What's okay in casting color/gender/sexuality-blind, and what isn't?

What is the line that you can't cross?

There's an interesting discussion goign on about whether or not it is appropriate to cast a person of color (not just black, any racial/ethnic group other than white) in a role based on a historical white person. Another conversation on another thread is suggesting that La Cage Aux Folles is possibly improved by having two gay actors playing two gay men.

How color blind or gender blind can we afford to be in the theater? Is it still offensive to see a white man in blackface, even realistic blackface (see Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder for an examination of this question)? What about blacks in whiteface, non-Asian performers "yellowing up" for roles in "The King and I," etc? Should gay roles go to gay actors preferentially?

So many questions, but absolutely no definitive answers.

I agree completely, though a lot of people apparently don't, judging by the Promises Promises debacle.

Debacle? Because one idiot wrote an article about it?


I don't think there is any stock answer to your question, it will always depend upon the show, the actor, the director, the concept -- and of course the audience's willingness to suspend their disbelief. (Although, in general, I think the sexuality question is just as ridiculous as suggesting that only people diagnosed as bi polar should play bi-polar characters.)

People were aghast when Phylicia Rashad (sorry if the spelling is wrong) was color blind cast in August:Osage County. Most people here thought it was a horrid idea. Most people actually SEEING her performance thought she was wonderful and got past the race difference.

Personally, I think there are very few circumstances that can't work. The only ones that spring to mind would be (as has been said here in numerous discussions on the same topic) topics that are ABOUT race. How would a color blind cast work in Ragtime? In Once on This Island?

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Basic rule - White Men May Only Play White Men (or animals, as long as the animal has no stank).

Everything else is negotiable.

Touché.