Next to Normal with an all-black cast

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Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:38pm

A friend of mine, who is black, expressed interest in playing the role of Gabe someday in Next to Normal and it got me thinking which black actors and actresses in musical theeater could play these roles?

Daniel Breaker as Dan and Norm Lewis as Dr. Fine come to mind.

Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:41pm

That reminds me of another performer who belongs in the "overrated" thread...Norm Lewis.

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:42pm

Um i'd switch that...Daniel Breaker is only 29...waaaay too young to play Dan....Norm Lewis could play Dan.

Either way...I find Norm Lewis dull.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 01:42 PM

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:44pm

He's 29? I thought he was older. Well, you learn something every day, I guess.

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 2:54pm

This reminds me of that 30 Rock episode.

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:02pm

LaChanze and Norm Lewis work just fine as the leads.

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:12pm

Gabe: Ruben Studdard

BOX OFFICE GOLD

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:12pm

I don't watch 30 Rock, B3. Care to elaborate?

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:13pm

Norm Lewis is incredibly sassy.

No one wants to see a musical called Thoroughly Modern Mildred.

#10

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:14pm

Mattbrain, buddy, where you been?
The term is African-American!

Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#11

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:25pm

Yeah, Blaxx. We don't play cowboys and blacks, we play cowboys and African-Americans!

#12

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 4:33pm

Next 2 Watermelon

#13

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 4:39pm

Audra McDonald as Diana? Maybe?

Formally Stews_Bitch::: Shows in the 2010 Season for me. 101 Dalmations tour - Jan 24th, Xanadu Tour - Mar 9th and 10th, Wicked - May 14th, Legally Blonde - June 12th:::::::Upcoming - South Pacific, Young Frankinstein (Two Cities) Rock of Ages (Two Cities) Shrek (3 Cities) Les Mis, DreamGirls, Spring Awakening, Color Purple, and 9 to 5!

#14

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 4:46pm

Unless the role of the psychotherapist is being played by someone who is black, the rest of the cast would have to be black or it look pretty strange!!!

#15

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 5:05pm

Audra McDonald would be a great choice for Diana. I don't think Norm Lewis would be interested in the role unless the play was rewritten to include "Dan" having developed a phobia for any type of clothing covering his upper body.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 05:05 PM

#16

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 5:06pm

Unless the role of the psychotherapist is being played by someone who is black, the rest of the cast would have to be black or it look pretty strange!!!

Why couldn't Dan and Diana or Natalie and Henry be different races?

The idea that the company would have to be "all black" is ridiculous.

Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 05:06 PM

#17

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 5:38pm

I don't think Norm Lewis would be interested in the role unless the play was rewritten to include "Dan" having developed a phobia for any type of clothing covering his upper body.

^I fully support this.

Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how

#18

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 6:45pm

Ditto.

#19

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 6:47pm

'Next 2 Watermelon'

- Racist.

#20

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 7:28pm

There are other black actresses besides LaChanze & Audra McDonald, y'know. And I actually think Taye Diggs would be great as Dan.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 07:28 PM

#21

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 7:30pm

Yeah, like anika noni rose.

#22

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 7:35pm

I'm with somethingwicked, it's absurd to think that it should be "all-black," especially since Phylicia Rashad rendered this statement ridiculous after her acclaimed turn in AUGUST: OC.
I'd love to see Anika Noni Rose tackle the role of Diana one day. Is Adriane Lenox too old for the part?

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#23

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 7:35pm

Audra McDonald's voice is way too classical for that role or that score. Could you imagine her singing I Miss the Mountains in her soprano?

LaChanze is a much better choice.

#24

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 9:08pm

No, I can imagine her singing it in her belting voice.

#25

re: Next to Normal with an all-black cast

Posted: 7/30/09 at 9:23pm

I don't know. I don't think the message of the show would be quite the same. Not that it's a bad thing that it would change the message, but it's certainly something to think about.

"Get mad, then get over it." - Colin Powell

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