Ragtime without Race- Page 3

[musikman]

Posted: 7/18/09 at 12:32am

I've seen two productions of the Wiz where there were very few, if any, African-Americans in the cast. Granted, these were at summer camps where diversity isn't exactly thriving.

As for that production I saw of Ragtime where almost no one was African-American, I will refrain from saying the name for safety/privacy reasons, but they did have a somewhat interesting concept. Because they did not have the diversity to cast the roles, they costumed each of the 3 main groups in their own like colors, and gave each group their own separate lighting to signify their differences.

I guess it's an interesting way to get past the whole race issue, but the show still should never be done if it cannot be properly cast.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/18/09 at 12:39am

The first time I ever saw The Wiz, it was a kids' production which was mostly white, and a couple Latino and Asian kids. Not one black kid. But I was more concerned with their lack of talent than lack of color.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/18/09 at 12:49am

My old high school put on The Wiz a lot, and it was pretty much 99% white kids.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/18/09 at 1:31pm

The Wiz isn't a show about race. There are no lines about people (or scarecrows or lions)being black.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 7/18/09 at 1:49pm

Lizzie, this is off-topic, but I'm producing a show in the NY Fringe Festival this summer that is about exactly what you were talking about, the Asian stereotype being afraid to speak out or "rock the boat." Check it out this summer if you can.

Thirty Minutes Or Less
www.30minsorless.com
www.fringenyc.org