Padding and Tracy Turnblad- Page 2

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 7:06pm

I think that the part's better with an overweight person. A little bit of padding's okay, but I don't think someone like Shoshana Bean should have the role. I agree with Shira and LilmizBroadway. The part's more meaningful with someone who really is fat.

[jezzebelle]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 7:32pm

Well, the idea is that Tracy is NOT like any other role on Broadway. She was written to be played by a real, over-weight person and that, imo, is what is so wonderful and unique about that role. It's not similar to a hell of a lot lead roles B-way is offering currently.

Also, I know that Kathy Brier has said in interviews and such that she lost an entire dress size playing Tracy. She's not someone I'd consider obese, she's a size 12 peitie, unfortunaley, by some standards, she is considered to be overweight. She was also, I believe, paddded at some points, when she was losing weight during her run in the show.

And I know if I were playing Tracy, they'd have to pad my butt too. :) They probably wouldn't have to pad much else, but defintely my butt.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:07pm

yeah, but would you rather have a pretty good overweight girl play it, or an AMAZING skinny girl play it?

[shira467]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:33pm

Honestly? A pretty good overweight one.

Also, regarding a thin person playing the role, etc....

We would never have a white (excuse me, caucasian) person playing a role meant for an african america, right? It's a physical difference, and roles are created for a specific type of person. Just like Tracy. The role was meant for a larger person, and thus, the role should be filled by a larger person.

Would you rather have a pretty good Jan in Grease, who is a large woman, or an AMAZING Jan who is skinny?

[shesings]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:38pm

I do think the role should be played by a larger girl. I never meant to come off as thinking otherwise. I do however believe a smaller girl COULD play Tracy and still understand the role. I hope they continue to use larger actresses, there are not enough roles out there for them. But I don't think its fair to say that a smaller girl could never do the role justice. Should she? no. Could she? Sure.

[shira467]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:42pm

I feel like we should break bread....I agree. Not to say another girl can't play the part, but there's a million other roles...let the large girl have this one.

[cutiepie0882]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:42pm

When a writer is writing about a character in a play, s/he is writing about someone they have made up in their head. When the director has auditions, they are looking for someon CLOSE to that description. SInce the writer made up the character, there isn't someone like that actually out there so if the actor is close to that description and has talent then let her use padding so she's more fit for the character!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:46pm

yeah but it's a great role for anyone to play. i agree larger girls should be chosen over the years, but it would be a great acting challenge for a skinny girl. and what if a skinny girl has had bad luck with roles, and has FINALLY had this glimmer of hope to play the role. i would go for it, not give up a leading role on broadway so a larger girl could play it. it is a great role for anyone!

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 9:03pm

i think most directors and producers look for heavy girls for this show, much the same as they look for sexy velma kellys...many people just feel that an actress SHOULDN'T be considered because she isn't heavy enough...that's all...it's a sensitive subject for many people

[Winokur_fan]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:06pm

I was kinda thinking that I really didn't see anything wrong w/ a skinny girl playing the role, but now that I'd read all these posts my view has shifted. I still think that a skinny girl could possibly play it, but she has to be able to understand Tracy. Also, I can see why they may cast the "ok chubby girl" vs. the "amazing skinny girl". I just think that if they can put height requirements on the role, perhaps there should be a "body figure" requirement. Just a thought. I guess if you have the talent and can relate to the role then you should have every right to be Tracy.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 2:17am

If the best singer and voice for the role happens to be skinny they have no problem with casting her if she'll bring in the dough.

bially, I completely understand your point, but you're overlooking one vital issue: for any other role on Broadway, if "the best singer and voice" is a chubby girl, the casting directors still wouldn't give her the part - they'd give it to the next skinny girl on the list. Let's face it, thin actresses get parts over chubby actresses. Hairspray is one of those rare opportunities where the opposite happens, because the role calls for a chubby actress.

I always feel that the best performer should get the role, regardless of weight; but sometimes you run into these kinds of dilemmas. A few hours ago, I was on a bus with an old lady who had just seen the show here in Toronto; she had noticed that Tracy (who is naturally average-weight) was padded, by comparing her face to her body. Even if this Tracy was an amazing singer/actress, how about believability? The old lady saw through the disguise. So maybe a plump Tracy really is needed.

Speaking of which, the Toronto Tracy is played by an American Idol alumnus (don't ask me the name, I don't remember). She's good, but not stellar. I can't help but think that they could have found an unknown, chubbier actress who could perform the role better.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 2:29am

I like the race aspect. Obviously, you can't have a stick thin girl playing the part, but to deny someone who is amazing the part because of weight i think is a little unecessary. Although that's very ironic. One would think heavy girls are usually turned away for roles due to their weight.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 2:30am

I think that made sense. it makes sense in my head.

[shira467]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 3:26am

I get it, don't worry. It makes sense.

[bially082]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 5:45pm

OK. How many of you really know what you are talking about.
BlueWizard. Have any of you actually auditioned for or been in a Broadway production. I have. Have any of you talked at length with actual casting directors and producers about the whole talent versus looks topic. I have. How do you know that skinny girls are given parts over fat girls in other shows. I have seen every production on Broadway right now. There are plenty of bigger women out there. Just because you are big doesn't mean that that is a reason to take a part away from an actress who happens to be skinny. I would much much rather see an AMAZING skinny Tracy than an ok fat one. Broadway is the top of the heap in theatre. Casting directors do not care how you feel. They don't care if you feel good about getting a role or not getting a role. They are not gonna say, "Oh she's not as good, but lets give her a chance anyway because she may not have other opportunities out there."- they don't care enough to say that. The BEST person should get the part. And that works the other way too. If the part is typically played by a thin actress and a fat one is better, give here the part. Unfortunately that doesn't happen very often, I understand that. But ya know what... thats show business. Thats just the way it is.

Updated On: 9/1/04 at 05:45 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 6:13pm

exactly what i've been trying to say! and the minute i get out of highschool im auditiong for shows. my mom won't take me to any broadway auditons because i have 2 sisters.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 6:30pm

LilMizBway, I can understand where you are coming from. I was an anamia through late middle school to early high school and Hairspray basically saved my life. Here was a sixteen year old girl who had confidence and guts to fulfill her dreams and didn't give a sh*t about her weight. It inspired this former 16 year old to realize that there was no need to be ashamed of my weight and that I was never fat to begin with.
As for the actual debate, well Shoshana Bean will never be cast as Effie White, but she has been cast as Elphie Thropp and I personally am not familar with many actresses who are green.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 6:40pm

If the part is typically played by a thin actress and a fat one is better, give here the part. Unfortunately that doesn't happen very often, I understand that.

If you read my post again, you'll see that that was what I was saying: that "unfortunately, [the fat actress getting the role over the thin actress] doesn't happen very often". You will also read that I agree that the best actress should get the role; however, when a thin actress playing Tracy isn't completely stellar (as Toronto Tracy isn't - the production is spectacular, but Tracy is merely satisfactory), one can't help wondering if they could have chosen a plumper, more talented Tracy who is actually believable as a fat high school kid.

Of course on Broadway, casting directors are only interested in those who are best for the role: the performer has to go on 8 times/week in front of a thousand people, she needs to have the talent and stamina to do that. But when hundreds of performers come to audition and so many of them are amazing, other factors begin to sway the vote: how old the performer is, how tall/short, and yes, how fat/skinny. It's an awful system, and I wish that for Hairspray, instead of the usual "Oh, she's good, but I wish she were skinnier," it should be, "Oh, she's good, but I wish she were fatter."

[insomniak]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 7:13pm

The girl cast should be the girl with the most talent who can most believably act the role. If she happens to be skinny, pad her up. If she's heavy, let her be. It's just as discriminatory to cast someone because they're fat as it is to just cast a skinny girl. I understand that a fat girl will be a more 'natural' Tracy, but that doesn't automatically give her the necessary chops. Don't rule anyone out.

People think life is easier when you're skinny. I most certainly am, I come from a long line of tall, thin people and will probably never have a weight problem. Does that make me less self-conscience? Absolutely not. I've always felt wierd because almost all my friends are heavier and I'm out-of-place sometimes. It's not fun to have people call you anorexic or tell you how lucky you are all the time. Lucky? Yeah, I recognize that, but there's no need to asume I'm shallow because I'm thin, and that does happen. These days, the craze is becoming comfortable with yourself (even magazines have more curvy girls) and sometimes the articles I find run down skinnier people and make it sound like we're all image-obsessed. It's a tiring stereotype.

To get back to my point, it's not fair to say that a skinny girl can't do Tracy because she is skinny. That's ACTING. A good actress deserving of the role will convincingly and honestly play a fat girl whether she is or not. By the same token, a fat girl who auditions may not be able to do the role because she's not comfortable with herself and can't convince the audience she is. In simple terms, let the best actress win.

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 9/1/04 at 7:21pm

bially, as a matter of fact. I have auditioned for Broadway. And I actually auditioned for the role of Tracy Turnblad at open auditions in Chicago. But the bad thing is, that you have to be 5'3 or under, and I'm 5'9.

The girl has to have a LOT of wicked talent. She has to make up for it in chops, in what she doesn't have in body type.

But that role was made for a chubby girl, I mean Velma Kelly wasn't made for a chubby girl, was she? No. I still believe it should be kept to real chubby girls, and I agree with Carly, on her quote on the first page.

Broadwaystar2b, I'm glad to know that Hairspray has touched somebody else. I intend to write the producers and hopefully tell them how they have changed my life, and saved it.