I know I might be bitch slapped but...

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:47pm

Sara Ramirez, in my opinion would make an interesting and most befitting Effie in Dreamgirls. I mean the girl can act and sing her ass off, and given a role like that in a feature film could make her a HUGE star. Before you guys start pounding angrily at your keyboards just think about it. She would be remarkable.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:49pm

She's not black.

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:50pm

She could play a black woman, she's latina

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:50pm

Thank you for pointing out the obvious so I didn't have to, Bobby.

You can't colorblind cast DREAMGIRLS.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:51pm

why not it worked in camp? hehehe

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:52pm

lightskinned black women have played italians, latinas, and other races for years, thats not "colorblind" casting.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:52pm

I heard the girl in camp is playing Effie.

No, you're right, you can't colorblind Effie, or anyone in Dreamgirls.

And Latina doesn't equal Black.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:58pm

Oy vey.

Do I even TOUCH on the insinuation you just made that there's basically two races: white and NOT white?

you can't call it 'colorblind casting' and then say that someone can play it cause they're not white, y'know?

...naw, I'll save it for someone else. :)

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:00pm

see, now all the negativity is starting. bobbybubby dont start trying to make me sound stupid on this thread. i kno that latina doesnt equal black. as a black woman it does not bother me to have a latina playing a black woman, our communities have been so together linked to eachother by geography, culture, and a million other things. Sara Ramirez has black features(physically) and could easily pull off playing a black woman.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:09pm

aaaaaaaagh!

aaaaaaagh!

"Sara Ramirez has black features(physically) and could easily pull off playing a black woman."

too many responses...all trying to leave my brain at the same time...head is going to explode...

why don't you just throw some blackface on her and then it'll REALLY work?

oy vey. I shake my head.

I'm SURE you didn't mean this or that comment as a racial thing but...it's gettin' there so just be careful how you choose your words - I think you mean something else than what it's coming across as.

[Kavana]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:11pm

from one black female to another...what is a BLACK feature?
try again your topic is not being paid

Jennifer Lopez could be Effie also

thank you and good night

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:14pm

I think Maria Conchita Alonzo would make a good Effie, hehe.

Not trying to make you sound stupid but...

Dreamgirls really only works with Black actors.

Also, Ramirez has a glaringly obvious break in her voice that she would have a hard time negotiating when playing Effie.

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:16pm

im not justifying anything. no ms ramirez isnt black, but she could play a black woman. thats all. i actually thought she was black when i first saw a picture of her. so i wasnt being racist. but since i see you guys cant handle a thread like this or be diplomatic it can just die. thanks anyway guys.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:18pm

Why give a non-black actor the role, when tons of black actors are more suited to play it.

Black or not, Ramirez couldn't properly sing Effie, with the way she currently uses her voice.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:41pm

I think maybe Tonya is just acknowledging perhaps that after seeing Sara last night that it's clear she can sing the role...as it appears she has a large black woman inside of her somewhere with the way she was takin' it to church last night

[HonoursLady]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:35pm

I must be blind, but I thought Sara was either Italian or Greek when I saw an ad for Spamalot before I knew her name or who the actress was.

I found a nice picture above with her and her dad. I don't get it though....what feature on her looks black???

Anyway, I thought both she and her dress were gorgeous at the Tony's and the "pulling up" thing was a funny, comedy touch in line with Spamalot.
Updated On: 6/6/05 at 05:35 PM

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:40pm

no, but she definately could be in Dreamgirls, it did work in Camp and I saw the tour of Les Miz this year and the actress playing Fantine was black. I dont think it really matters, you can always use makeup. Look at Idina in wicked.

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:44pm

"it worked in camp" or it was camp? Which?

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:46pm

Tonyfan, Fear not. The posters on BWW are far too generous and open-minded to bitch-slap anyone. (He says as he bitch-slaps himself.)

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:50pm

Camp the movie, you know with God, I mean Sondheim. Where there was an "honest to god straight boy" doing theater at the Stagedoor musical theater camp.

[Drew7810]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:53pm

CHARO!!!

"a-coo-chi-coo-chi-coooooTELLING YOU!"

[Kavana]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:54pm

"I dont think it really matters, you can always use makeup"

OOO like a minstrel show???

JimmyO you seem like a really uneducated individual please pay this post.

"it worked in Wicked"
WTH

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:55pm

Using makeup to make Ramirez look black would be highly offensive. Talented as she is, Ramirez is completely wrong for Effie in Dreamgirls, again, not just in look.

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:56pm

what
they used full body makeup on Idina in wicked thats what im saying. Bway can use how ever much makeup they need. All im saying is that sara could use some darker makeup and no one from at least the mezz could tell a difference. Updated On: 6/6/05 at 05:56 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:59pm

Camp is a movie about teenagers doing shows -- THAT'S why it sorta worked ...... as comedy.

The show makes no sense with a white Effie. It's about three little black girls from Chicago trying to crossover onto the white pop charts and the racism within the music industry and how they adjust their look and sound in order to have success. Someone as white-looking as Sara Ramirez wouldn't have needed to adjust anything to crossover -- she'd have been readily accepted by the mainstream all by herself (just as Latinas such as Vicki Carr and Edye Gorme were as huge stars back in the 50s and 60s). Why would someone as ambitious as Effie feel the need to be part of a group with two black girls when her skin tone would guarantee a much better shot at success as a solo artist? And if Effie has the right "look" for crossover success then why demote her in favor of Deena (unless you're casting a white-looking Deena too which REALLY would make no sense in the context of the show).

Ramirez is a fine singer, but unless we're talking about a concert staging, her look would confuse audiences and undermine some of the main themes in the show. She'd be miscast as Effie White.