Racial Stereotyping in VANYA & SONIA...

I found myself having major problems with the depiction of Shalita Grant's character of Cassandra in Durang's VANYA & SONIA & MASHA & SPIKE when I saw the show recently. I found myself enjoying the bawdiness in the first act, but by the play's end, I felt uncomfortable with how the role and its purpose in the play is handled throughout (especially late in act 2, where she all but disappears).

I realize this may not be a popular opinion, as I know many posters here have expressed their utter delight with what I found to be an enjoyable but altogether unfulfilling play.

I'd love to know your thoughts on Grant's role in the play as well as how posters here feel about the handling of similar roles/ stereotypical tropes on the modern theatrical stage.

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Updated On: 6/20/13 at 02:03 PM

But yes, the magical negro. It's such a tired old trope.

Also, what accent was she even using?

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 02:06 PM

TalkinLoud is absolutely correct about the general attitudes toward discussions on race on this board. And yes, the Magical Negro is an overused cliche that needs to die a quick death.

But to the OP, I've seen this sentiment expressed elsewhere, you are not alone.

Ms. Grant is a colleague of mine, and trust me, she is VERY conscious and aware of the racial problems that plague our culture and this industry in particular. I doubt she's unaware of the implications of the character, but she sees the bigger picture and is clearly having a great time.

But again, americanboy, you aren't the only person that feels that way. Thanks for speaking out about it.

It's not just a comedy - it's a Durang comedy. This isn't the "real" world being portrayed here.

Comedy is a fragile thing, and very easy to murder.

Updated On: 6/20/13 at 04:14 PM

Nice to see everyone, so far, having a very respectful and thoughtful discussion. Can this possibly last?

I agree. Grant's character is incredibly racially charged, but
I don't think it was because Durang is ignorant, or lazily falling back on stereotype. There is a big difference between something commenting on race and stereotype and something being racist, and I don't think Durang's work or Grant's performance ever crossed that line.

^^^

Durang and Grant never made me feel as uncomfortable as that post did.

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I see absolutely no level of self-awareness or commentary using this character. Can someone provide any evidence of how Durang comments on race or stereotype using this character?

Especially if the laugh is at the Black person and not at the people who believe in the stereotype.

eperkins, you've clearly never heard of the "magical negro." Let's catch you up to the conversation a bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro

I don't think there's anything in the text, or anything in any of the character descriptions or casting notices, that demands the role be played by an actress of color. I don't think it would lose any of the humor if a middle-aged white woman did it.

The character is a kook. Plain and simple. In this case, the kook just happened to be played by a black actress.

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(spoilers)

Is Cassandra really a Magical Negro? In some ways, she upends the stereotype. Her employers may be Caucasian, but she in no way behaves subserviently to them, and she makes that extremely clear at several points during the show. She also doesn't really "save" Vanya and Sonia, or show them the light. They don't take her powers seriously. Vanya and Sonia are not wary of Hootiepie at all.

Shalita Grant plays her with some kind of weird accent (I don't think that is the way Grant actually speaks), and the character performs voodoo, but if those two things weren't true, I'm not sure that the character would be seen as reinforcing the Magical Negro stereotype.

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It's an accent but it's not at all identifiable as a "black dialect."

Again- there's nothing "black" about the character other than the fact that it's being played by a black actress.

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