The Band's Visit tour cast- Page 3

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 2:06pm

Wow, I would love to see Dacal in Philly.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 2:29pm

ElphabaGoodman said: "http://www.playbill.com/article/janeth-dacal-will-join-cast-of-the-bands-visit-national-tour

Janet Dacal will be joining the tour as Dina beginning January 3, 2020!"

Link doesn’t work anymore. Was it not supposed to be announced yet?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 2:38pm

This works. Typo in the slug, I think.

http://www.playbill.com/article/janet-dacal-will-join-cast-of-the-bands-visit-national-tour

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 2:39pm

Here's an actual clickable link Here

 

ETA: I can't wait to see her when the tour gets here next summer!

Updated On: 11/21/19 at 02:39 PM

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 3:38pm

Was it expected that Kennedy would only do the first 6 months of the tour or was this a change they felt needed to be made?

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 3:51pm

Maybe she got a better gig?

[theaterdude2]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 4:33pm

No change was "needed to be made". The producers love her and so does the cast. She's also opened to excellent reviews. She's going to something else which will be announced soon.

Updated On: 11/21/19 at 04:33 PM

[gleek4114]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 6:18pm

I’m super excited I’ll get to see Kennedy in a couple weeks before she leaves, but I do hope I can see Decal by some chance later on. I’ve been looking forward to this one for awhile, so December 4th can’t get here soon enough!

[starcatchers]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 7:33pm

UncleCharlie said: "Was it expected that Kennedy would only do the first 6 months of the tour or was this a change they felt needed to be made?"

It was planned. I adored her in the role but I’m also suuuuper excited to see Janet in Philly. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 7:47pm

Maybe Kennedy will be Sarah in Company on broadway? It begins rehearsals in January.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/21/19 at 7:58pm

Love Janet Dacal and think this is great casting. 

Its funny that the Woke Police havent complained about the casting of white and now Cuban women to play an explicitly Israeli Jewish role. This is the sort of thing that doesnt bother me at all- Lenk was brilliant, Dacal promises to be as well- but feels like this wouldn't fly in various other shows.

[Pashacar]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 9:23am

JDonaghy4 said: "Its funny that the Woke Police havent complained about the casting of white and now Cuban women to play an explicitly Israeli Jewish role. This is the sort of thing that doesnt bother me at all- Lenk was brilliant, Dacal promises to be as well- but feels like this wouldn't fly in various other shows."

What many people find issue with is when actors from overrepresented groups take roles playing characters from marginalized or underrepresented groups they don't belong to. (For example a straight actor playing a gay character, or a white actor playing an Asian one.) With Jews as well-represented in mainstream theater as they are, and Latinx people less so, I don't think this issue is at play here.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 9:32am

ljay889 said: "Maybe Kennedy will be Sarah in Company on broadway? It begins rehearsals in January."

I thought the same thing, honestly. That would make her the third Band's Visit alum to join the cast.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 10:12am

Pashacar said: "JDonaghy4 said: "Its funny that the Woke Police havent complained about the casting of white and now Cuban women to play an explicitly Israeli Jewish role. This is the sort of thing that doesnt bother me at all- Lenk was brilliant, Dacal promises to be as well- but feels like this wouldn't fly in various other shows."

What many people find issue with is when actors from overrepresented groups take roles playing characters from marginalized or underrepresentedgroups they don't belong to. (For example a straight actor playing a gay character, or a white actor playing an Asianone.) With Jews aswell-represented in mainstream theater as they are, and Latinx people less so,I don't think this issue is at play here."

Religion is irrelevant.  Tony Shalhoub played Tewfiq, not Jewish. Sasson Gabbay plays him now, Jewish.

Dina is a Middle Eastern woman. By the standards you espouse, its interesting that you have no issue with her ethnicity being irrelevant to the casting process. Incidentally, MANY of the original cast members of Middle Eastern descent talked about how incredible it was to finally be represented on Broadway, and how hard it is for them to get cast in non-terrorist, non-caricature roles. 

Again, this is all sorta silly to me. Diversity is important, and I want more and more shows highlighting different stories and characters. I just find it ironic that this lead role of Middle Eastern woman-played with a thick Israeli accent indicating her nativity to that land- has completely missed this discussion. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 10:13am

Pashacar said: "JDonaghy4 said: "Its funny that the Woke Police havent complained about the casting of white and now Cuban women to play an explicitly Israeli Jewish role. This is the sort of thing that doesnt bother me at all- Lenk was brilliant, Dacal promises to be as well- but feels like this wouldn't fly in various other shows."

What many people find issue with is when actors from overrepresented groups take roles playing characters from marginalized or underrepresentedgroups they don't belong to. (For example a straight actor playing a gay character, or a white actor playing an Asianone.) With Jews aswell-represented in mainstream theater as they are, and Latinx people less so,I don't think this issue is at play here."

Religion is irrelevant.  Tony Shalhoub played Tewfiq, not Jewish. Sasson Gabbay plays him now, Jewish.

Dina is a Middle Eastern woman. By the standards you espouse, its interesting that you have no issue with her ethnicity being irrelevant to the casting process. Incidentally, MANY of the original cast members of Middle Eastern descent talked about how incredible it was to finally be represented on Broadway, and how hard it is for them to get cast in non-terrorist, non-caricature roles. 

Again, this is all sorta silly to me. Diversity is important, and I want more and more shows highlighting different stories and characters. I just find it ironic that this lead role of Middle Eastern woman-played with a thick Israeli accent indicating her nativity to that land- has completely missed this discussion. 

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 10:45am

Pashacar said: "What many people find issue with is when actors from overrepresented groups take roles playing characters from marginalized or underrepresentedgroups they don't belong to. (For example a straight actor playing a gay character, or a white actor playing an Asianone.) With Jews aswell-represented in mainstream theater as they are, and Latinx people less so,I don't think this issue is at play here."

A straight actor playing a gay character is not at all the same as a white actor playing an Asian character. You know, for example, that Kyle Soller is married to a woman? 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 11:16am

Kennedy would be a great Sarah, but I was hoping for a person of color.

Excited to see Decal when the tour stops through Buffalo.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 11:19am

I agree! I find it interesting that when a white woman is cast as Evita people flip, but a Cuban woman playing a Middle Eastern woman is just flying under the radar? I don’t care either way. I get the argument, but as an actor I don’t think we should put those limits on casting as it limits the art form.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 11:45am

SouthernCakes said: "I agree! I find it interesting that when a white woman is cast as Evita people flip, but a Cuban woman playing a Middle Eastern woman is just flying under the radar? I don’t care either way. I get the argument, but as an actor I don’t think we should put those limits on casting as it limits the art form."

Yeah for the record, i really dont care either way. I want as much representation as possible and as many voices on stage as possible but i also dont get outraged if any given production isnt sufficiently diverse. i certainly dont mind Janet Dacal playing Dina and would love to see her. it just seems that there is some level of umbrage when characters whose ethnicity isnt even an issue arent cast the right way (see eg Company) but here you have various ethnicities playing a very specific person without a peep. Shrug.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 12:00pm

I will say that race/ethnicity can be a contentious issue among Middle Eastern Americans in the United States. Most identify as white, but that might be from lacking another bucket that fits them better. If we are working under that thinking, that people from Egypt or Israel are white, then really it really should be a non-issue that Lenk (whose ancestry is in Eastern Europe), Kennedy and Dacal will have all played Dina.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 12:50pm

It just seems like “dark hair = Dina.” Which again, whatever, not mad. But if a white girl plays Maria it’s an outrage.

[starcatchers]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 2:39pm

SouthernCakes said: "It just seems like “dark hair = Dina.” Which again, whatever, not mad. But if a white girl plays Maria it’s an outrage. "

There aren’t exactly a shortage of roles for white girls (speaking as one). That’s where I see a difference. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 11/22/19 at 4:00pm

I think you’re missing the point.

[theblackumbrella]

Posted: 12/8/19 at 1:38pm

I didn't see the show on Broadway so I drove 5 hours round trip to catch this show in Louisville. Sassoon was off and James Rana was on as Tewfiq. I thought he did a wonderful job, though I'd hoped to see Gabay. Chillina Kennedy was great. Although I never saw Lenk in the role, it seemed as if she might've added a luster or mysery that Kennedy tried to emmulate whereas Katrina embodied. I don't know. Maybe I am just frustrated that I didn't see the show with the original cast. When the Tony's happened, I thought the 10 award haul might've been slightly undeserved and was more to do with sending a message to big adaptation/commercial shows (poor descriptor, but I think I'm understood) but OH MY WORD all deserved! That set and lighting design combination has to be one of the best I've ever seen. I wish it would've won set also, but I've not seen "Spongebob". At the time I wanted "My Fair Lady" to take acting prizes, but now I understand why that didn't happen. I know I'm rambling and late to the party, but I just am happy I saw it and agree with the hype. I was nervous I was going to dislike it like woman in front of me who was always on her phone! but that wasn't the case. The theater was only 60% full so I don't know how well the tour is doing, but I'm glad I caught it. Thanks all. 

Updated On: 12/8/19 at 01:38 PM

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/8/19 at 6:36pm

^ ^ ^ Glad you enjoyed the show! Just out of curiosity, where was your seat location? I’m still trying to move mine much closer than where I’m currently seated in the 1st tier balcony. And how did you enjoy the score? And the final song of the show, Answer Me. Was it what you expected?

The Band’s Visit has seven more tour stops after Louisville before reaching Pittsburgh in March. Chillina Kennedy will be gone by then and we’ll have Janet Dacal as Dina. I did see this on Broadway with Katrina Lenk and Dariush Kashani (the latter took over while Tony Shalhoub was off filming The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). The Band’s Visit was my first-ever Broadway show and will always hold a special place in my heart.

As for venues being at low capacity, the Benedum Center right now is showing about the same maybe a little more. This really deserved to be in smaller theaters.

Updated On: 12/8/19 at 06:36 PM