UPDATE: Lindsay Mendez to Play Carrie Pipperidge in CAROUSEL Revival! — Page 2

No, Baritone, you are blindly speculating based on your own assumptions. And it’s a really lousy thing to be putting out there, too, regardless of the “I’m just saying” trappings you wrap it in.

But hey, in sharing what it looks like from over there, we know now where you stand! Good to know.

Updated On: 10/11/17 at 11:41 PM

Kad, no offense was intended, and I am not "standing" in any position other than observing the very obvious switch over to the non-traditional casting of this role while simultaneously voicing my support of their efforts towards diversity. I am sitting here typing this with my Latina daughter sleeping on my lap, so yeah, I think you are misreading my intentions.

Inclusive casting is good. I think we can all agree on that. Any time you cast a POC in a traditionally white role when you have literally thousands of actors to choose from, whatever your motives are, you are being deliberately inclusive. I fully support this.

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Kad, no offense was intended, and I am not "standing" in any position other than observing the very obvious switch over to the non-traditional casting of this role while simultaneously voicing my support of their efforts towards diversity."

I think you're reading too much into it, which makes your observation a really destructive rumor. You're implying that a talented actress was fired because powers that be decided she was too white to play a traditionally white role. In today's charged climate, this is nothing short of a poorly thought out phrase which invokes a false narrative that white people are literally losing jobs because of "political correctness".

RippedMan said: "Again, maybe I'm just not seeing it, and maybe that's me being stupid, but I don't think of Mendez as an "ethnic" choice at all. I think she's just a great singer/actress? I get that her last name is Mendez, but she's fairly "white.""

Latinx performers sometimes have an advantage of being able to pass as white or have opportunities to play traditionally white roles because some have a lighter complexion, but that shouldn’t diminish the fact that they were Latinx. For example, Chita Rivera is known for playing Latina roles (Anita, Rose) but also roles not defined by race (Velma Kelly, basically every other role she’s played). She is a legendary actress who is Latina. That should definitely be celebrated and not diminished.

Lindsay Mendez is a Latina actress who is known for playing roles not defined by her ethnicity. That should be applauded; it’s a testament to her talent. But this is also a victory for an actor of color landing a role typically cast white.

If this is true, I think it is inspired casting. Lindsay Mendez has deserved a plum role for a long time. She is a standout in everything she’s in but hasn’t had the same opportunities as, say, Betsy Wolfe has to play lead roles. (If Lindsay were white and blonde, would we be speculating her involvement in Frozen or the Wicked movie or a possible pregnancy?) Maybe Carrie will be the role that will finally get people to talk about Lindsay Mendez in a big way. It worked for the last person to play the role on Broadway.

Still utterly crushed about Betsy, but what a deserving and truly magical replacement. I thought I was going to be upset no matter who they cast, but this is spectacular, and quite frankly, inspired. Looking forward to see what she does with the role, and looking forward to whatever Betsy does next!

I was already interested in this production, but this news has made it a 100% must-see for me. I thought she was outstanding in Significant Other and deserved a Tony nomination (along with Gideon Glick, who should have won).

The Distinctive Baritone said: "<< slowly backing away from this conversation >>"

Sorry, I didn't mean to pile on you. My comment above probably came off way more aggressive than I meant for it to be.

^they also announced John Douglas Thompson as the he starkeeper, so I’m guessing they got some kind of confirmation

It didn't say that this morning Smaxie, I quoted the Betsy paragraph specifically which has been updated as well. This is hardly the first time BWW put up an article still under construction, so let's not take Lord's name in vain (I'm kidding).



Anyway... quite looking forward to this!

Updated On: 10/12/17 at 08:53 AM

I don't want this thread to get carried away with the race argument, but I will say this.

I am about 1/4 Spanish on my father's side. My last name (his) is a traditional Spanish surname. If I were an actor, and I were to be cast in a role like this, I know there would be those championing how great it is they cast a Latin actress in the past. Well, I have blond hair blue eyes and don't identify as Latin, despite my surname.

So much of the 'non-traditional' casting game thus becomes about our OWN perceptions of race and ethnicity. There are plenty of white actresses who look more Latin than actual Latinx people. It's simply an impossible equation to quantify.

That's why the ONLY casting that works, IMO is "Color Blind" casting. I don't think Mendez's casting has anything to do with her race. End of soapbox.

I saw Lindsay back in Dogfight and Wicked and have been following her ever since. She is incredible. So glad to see her back in a broadway musical! Can't wait.

Itonlytakesajourney said: "^ Iagree with you for the most part,but being Latinx myself, what's up with "There are plentyof white actresses who look more Latin than actual Latinxpeople"? What is that supposed to mean? There is no concrete look for a Latinxperson... so if your idea of a Latin person is only a dark/tan skinned person, that is not correct."

I understand your point and agree. My point is that people are championing Mendez as a POC because of their perceptions of her ethnic heritage. That in itself is a generalization about what race looks like.

I suppose it's worth mentioning also that the best-remembered Carrie Pipperidge was also a person of color, Audra McDonald, so this isn't so much "ground-breaking" as "perfectly logical, laudable and appropriate casting that shouldn't still be ruffling feathers twenty years later."