H2S, Gender blind casting

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re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 9:35pm

Your professor had better get permission from the licensing agent to make these changes. Otherwise, they can shut you down on opening night.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

What an absolutely insane idea. I certainly hope he's pulling your leg.

Probably the most useful thing that I learned in High School was that the teachers were just as messed up as the kids and in pretty much the same proportion. If your teacher wants to do "Victor/Victoria" then he should do it. Flipping the gender in "How to Suceed" is certain to lead to failure.

Might I suggest you look up the song "Kodachrome" by Paul Simon and his wise words: "When I look back on all the crap I learned in High School, it's a wonder I can think at all."

Updated On: 2/24/06 at 09:43 PM

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 9:44pm

When my highschool first did this show in '86 they changed Finch into a female character and changed Rosemary to Rosemorton, her male secretary. I wasn't alive to see it, but I'd imagine it changed the dynamics of the show greatly and I'm guessing they had to alter the book some for it make sense and lyrics like "Gotta Stop That Man" and all of "Brotherhood of Man" must've been reworked. I don't know how it would work, but they apparently pulled it off.

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 9:51pm

If in the end, it's revealed Finch is a woman, then it makes Rosemary look foolish.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 9:55pm

RoseMorton? Please be kidding! Please!

This is as wrong as playing Sweeney Todd as a vegetarian, but I can't help but wonder-- instead of the male executives singing "Stop that man" as they touch up their faces with electric razors, do they have Finch retreat to the ladies room where the other women shave their legs as they sing "Gotta Stop that Gal?"

Let's do "South Pacific" with Nelson Forbush falling in love with Emily De Becque! Or "Little Shop" with Andy singing how "Suddenly Celine" is making everything OK while Andy 2 eats people.

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 9:58pm

Why not A Little Night Music with an all-male cast?

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 10:06pm

The folks at Musaic Theatre International will absolutely not allow this.

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 11:32pm

haha- I certainly hope so. This is a classic show! It is just too strange. There are better ways to make improvements on it.

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/24/06 at 11:37pm

Joe-- Sweeney may very well be a vegetarian, he spits out his bite at the beginning...

I'm all for gender blind casting when it makes sense (or really doesn't make a difference), but it really doesn't make sense for H2$.

#10

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 12:41am

that gender switch thing just sounds stupid. ruins the whole show. if he wants to have a show that has a female as the main lead, choose a different show.

<--- the set of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I was assistant stage manager for during the 2007 season at the STNJ outdoor stage.

-Dre- You must remember all the same that at the crux of every game is knowing when it's time to leave the table... And it's important to be artful in your exit. No turning back, you must accept the con is done... It was a ball, it was a blast. And it's a shame it couldn't last. But every chapter has to end, you must agree.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
There's a special kind of people known as show people. We live in a world full of dreams. Sometimes we're not too certain what's false and what's real. But we're seldom in doubt about what we feel.
~Curtains~
It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known.
~A Tale of Two Cities ~

#11

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 12:43am

But, Rosemorton is a really funny name.

#12

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 12:48am

I actually think it could work. Of course you would ahve to change a lot around. There'd have to be a whole new show essentially. Unless you switched EVERYTHING. Had all the woman playing men and all the men playing women. I think it'd prob make the sexist point even greater. Keep in mind when this show opened it wasn't sexist at all. It's how we see it now. I know plenty of people who were very uncomfortable with seeing it as is because of its sexist slant. I would love to see all women sing a secretary is not a toy as men, or Men sing paris original. I think the show would ultimately be about sexism and gender roles in society. THAT'd be a reason to actually see How to Succeed. Otherwise I think the show's sooooo dated and VERY long. Would it work? I'm not sure but I'd def be interested in seeing it at that point.

#13

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 9:43am

I don't really see this working but if the reason your director is thinking along these lines is because there are more girls than guys in your drama dept, then there are lots of little speaking roles that can be combined and given to secretaries instead of random businessmen that only show up a few times. I'm in the show now for a second time and trust me, this works fine.

#14

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 9:51am

I'm in it now, and Jenkens, Mr. Bratt, and Tackaberry are girls...but our Smitty can't sing, so basically everyone sings Smitty's songs as well...Our production looks like uuber crap minus the Finch and Rosemary who are a bit amazing.

And the other thing about the Phantom Lady was, Bert, she realized, in the city that never sleeps... What did she realize, Kitten? That all the songs she'd listened to, all the love songs, that they were only songs. What's wrong with that? Nothing, if you don't believe in them. But she did, you see. She believed in enchanted evenings, and she believed that a small cloud passed overhead and cried down on a flower bed, and she even believed there was breakfast to be had... Where? On Pluto. The mysterious, icy wastes of Pluto.

#15

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 10:05am

That is riduculous...if he switched Finch's gender in H2S, then it would ruin some of the points that H2S was making about the buisness world at the time.

There's a lot I am not certain of...

#16

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 10:37am

What is your director smoking? Immature, I know, but seriously! Why not do an original version called "FinchtorFinctoria."

#17

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 7:06pm

Am I the only one who thinks this could work in some kind of crazy way?

#18

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 8:00pm

One important thing, bsides having to pretty much re-write the whole show to make it work, is the ERA! That would have to be changed too as there were no 'male secretary's) in that era!!!

#19

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 10:56pm

Here we go in with the freakin time period realism again...Is there anything in the script that says this is 1962? I'm just curious

#20

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/25/06 at 11:46pm

Um...have you READ THE PLAY?

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#21

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/26/06 at 12:38am

the play is a satire about business in america in the 60s - men were the executives and women were either secretaries or wives - those defined, rigid roles are the point of the show. there is no logical way to switch the genders of any of the characters in the show.

Don't f*ck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo.

#22

re: H2S, Gender blind casting

Posted: 2/26/06 at 1:08am

Jeez, it's just a high school musical. Isn't the point for the kids to get up on stage and have a good time and learn about teamwork and all that other good stuff, not do a definitive production of whatever show it is they're doing? Who cares how they cast it. Even if the gender switch turns out to be ridiculous, the parents will still be thrilled to see little Susie and Johnny up on stage.

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