Cultural Appropriation/Whitewashing — Page 2

I mean, I can see both sides, and I think the book of The Wiz would be VERY offensive with white people saying it as it's very "hokey," and just wouldn't be right, but there's nothing in the show that says it has to be a black person. If we were seeing an all-Puerto Rican version of The Wiz no one would say a thing, so I don't see a problem with a mixed company, but I think some of those lines should probably get a retooling.

I don't understand why, in this day and age, actors just can't act. I've seen so many Hunchbacks where Quasimodo is now played by a deaf actor. I can understand the idea, but I just feel like it's becoming "if you haven't lived that life, you can't play that part." And I hate that.

I can see your point- but I still do not agree with it. I loved seeing Denzel in Iceman- and what could be more white bread than Hello, Dolly?- yet that has had success with an all-black cast. I gave my point of view- and others gave their points of view. We do not have to agree. If there are white people in a production of The Wiz and you do not think that is appropriate- do not buy tickets to it. I know people who thought Harvey Fierstein and Rosie O'Donnell in Fiddler On The Roof a few season back felt that way about the casting- finding it very inappropriate and disrespectful- I thought it was novel and creative casting. Whatever. For me, though, I find very few casting choices objectionable- though I can say that seeing a severely handicapped Laura in Glass Menagerie a few seasons back with Sally Field starring- was not good casting because it did distort what I saw as crucial plot points. . Can't think of any other casting choices that I disagreed with off hand. I would never want to see a white MLK- a black George Wallace- that would be ridiculous- but I personally am open to diversity in most casting - and I do not see The Wiz as being a special case. I do think, however, that a play like Raisin In The Sun cannot be played without black people- and casting gay guys in Boys In The Band was great casting.

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 03:17 AM

RippedMan said: "I mean, I can see both sides, and I think the book of The Wiz would be VERY offensive with white people saying it as it's very "hokey," and just wouldn't be right, but there's nothing in the show that says it has to be a black person. If we were seeing an all-Puerto Rican version of The Wiz no one would say a thing, so I don't see a problem with a mixed company, but I think some of those lines should probably get a retooling.

I don't understand why, in this day and age, actors just can't act. I've seen so many Hunchbacks where Quasimodo is now played by a deaf actor. I can understand the idea, but I just feel like it's becoming "if you haven't lived that life, you can't play that part." And I hate that."

We need to get rid of the double standards that maintain racial separation. "Oh, this starbucks drink is such a white sorority girl drink" is ok? And "Oh, fried chicken is such a black girl snack" is not ok?

We need to stop being 2 faced and place one race above another by persistently putting 1 in a victim role.

And I agree, "only play something if you have experienced it" is not right for acting, so let's not go down that road. I understand that if the story asks for it, like Dreamgirls, you have to cast authentically, but the Wiz has neutral characters, and a production of the Wiz in 2018 is not the same as a producton of the Wiz in the 70's. I would assume people in the theatre world would embrace diversity now instead of staying in the exclusion victim role of the 70's. That's not progress.

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 05:07 AM

I feel the difference between THE WIZ and DOLLY is the score. THE WIZ's score is specific to the black community. Can white actors sing it. Yup. But not with as much soul as the show calls for and is intended to have.

Isn't it racist to make generalized statements based on ethnicity?

Two wrongs never make a right. Inequality of opportunity can never be justified.

Could be, my standpoint is always the same. Equality.

You just have a wrong view in this one, in my opinion.

I am the one who understands privilege. You do not. Demanding privilege has always been the problem, which you don't seem to grasp. No matter how much you feel you have the right to demand privilege over others in return now, it's wrong.

Blocking and running away doesn't solve anything either.

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 07:30 AM

Great point.

Demanding "all black" or "all 1 race" are disgustingly outdated terms that do not fit society anymore.

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "CedricOates said: "eOpera89 said: "[While the “The Wiz” has traditionally been performed with an all-black cast, Speer said she hopes to make her rendition a multi-cultural experience, bringing in actors from a wide array of backgrounds.]


Just a genuine question. It does say a “multi-cultural experience”. Doesn’t that mean there can be asians, latinos, white, black, Caribbean etc. I didn’t see it say that they were now going to put white people specifically now. Am I missing something, or did they further on say that they will cast a bunch of white people now?

"

Like a lot of things, what’s going to happen is that they say they will open it up for more diversity but most likely most the roles will go to white people which will make a lot of the posters in this thread very happy."

I mean that’s just assuming my friend. But i totally see your point, as it has likely happened before. A sad world we live in. We need more love in this community. Confucius said, “ Under the heavens there is but one family”. Much love everyone.

CedricOates said: "eOpera89 said: "[While the “The Wiz” has traditionally been performed with an all-black cast, Speer said she hopes to make her rendition a multi-cultural experience, bringing in actors from a wide array of backgrounds.]


Just a genuine question. It does say a “multi-cultural experience”. Doesn’t that mean there can be asians, latinos, white, black, Caribbean etc. I didn’t see it say that they were now going to put white people specifically now. Am I missing something, or did they further on say that they will cast a bunch of white people now?

"

As OP said, the cast (for the leads at least) are now mostly white.

Their facebook page until recently was only of white people involved in the production. If you look, yesterday, after this thread, they started adding pictures of black performers.

This is just the sad thing we see now where "diversity" is a marketing tool for productions that are not really diverse.

OK- if that is true of The Wiz- then how do you feel about no diversity in Fiddler On the Roof? No diversity in a cast of Funny Girl? No diversity in Oklahoma revivals?

Well, that is not okay with me- and it is not okay to not have diversity in a 2018 cast of The Wiz. We agree to disagree

Updated On: 6/17/18 at 12:46 PM

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/263933/cultural-appropriation



Of course it was written by a Yid- that may devalue it for some.



is this cultural appropriation? Should my tribe protest?

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "He wouldn’t bat an eye at countless new productions that are all-white but once another production is mostly or all-black, sure enough he has to come in."

This is where you are wrong. Neither white nor black people have to be in everything. That is not what I complain about. I find people who do think so racist. I put color counters into place.

In this case, people complain that once anything was cast black, there is no room for diversity anymore. I really wonder how some people define "diversity", because demanding a whole black The Wiz is certainly not that.

MikeInTheDistrict said: " They're intentionally coded as African-American tropes, often as broad stock characters that co-opt stereotypes, similar to how black people took up the n-word as a word to use among themselves. The original Wizard of Oz is probably more race-neutral than The Wiz."

I think writing a show with this purpose does not fit society anymore. They might have gotten away with it in the 70's, but remaking a show for 1 race only is toxic. This exclusion behaviour does not suit 2018 anymore.

Especially when the story is not about race and a tin man or a lion should be neutral in my opinion.

I feel whenever the show is done now, we need to make it actually diverse, as equality starts with understanding that it's a 2 way street.