PRINCE OF EGYPT will finally premiere!

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 3:52pm

It will premiere in Denmark later this year......with the director of HUNCHBACK...
https://www.theatreworks.org/201718-season/201718-season/prince-of-egypt/

Updated On: 2/14/17 at 03:52 PM

[binau]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 3:57pm

Hope everyone is ready to start counting the exact proportion of the cast ethnicities this time when they announce it. I expect nothing less than the percentage to 2 decimal places. 

Rest assured we have probably already lost on the great talent that is Marin Mazzie who was cast last time - I hope everyone is happy with themselves.

Updated On: 2/14/17 at 03:57 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 3:58pm

...she wasn't executed or anything.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 3:58pm

Apparently, Moses has been cast already:

Diluckshan Jeyaratnam

Updated On: 2/14/17 at 03:58 PM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:00pm

qolbinau said: "Hope everyone is ready to start counting the exact proportion of the cast ethnicities this time when they announce it. I expect nothing less than the percentage to 2 decimal places. 

Rest assured we have probably already lost on the great talent that is Marin Mazzie who was cast last time - I hope everyone is happy with themselves."

What are you even saying? Marin is brilliant but she has no business in this piece. Stop white-washing this show.

[binau]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:07pm

Marin is so talented that they are probably not going to easily cast someone with her skills and abilities. But of course, that doesn't seem to matter anymore. 

The others can be easily replaced. 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:09pm

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:18pm

Ahh, you can always count on this place to have outrage over a show not casting white people. 

Marin Mazzie is a treasure, but it's absurd to say that no one else could do what she does. Especially because no one here saw her do it. How do you know she's irreplaceable? 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:19pm

Oh, it's the director of our Hunchback, not the good Hunchback... that's a skip on his participation alone.

[Sunny11]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:22pm

Diluckshan Jeyaratnam is of Sri Lankan descent. He is South Asian not from Egypt or even Africa. 

In terms of cultural sensitivity they might as well have cast a European Caucasian actor.

 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:23pm

Scott Schwartz isn't known for his cultural sensitivity, let's be honest.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:25pm

Or for being anything other than a nepotism pick on his dad's work, speaking frankly.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:25pm

That too!

[binau]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:28pm

wonderfulwizard11 said: "Ahh, you can always count on this place to have outrage over a show not casting white people. 

Marin Mazzie is a treasure, but it's absurd to say that no one else could do what she does. Especially because no one here saw her do it. How do you know she's irreplaceable? 

 

"

RE: your first comment, what are you talking about? The only thing we can count on here is people to have outrage over a show that doesn't people  of colour- I don't think anyone really cares if white people aren't cast (the issue here is not Marin Mazzie will be replaced with a non-white person, the issue here is that Marin Mazzie will likely not be replaced with an equally talented person). Of course, I do think that advocating for casting people of colour is a worthy cause - it seems to me that non-white actors are often disadvantaged here.

You're right that my main assumption (that Marin Mazzie cannot be easily replaced) is not tested yet, so perhaps we can wait and see. In my mind, there is nothing more aesthetically pleasing and powerful that (as a generalisation) the vocal ability of a powerful African American woman - so there is a chance. But Marin Mazzie is one of the greats - people like her don't turn up for casting calls every day of the week.

 

Updated On: 5/15/17 at 04:28 PM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:29pm

qolbinau said: "Marin is so talented that they are probably not going to easily cast someone with her skills and abilities. But of course, that doesn't seem to matter anymore. 

The others can be easily replaced. "

Just because someone is talented doesn't mean they are the correct fit for a role. I'm sure Jessie Mueller could sing the role of Celie - but I sure as hell don't want to see her in THE COLOR PURPLE. 

[Tag]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:30pm

Scott Schwartz and Sarna Lapine would make a good couple. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:31pm

neonlightsxo said: "Oh, it's the director of our Hunchback, not the good Hunchback... that's a skip on his participation alone.

 

"

I know. I'm so worried now.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:40pm

Tag said: "Scott Schwartz and Sarna Lapine would make a good couple. "

 

I get your point, but I wouldn't wish that on her.

 

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 4:57pm

But did you really just use the phrase "colored people," qolbinau? More than once? 

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:05pm

Was there this level of outrage when Aida premiered a decade ago, or when it's been performed in regionals since? No matter how you cast this in terms of ethnicity and "color," I suspect the film's greatest visual will be impossible to replicate onstage: Moses, escaping the palace in his Jean Valjean moment, removes his wig and makeup, transforming visually from an Egyptian into a Hebrew.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:14pm

qolbinau said: "RE: your first comment, what are you talking about? The only thing we can count on here is people to have outrage over a show that doesn't cast coloured people - I don't think anyone really cares if white people aren't cast (the issue here is not Marin Mazzie will be replaced with a non-white person, the issue here is that Marin Mazzie will likely not be replaced with an equally talented person). Of course, I do think that advocating for casting coloured people is a worthy cause - it seems to me that coloured actors are often disadvantaged here.

You're right that my main assumption (that Marin Mazzie cannot be easily replaced) is not tested yet, so perhaps we can wait and see. In my mind, there is nothing more aesthetically pleasing and powerful that (as a generalisation) the vocal ability of a powerful African American woman - so there is a chance. But Marin Mazzie is one of the greats - people like her don't turn up for casting calls every day of the week."

Uh...putting aside referring to people as colored, have you read any thread about race and casting here? Sure, no one gets upset when a show has a few folks of color, but dare to suggest that some shows shouldn't have white people (or that it's a problem when a show has an all-white cast) and people get really bent out of shape, just like you are now. Especially because, as you said, we don't know who is cast yet. So why is your assumption that the woman of color they (hopefully) cast will automatically not be as talented as Marin Mazzie? 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:25pm

darquegk said: "Was there this level of outrage when Aida premiered a decade ago, or when it's been performed in regionals since?"

I'm pretty sure that the love interest and Amneris are supposed to be white. Aida was kidnapped as a slave.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:27pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Apparently, Moses has been cast already:

Diluckshan Jeyaratnam



As long as the character is well cast, ethnicity should never be considered BUT, if he wants his name up in lights,  I sure would consider a name change.

My own[name] is a mouthfull and as soon as I got professional work--the name went.

 

 

[JennH]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 5:51pm

I was excited beyond measure...until I saw "Denmark" (literally WHY in the world would they want to premiere it there of all places??) as well as that Scott is directing it. UGH WHY. It's bad enough that Stephen (though I love him) likes story theatre format for God knows what reason, and I'm afraid that's what this will turn into, and add on that his terrible 'director' of a son is 'directing'....this might as well go the direction of Hunchback. A ****ing amazing piece that deserves it day on stage, but isn't done justice due to stupid ideas THAT MAKE NO SENSE with the end product being severely odd and underwhelming and won't get it's much deserved Broadway transfer. Just adapt it a bit for the stage, it doesn't need much, just a clever set up and design and this will be just fine! This movie is such an incredible piece of storytelling and marvel work of art that I will be even more upset about it not being good than I was about Hunchback...and I was pretty upset about Hunchback.

 

As for the casting...I'm about to put myself into the lions' den. I'm all for proper casting. But the one thing that we always hear is that unless the shows plot revolves around ethnicity for whatever reason, than cast whoever. This is a perfectly fine idea in theory, but ladies and gents, PofE doesn't revolves around any plot of that nature. Neither does Aladdin or Lion King. The plot isn't about "race'. The only thing we have to go by is Egyptian. And yes it makes perfect sense to not have a snow white cast. Even though historians don't know what these people actually looked like, we can certainly assume that they're weren't lily skinned considering the location and climate. So we're literally basing what the cast should look like based on LOCATION. Same with the other two shows I mentioned. And there'd be raised cane if anyone "white" were in those shows. (yes I know there have been, but Freeman as Jafar is an exception for obvious reasons) But yet, people have been applauding Frozen's colorblind casting when it takes place in....NORWAY. Some of the snowiest people on the planet (the one exception to this could be Kristoff since he's a Laplander/Sami but that's a discussion for another day). So since LK doesn't revolve around "race" shouldn't I, a white chick, have as much of a chance to be in that if I wanted to? (I don't, I'm just speaking hypothetically.) We have to remember that just because it takes in Africa doesn't mean the plot revolves around race. So TECHNICALLY anyone could be in it if they wanted. But as it does take place in Africa, it makes perfect sense to cast anyone darker skinned just as much as it would make sense to cast anyone fair skinned in Frozen. Location does matter in certain pieces. Especially in Disney pieces since Disney stories are told in earnest but also have always been honest in sticking to the source materials' country of origin (unless it's PATF and they completely reinvent it). What am I missing? This issue really is a show-by-show basis, you can't blanket the "If the plot isn't about race, then cast whoever" to everything ever written and created.

I mentioned all the above to hope to bring an understanding that this issue isn't as black and white as it's made out to be. Of course I'm for 1111000000000% for diversity in the world of theatre pieces but it still has to make complete sense to do so. Certain pieces lend themselves to this better than others for various reasons. I'm MORE than willing to be educated even more than I already am on this subject, and if you do, please educate intelligently and kindly. 

I'm still more upset about Scott directing than anything else right now.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 2/14/17 at 6:17pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "It will premiere in Denmark later this year......with the director of HUNCHBACK...
https://www.theatreworks.org/201718-season/201718-season/prince-of-egypt/

 

First of all, TheatreWorks is in Mountain View, CA, not Denmark. Second, this is a regional theater. They're not bringing Marin Mazzie out from New York. Third, TheatreWorks has a very good record of producing shows written by minorities and women and casting accordingly. Fourth, with everything going on in this world to be concerned about, if you're ready to start splitting hairs about Sri Lankan versus Egyptian, I truly feel sorry for you. They'll cast who they cast and don't need the approval of anyone on this board.