TODAY Show “Best of Broadway” Week 2024- Page 2

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:15pm

No it’s still them as their younger selves. It’s color blind casting so the young and middle Allie are black and young and middle Noah are both white Latin.  I’ve heard people criticize this because the race only changes with the older couple.  But I think it’s pretty clear in the staging and writing that it’s them

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:20pm

Nichelle Lewis, Avery Wilson, Philip Johnson Richardson, and Kyle Ramar Freeman performing "Ease On Down the Road":

https://www.today.com/video/cast-of-the-wiz-performs-ease-on-down-the-road-on-today-211126341746

 

Deborah Cox, Nichelle Lewis, and the company of The Wiz performing "He's the Wiz":

https://www.today.com/video/see-the-cast-of-the-wiz-perform-he-s-the-wiz-on-today-211129413598

Updated On: 5/17/24 at 03:20 PM

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:23pm

Broadway Flash said: "No it’s still them as their younger selves. It’s color blind casting so the young and middle Allie are black and young and middle Noah are both white Latin. I’ve heard people criticize this because the race only changes with the older couple. But I think it’s pretty clear in the staging and writing that it’s them"

Oh I see. I understand color blind casting - but within the same characters though? Does their race change in the story too? Or is there dialogue where the oldest versions say “I remember us as different races back then” and then the flashbacks unfold around them?

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 3:46pm

No it’s not referred to at all.  Just the characters at different stages of life.  They wear the same colors. Noah always in brown and Allie always in blue.  

[kdogg36]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 4:07pm

Playbill_Trash said: "Oh I see. I understand color blind casting - but within the same characters though? Does their race change in the story too? Or is there dialogue where the oldest versions say “I remember us as different races back then” and then the flashbacks unfold around them?"

I can't imagine you're serious in asking if their races change - that would be a wild, fantastic story that might be interesting but definitely wouldn't be The Notebook. The show asks us not to care about the race of the actors playing the couple, and very few of us have had any problem with it. 

[GottaGetAGimmick420]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 4:25pm

I feel as though The Notebook was always clear that Young/Middle Allie & Noah are the opposite race of their true older counterparts because of Allie's dementia and trouble remembering. But maybe that's just me.

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 5:45pm

kdogg36 said: "Playbill_Trash said: "Oh I see. I understand color blind casting - but within the same characters though? Does their race change in the story too? Or is there dialogue where the oldest versions say “I remember us as different races back then” and then the flashbacks unfold around them?"

I can't imagineyou're serious in asking if their races change - that would be a wild, fantastic story that might be interesting but definitely wouldn't beThe Notebook. The show asks us not to care about the race of the actors playing the couple, and very few of us have had any problem with it."

Thanks, just natural questions based on these casting decisions…

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 5/17/24 at 6:25pm

GottaGetAGimmick420 said: "I feel as though The Notebook was always clear that Young/Middle Allie & Noah are the opposite race of their true older counterparts because of Allie's dementia and trouble remembering. But maybe that's just me."

100%.