TV: Roundabout Announces THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Cast — Page 2

Oh, forgot I can't have an opposing opinion on here.

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Sets: Anna Louizos
Costumes: William Ivey Long
Lights: Brian Nason
Sound: Tony Meola

Thanks theatreguy! I love Anna Louizos's work!

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Well since there is no Black or Ethnic people in this I think it goes with out saying...All Black Production of Parade.

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Yes…William Ivey Long. Who gave us THESE. Blech.

best12bars, maybe because they did auditions and the best actors for the part were not ethnic. Maybe it's not a conspiracy to whitewash Broadway and is, in fact, just casting based on merit over skin color.

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If anyone's curious, in Holmes' own words on the matter...

“Regarding the Landless Twins: Helena and Neville hail from Ceylon, and were, in Mr. Dickens’ original novel, colonialists who, save for their tans, were quite similar in dress and character to any English youths. However, the Music Hall Royale has seized upon and misinterpreted this one bit of geographical information and made them into picturesque, exotically-garbed orientals. Keep in mind that the Music Hall’s knowledge of the Eastern world comes largely from ignorance and penny novels, from the labels on crates of spice and teas, from the Arabian Nights, and from decorative screens and prints in Victorian parlors. Therefore, no attempt need or should be made to replicate a true Hindu accent or wardrobe; this is a polyglot East, and Helena’s accent should be a compendium of Oriental cliches, or, as Janet Conover puts it herself, ‘somewhat geographically untraceable.’ Neville is a proud, hot-tempted, well-educated young man, more an exiled prince than a servile Gunga Din.”

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So basically Holmes is equating their representation as the equivalent of "black face."

Yes, there is a big difference between his vision and Dickens own, but Holmes is making far too light (no pun intended) of their skin color in the original novel. There is a clear prejudice toward them in the book because they are from Ceylon and because of their skin color, despite the fact that they dress like white people and are educated. They are treated like outcasts.

But in the musical, they're more cartoonishly exotic, especially Helena. So does that mean they should be played by whites in brown makeup? I guess he thinks so.

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Updated On: 6/28/12 at 11:07 PM

IF they skipped the brown makeup it would be.

Otherwise, it's "color corrected" casting.

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Same here, Joey!