Encores! 2023: LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA with Ruthie Ann Miles, DEAR WORLD with Donna Murphy, and OLIVER! — Page 5

No one says you can’t be excited. I love Raul, but his casting concerns me.

And the fact that two days after Neo Nazis swarmed the theatre district some of you think this discussion is funny is troubling, but not surprising. Once again reminded how many repugnant toddlers post on here.


Back to ghosting because this place is, as usual, toxic.

Okay, so I've never seen Oliver! in any form, so this is a serious question: if Fagin is an anti-semitic character, isn't is better to erase his Jewishness as much as possible, which includes not demanding that a Jewish actor play him?

Correct.

Love,
A repugnant toddler (thanks theatertrash!)

Updated On: 2/24/23 at 12:33 PM

That's a choice that only the director & producer can make. You can either lean into the character's Jewishness and possibly underscore stereotypes while you're at it (intentional or not), or you can pivot away from the Jewishness altogether and cast a Latino actor. David Margoulis was hyperaware of that with the original Bway production, hence Clive Revill instead of Ron Moody. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer on how to handle that in 2023, and there are probably effective methods for both.

On an entirely unrelated note...MOULIN ROUGE and now this continues the trend of giving the incredibly gifted Tam Mutu absolutely thankless musical theatre roles. Get that check!

Updated On: 2/23/23 at 12:43 PM

OK? And the musical does not use any of those or make any reference to him being Jewish. So not sure why that has any meaning here.

The one production of Oliver! I've seen was with Hugh Panaro as Fagin and he was incredible. Can't wait to see Raul!!

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "

The one production of Oliver! I've seen was with Hugh Panaro as Fagin and he was incredible. Can't wait to see Raul!!"

@ the walnut in Philly? Hugh was really great

Am I remember right that the Encores Oliver! will be based on the Cam Mac london production that has endlessly returned to London (and originally was directed by Sam Mendes, choreographed by Matthew Bourne and starred Jonathan Pryce--I saw it as a teen but all I remember was it was massive, kinda too massive, and had an added prologue.)?

I wouldn't be surprised at all about it coming back (again) to London.

The Encores do credit Cam Mac for "By special arrangement" but I guess that's probably because he controls the rights now (?) I know it was the musical that got him obsessed with musicals and he seems to see himself as its keeper and he did a popular 70s London revival with the original creative team. Later when he brought that to Broadway (with Patti) and it flopped he decided he should never use "old technology" and production techniques for revivals (so he says) which led to his massive later production. (to his credit when he first did the large revival in 1994 he arranged it so Lionel Bart--who would die in 1999--would get a decent share of the royalties, rights that Bart had sold away years before.)

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "JSquared2 said: "Sutton Ross said: "TaffyDavenport said: "Okay, so I've never seen Oliver! in any form, so this is a serious question: if Fagin is an anti-semitic character, isn't is betterto erase his Jewishness as much as possible, which includes not demanding that a Jewish actor play him?"

Correct.

Love,
A repugnant toddler (thanks theatertrash!)

"Y'all seem to be missing the point. In the book, Oliver Twist, Fagin is repeatedly referred to as "the Jew" (257 times according to Wikipedia) and is portrayed as "the archetypical Jewish villian"."

OK? And the musical does not use any of those or make any reference to him being Jewish. So not sure why that has any meaning here.!"

Yes, I do not think there anyone calls Fagin "the Jew" or similar names. So, there may be no overt references to Fagin being Jewish. That is if you ignore Reviewing the Situation, Pick A Pocket or Two and other musical beats. The musical Fagin may be more of a charming rapscallion than the Dickens version, but Fagin is definitely Jewish in the musical.

Oh, I just can't wait! Can not wait to hear Donna and this fabulous orchestra.