Next to Normal with an all-black cast- Page 4

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 7:43pm

"Kelly2, I'm really sorry but arguing about your racist points of view at this point is like running in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded."

It's pretty sad that you'd toss around that word so loosely when there are still such serious racial conflicts going on around us. Oh well. Not everyone has the opportunity to be informed, sadly.

[JP2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 7:46pm

"I'd love to see half these people get a chance to be in the show. Maybe one day they will be, and I'll eat my words. But I'm gonna bet that'll be around the time when their grosses start to drop. Again, love for the creators to prove me wrong, but I doubt they will."

Are you implying that a person of color in the cast would surely stop people from seeing the show?

Also, the reason the entire cast is Caucasian is because we live in a white-washed world. Not because any other race would change the shape of the show.
Updated On: 8/1/09 at 07:46 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 7:51pm

It's pretty sad that you'd toss around that word so loosely when there are still such serious racial conflicts going on around us. Oh well. Not everyone has the opportunity to be informed, sadly."

Why? Our President uses it on Jay Leno and he's black. (Well, half but to you I guess he still isn't "pure" so he counts). And let's not throw around the word "informed", little girl. Don't forget where you're posting and you have NO idea what involvements I may or may not have had in the casting or production side of this or any show, not to mention who I may or may not know of any race that went in for this show.

In the words of Dame Judi Dench: "Let's not, shall we"

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 7:59pm

"Are you implying that a person of color in the cast would surely stop people from seeing the show? "

Nope. I'm sure it'd bring a lot of people in, actually. What I am saying, and TRY to understand, is that I'm sure with a multi-million dollar product, the creators of the show were VERY careful who they cast and why they cast those people. And I don't think there weren't options to cast black or latina/o actresses/actors. They simply chose not to. And I don't think the reason for that is lack of talent, unlike some people on this thread.

"Why? Our President uses it on Jay Leno and he's black. (Well, half but to you I guess he still isn't "pure" so he counts). And let's not throw around the word "informed", little girl. Don't forget where you're posting and you have NO idea what involvements I may or may not have had in the casting or production side of this or any show, not to mention who I may or may not know of any race that went in for this show.

In the words of Dame Judi Dench: "Let's not, shall we""

Oh please. I voted for OUR President, he's my President, too, so don't make presumptions about my personal philosophies and ideologies just because I believe that race isn't something to take lightly. I'm no little girl, and you have no idea who I work for either, sweet cheeks, so you're right. Let's not, shall we?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:01pm

Kelly2, you give Kelly1 a bad name.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:02pm

And I doubt you're anywhere near as cute as Jordan Catalano, so I guess we're even.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:10pm

Jared Leto is pretty damn hot.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:12pm

Not anymore. Now he's just fat.

Updated On: 8/1/09 at 08:12 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:13pm

NO! He lost all that weight and look pretty great. (At least the last picture I saw!)

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:14pm

Well, at least we can all agree to thank god for THAT. Because the days where there was "more to love" were pretty bleak.

[mariusmyhomeboy]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:14pm

How is an all-black cast the "elephant in the room"? White people aren't the only people with mental health issues.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:16pm

"How is an all-black cast the "elephant in the room"? White people aren't the only people with mental health issues."

Reading comprehension is HARD.

[mariusmyhomeboy]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:25pm

Wow, you're so witty with that 2 year old macro.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:29pm

I know. It's so CLEVER AND FUNNY. Sometimes there just aren't words though!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:32pm

Wow, not only does this thread have racism but now it has weightism. I think this thread needs a rating from the MPAA. Or at least a change in title alerting new readers that it has, in a sense, jumped the shark.

Kelly2, I'm really sorry but arguing about your racist points of view at this point is like running in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

I understand the point you're trying to make and I don't want to start a fight. But, as someone with a special needs family member I find this comment to be way out of line.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 8:35pm

Apparently, only Jordan can be offensive, and only to the groups that he deems it appropriate to offend.

Updated On: 8/1/09 at 08:35 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 9:39pm

'Or, Jordan, are you like millie and believe that no talented people of any other races auditioned for these parts?'

Kelly2, STOP. Stop trying to twist around everything I said.

First of all, this show doesn't even deal with race. The message is irrelevant to race.

I said you don't know who auditioned and whoever they currently chose was chosen based on their talent. That doesn't mean a minority actor or actress is not talented or did not give a stellar audition.

'I know PLENTY of other people who haven't gotten so much as a callback. Why is that, do you think? Is it because they're not good? Because I don't think that's why.'

Well DUH. Just because you don't get a callback doesn't necessarily mean you are an untalented performer.

As I said, I don't deny the talents of minorities. Maybe something just clicked with the current performers. You don't know, so stop trying to act like you know PLENTY of people who auditioned for the show, because whoever you know is probably a small handful of the audition pool.

Honestly, who cares anymore. What's done is done. If they decide to cast an all-black/Latino cast in the future, maybe I will pass on this show because according to Kelly2, I won't be as shocked with the show's message.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 9:45pm

"Kelly2, STOP. Stop trying to twist around everything I said. "

Oh, it's only fine when you do it to me? Okay. I'll stop. You showed me.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 10:24pm

I think Next to Normal should be done with an all male cast. Charles Busch would make an excellent Diana.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 11:00pm

Can Lypsinka be Natalie????

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 11:05pm

Harvey Fierstein for Diana!

[TheatreDork2]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 11:15pm

I would like to see Diana played by a paprika shaker. Should add some more spice to the role. Aio!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/1/09 at 11:20pm

Wow, this is the most I've ever regretted starting a thread since my "Bitch of Ushering" thread.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:05am

'Oh, it's only fine when you do it to me? Okay. I'll stop. You showed me.'

Fair enough - then tell me what you meant when you said the message would not be as shocking had this show featured an African-American cast, since apparently I was twisting your statement around:

"Jordan Catalano: You think having a black cast would change the message of the show?

Kelly2: Uh, yeah. Part of the reason it "shocks" people, or at least was a big deal for me to take my mother to see was because it was the "American Whitebread" stereotypical family, and looking behind that perfect whitebread facade to see all of what the truth is for some families."

What did I misunderstand/twist around? Sorry, but I'm not the only one who found that statement a bit ridiculous.

Updated On: 8/2/09 at 12:05 AM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/2/09 at 12:15am

That the race of the characters matters. That I'm a realistic human being, as are the creators of the show, and I realize what the racial majority of both the theatergoing public but this country is, and that casting the show in a way to sell the show to that majority sells tickets. Like it or hate it, but it is what it is.

Most people, unfortunate as it is, see color a little differently than the holier-than-thou progressive-thinkers of Broadwayworld (which OBVIOUSLY attracts people a little more to the left, shall we say, than the general public). They want the matinee grandmothers to come to the show and see someone who could be their daughter, or their son, and sorry, darlings, but THAT is why everyone in the cast is white. Because its' what makes the producers the most money. For people too stupid to see past race, it's EASIER for them to "get the picture" when they don't have to look too hard, so they pander to the lowest common denominator. This shouldn't be shocking for anyone to be able to comprehend, that's how everything in this country works. A saddening majority of people polled don't know the capital of Illinois isn't Chicago, and can't find Iran on a map, you think those people can understand the complexities of colorblind casting? I highly doubt it. And yes, for THOSE PEOPLE who are paying 120$ a ticket, the message of the show wouldn't be the same if they couldn't quite "get it" the way that they do now as it's pretty much spelled out for them.

Anyway, my mistake was being so brief, I didn't fairly explain the point I was trying to make, and now I have, and hopefully we are all informed enough to understand. Though I won't hold my breath, as yesterday I found out a good friend of mine relies on "The Daily Show" for her world news, so my faith in humanity isn't particularly high right now.

Updated On: 8/2/09 at 12:15 AM