Dear evan hansen? Whitewashing?

[\_(•_•)_/]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 6:56pm

Why is there no POC evans?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 6:58pm

Do you truly believe that the Dear Evan Hansen producers have a racist agenda they're trying to carry out?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 6:58pm

Roman Banks is an Evan understudy! Not sure if he’s gone on, but still

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 6:59pm

Jesus.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:00pm

The board has been crazy today. Yikes.

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:00pm

 

[Kelley10]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:11pm

I noticed the two understudies for Alana in the Los Angeles production are black. They also are listed as understudies for Zoe. That would play well into Connor not liking her. She would have had to be adopted.

I think Evan as POC is a great idea and an easy one for the producers. It's a small cast to begin with and they'd only have to recast Evan and his mom Heidi.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:11pm

Sondheimite chiming in with the content we need and deserve.

[taylortrensch]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:12pm

"Whitewashing is a casting practice in the film industry of the United States in which white actors are cast in historically non-white character roles or in roles which are scripted for non-white characters. The film industry has a history of frequently casting white actors for roles about non-white characters. "

there is literally no character in dear evan hansen that is scripted to be either white or non-white. however, alana was originated by kristolyn lloyd, a WOC, and the dear evan hansen casting company has done a great job at hiring other WOC to cover the role of alana wether it be on broadway or for the tour. evan was originated by ben platt, who is a white man .. ..  ??? its not that deep and roman banks is a POC evan

Updated On: 11/12/18 at 07:12 PM

[taylortrensch]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:17pm

Kelley10 said: "I noticed the two understudies for Alana in the Los Angeles production are black. They also are listed as understudies for Zoe. That would play well into Connor not liking her. She would have hadto be adopted.

I think Evan as POC is a great idea and an easy one for the producers. It's a small cast to begin with and they'd only have to recast Evan and his mom Heidi."

*google search how to delete someone else's comment*

olivia puckett was the first understudy for the roles of zoe and alana on broadway and she's a WOC. she even was the main zoe for a few weeks before the current zoe stepped into the role. just because a WOC plays zoe while all of the current connors have been white doesn't mean she "had to be adopted"?? get over yourself 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:37pm

Kelley 10 - so in your scenario, Connor is a racist?

 

This kind of casting would be called color blind - where the characters (and hopefully) the audience do not "see" any difference in race.

[Kelley10]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 7:44pm

I knew this was all going to get me in trouble, but in that case "on stage" or "in real life" I'd ask myself - how did that happen? I am over myself, I have no pretences about life? But, I also believe in science and the truth? Yes, we suspend a great deal of reality for the theatre but that doesn't mean we turn stupid when we attend.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:02pm

Kelley10 said: "It's a small cast to begin with and they'd only have to recast Evan and his mom Heidi."

Are you suggesting that they recast Evan, when they literally just cast the replacement? That would be incredibly unfair to Andrew Barth Feldman.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:13pm

I swear, you can’t win with anything anymore. Theres backlash for not casting evan as his age, and now they cast evan as his age but thats a problem cause he isnt POC.

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:20pm

Kristollyn addressed this and said DEH did not whitewash her. I kind of agree with DEH being a bit too white, but I disagree that it's on purpose. I'd love a black and Jewish Jared though! They need more visibility.

[Owen22]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:27pm

I think the British West End Evan Hansen will be a person of colour.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:33pm

Life hack: not everything is racist.

[Kelley10]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:37pm

It's funny you read it in a racist way. I was talking about kids don't usually take to having a child adopted into their family. I'm just saying it brings up a different history you just can't ignore.

Let me ask.. if the show started and Evan is black and his Mom is white; wouldn't you think "I guess Evan's dad was black." No big deal, but the truth. It doesn't ask you to act blind. It just is.

Hilton Als wrote thoughtfully about this subject in his review of the recent revival of CAROUSEL. I wish I possessed his grace with words.

Updated On: 11/13/18 at 09:37 PM

[Kelley10]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 9:40pm

Never said that.

Said what a great idea and easily done.

Now unbunch your panties.

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:06pm

Kelley10 said: "It's funny you read it in a racist way. I was talking about kids don't usually take to having a child adopted into their family. I'm just saying it brings up a different history you just can't ignore."

I'm living proof this isn't always the case - I'm adopted, and all three of my siblings are adopted, two joining the family when I was in my teen years, and they were 6 and 10 at the time, and I loved gaining siblings. Obviously every single family is different, and I don't speak for all adopted kids or adoptive families, but to automatically assume Connor would hate his adopted sister because she was adopted (and to assume that would be the general thought process of the whole audience) is genuinely insulting.

[Kelley10]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:18pm

After tonight I promise you all I will never write another word on this site.

You are all so delicate I don't know how you get through a single day.

I don't want to be the one to set you off. I hope you only you have good experiences.

Bye people bye bye.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:37pm

But WE'RE the delicate ones

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:45pm

One of the original Billy Elliot boys was African American. No one needed to create unneeded backstory to believe, nor did they have alternate casting when he performed

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:51pm

Kelley10 said: "After tonight I promise you all I will never write another word on this site.

You are all so delicate I don't know how you get through a single day.

I don't want to be the one to set you off. I hope you only you have good experiences.

Bye people bye bye."

Will someone please start an official good-bye thread so that these farewells are contained in one place?

 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/12/18 at 10:51pm

Yep them as can't stand the heat  run away from the kitchen/board.

No Loss.