Kenny Leon to direct Broadway revival of CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD...

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:31pm

Very curious to see the casting of this. Here's hoping they hire a deaf actress in the role and do the right thing.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/First-Broadway-Revival-of-CHILDREN-OF-A-LESSER-GOD-to-Open-in-2015-16-Season-Kenny-Leon-to-Direct-20140929

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:34pm

I hope so too. But at least there's precedent.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:34pm

Well, I'm hoping they hire ALL deaf actors to play the roles of deaf students. Not many people know about the extraordinary deaf actors across the country and especially here in NYC, so I'm hoping that this will give some of them the chance to finally get in a big production and be seen.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:36pm

I cannot imagine a first-class production where (at the very least) the role of Sarah isn't played by a deaf actress.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:38pm

In the deaf community, it would be akin to doing a show in blackface.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:41pm

^ Agreed. I mean, it's a role that's won the Tony and the Oscar for deaf actresses...I couldn't even begin to imagine how a hearing actress could be cast in the part.

Updated On: 9/29/14 at 02:41 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:41pm

I'm hoping that the backlash of the last MIRACLE WORKER production results in the right decisions being made this time. Not sure I'd see a production without deaf actors.

And you're right, Jordan - ALL of them should be utilized, not just Sarah.

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:42pm

Shoshannah Stern (who played Hunter Parrish's deaf girlfriend on WEEDS) was really good in the Deaf West production. She'd be a good choice. But there are plenty of other deaf actors--I'm sure they wouldn't cast a hearing actress in the role.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:43pm

Shoshanna did so much with that character in WEEDS it doesn't surprise me to hear that...

[Kad]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:43pm

I think Kenny Leon is an adequate-at-best director, so hopefully a strong cast is assembled.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 2:51pm

I'm kind of surprised they're not using a deaf director for this, as well.

But I can think of dozens of deaf actors just here in NYC that would be perfect for this show.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:01pm

Or someone like David Cromer, who directed Tribes with sensitivity and considerable polish.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:02pm

Well, I just know that I'm very very excited for this to happen.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:05pm

Holler If You Don't Hear Me

I can't wait. One of my favorite plays

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:10pm

Seriously?

[NewSynchopation]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:13pm

Kenny Leon is pretty good at respectable productions of classic plays, so I hope he will do well with this work. He is at the very least a tasteful director so I'm sure he wouldn't have the nerve to cast hearing actors in the deaf roles.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:14pm

Has anyone seen this play recently? Has it aged well? I am a bit leery of American work from the lean, leeeeeeean years of the late seventies/early eighties.

[Renthead1980]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 3:28pm

Excited for this , the movie is one of my favourites

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 4:36pm

Unless they've gotten around it, there is a stipulation that Sarah MUST be played by a hearing impaired actress. (Or if they no longer request that)

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 5:36pm

I agree Stern was fantastic in WEEDS, back when the show was brilliant and not the mockery of itself it became in later years. If she has stage chops, one would think she'd be ideal for the role. Either way, I certainly hope this production gives the chance of a lifetime to the deaf acting community in NY (or even around the U.S).
I haven't seen enough of Leon's work to make a value judgment on his work, but what he did with last season's production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN was breathtaking. Thinking about the opening image of Sophie Okonedo listening to the phone ring still gives me chill, and he got nuanced, haunting performances from all his actors. Who are people thinking for James? How old is the character supposed to be? Is Liev Schreiber too old?

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 5:44pm

I agree Stern was fantastic in WEEDS, back when the show was brilliant and not the mockery of itself it became in later years. If she has stage chops, one would think she'd be ideal for the role.

Not only does she have stage chops, she's already played the role of Sarah in a major production to very good notices. I saw her and she was great. She would be my first choice, though that shouldn't be interpreted to mean that there aren't any other deaf and hearing-impaired actors who are equally worthy.

How old is Schreiber these days? Into his 40s? John Rubenstein and William Hurt were both in their thirties when they did the role, though I couldn't imagine why someone slightly older wouldn't work.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 6:59pm

AC126748, that's great news re Stern. Like you, I'm sure there's plenty of hearing-impaired actresses who could do wonders with the role. I just always wanted Shoshannah Stern to break out after seeing her in WEEDS, and was disappointed--if not surprised--when she didn't. This would be the role of a lifetime for her. Either way, I'm sure Leon will get a fantastic turn from whomever he ends up casting.
If Schreiber can take some time to come to NY (I believe he's based in LA now that he works on RAY DONOVAN), he'd be my top choice for James.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 7:18pm

Is it an all black version ?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 7:31pm

I would hope it's not an "all anything" cast. But I don't see any reason why either or both if the leads couldn't be African American. In fact, I think it would add something really interesting to the play

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/29/14 at 8:34pm

Hal Luftig gave some insight into the plans for this production in the Times. He says the team is committed to casting a deaf actress as Sarah and that they'd ideally like to find an African-American woman for the role, hopefully opposite a name actor as James.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/children-of-a-lesser-god-to-return-to-broadway/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0