the show look like the NYC subway as much and as long as they can, and to encourage the same once the show gets down into schools etc.

serene_embers said: "ksilver117 said: "I seem to remember Lin saying something in an interview along the lines of "As long as the founding fathers in the show don't look like the actual founding fathers, it's ok." I can't remember if this was solely applying to school/regional productions, or if he meant it to cover the major professional productions as well, but I thought it would be worth mentioning here.

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I'd love to see women play the found fathers. The idea of a genderbent version of the show fascinates me.

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After that all-female Ham4Ham, I am into this sooooo much.

SFFFrontRow said: It seems to me this is just as wrong as saying a POC cannot play a "traditionally white role".

It's not parallel. We live in a white dominated, white privileged, white supremacist culture.

This isn't just about opportunity. It isn't just about "America today" -- of course America today has white people in it. It's about revolution. It's about using the American revolution to tell the story of revolutions happening today.

Lin read about Hamilton writing himself out of poverty and he thought, wow, that's like hip hop. That's the seed of this show.

rcwr said: "SFFFrontRow said: It seems to me this is just as wrong as saying a POC cannot play a "traditionally white role".

It's not parallel. We live in a white dominated, white privileged, white supremacist culture.

This isn't just about opportunity. It isn't just about "America today" -- of course America today has white people in it. It's about revolution. It's about using the American revolution to tell the story of revolutions happening today.

Lin read about Hamilton writing himself out of poverty and he thought, wow, that's like hip hop. That's the seed of this show.

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And I would argue these statements are a little outdated. I am white, but not a white supremacist. I live in a neighborhood where I have been a minority since I moved into my residence in 1986. I don't believe anyone should be excluded and I believe we are all equal. I just wanted to point out the semi-hypocritical practice of being exclusionary to attain a goal of inclusion (the casting to right an historically exclusionary practice for POC actors by excluding actors who are not POC).

I will not fan the flames on the question of race on this trail any longer, and I recognize the challenges in today's world related to race. I get the arguments put forth for the casting requirements.

I hold to the idea that being counter exclusionary (only POC) is as exclusionary as "whites only". I know I have probably rankled people, and I don't mean to. But I guess I am being hypocritical because I have made several posts on this topic.

PS I did like the show, I thought the casting was very good (especially Leslie Odom and Daveed Diggs), and listening to the cast album as I write this (and aren't you all glad I didn't say "soundtrack". So I guess I am a hypocrite on this oo.

Lilly7 said: "Why do white people always complain when they're excluded from something? Can't you just be happy with the other 99.9% of things available to you?

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Ditto. I'm waiting for the day BOM casting an Asian, Latino, or black Elder Price/Cunningham, or Wicked casting black Glinda. I don't think there was an Asian or Latino Glinda but I don't follow Wicked so maybe there has been.

Lilly7 said: "Why do white people always complain when they're excluded from something? Can't you just be happy with the other 99.9% of things available to you?"

Exactly!