Where is this bit of Hamilton news?

[JayG 2]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 8:53am

Why has this bit of news escaped mention on this St. Miranda, I mean Broadway World,  Website?

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/theater-arts/hamilton-producers-white-actors-audition-article-1.2553057

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 8:56am

Haha. You know why.

Not just that it's from March 4.

Updated On: 3/30/16 at 08:56 AM

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:01am

That's from march 4... also that's literally the only article that mentioned it people probably didn't see it don't know how accurate is..but who cares?  Does this board have a lot of actors and actresses 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:07am

There is a dumb update, but I guess because that March 4 article was posted on All That Chat, people suddenly remembered it.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/03/29/hamilton-casting-call-non-white/

[indytallguy]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:22am

So first I see Saint Miranda used over at ATC and now here.  Is this the same poster or is use of what I find to be a somewhat juvenile label pervasive among others?

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:27am

This seems totally not newsworthy to me since it appears the original notice did not comply with equity rules and they changed it to comply with those rules (which may or may not reflect what happens in practice). But it gives me an opportunity to ask a slightly off-topic question I've been wondering about. Are acting roles exempt from non-discrimination laws based on race?  And is this really the equity policy?  It doesn't seem like it makes much sense since casting is based on race all the time where it matters for the character. (Not trying to get into the pros/cons of race blind casting. Just curious about the legalities/rules.)

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:28am

Given that Bright Star was able to write "CAUCASIAN ACTORS ONLY" on their notices, they must be.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/equity-audition/BRIGHT-STAR-Kennedy-Center-Broadway-Theatre-TBA-2015-11158 Updated On: 3/30/16 at 09:28 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:29am

And besides there are white performers in the ensemble and King George.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:34am

I saw this posted 6 days ago on someone's Instagram, with an audition date of May 3 and it still says non-white. I'm not sure where the original poster got the screen grab from, but here is the link & post

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDTxW4UMvR3/

[Alex10]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:41am

They can say what they want on the notices, but Hamilton would lose a lot of what makes it Hamilton if they cast white actors in the leads and I think the casting team knows that, so we probably won't actually see that come to pass.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:48am

Alex10 said: "They can say what they want on the notices, but Hamilton would lose a lot of what makes it Hamilton if they cast white actors in the leads and I think the casting team knows that, so we probably won't actually see that come to pass."

 

You missed the entire point. Did you read the article?

[Alex10]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:50am

neonlightsxo said: "Alex10 said: "They can say what they want on the notices, but Hamilton would lose a lot of what makes it Hamilton if they cast white actors in the leads and I think the casting team knows that, so we probably won't actually see that come to pass."

 

You missed the entire point. Did you read the article?

Yikes, sorry. I'm never trying to comment on things without coffee again. Ignore that.

"

 

[JM226]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 9:59am

i would encourage EVERYONE to view this issue in the legal sense only. lets try to avoid getting into a battle about colorblind casting and lack of representation on broadway. not saying those are not important topics but i feel like the real essence of THIS issue will just get muddied up as the hours pass by.

this is a simple legal matter: does the wording of the casting notice that implies no white actors would be considered or even SEEN violate the City's employment laws, the AEA's guidelines, and the League's policies? if so, then they messed up and were right to quickly correct it. and that's that. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:06am

JM226, exactly. But my question is, why was Bright Star allowed to say- "All characters are Caucasian" if saying "non-whites" is not OK?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:08am

Isn't casting the only profession where it is legal to specify an ethnicity in a job ad?

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:10am

I don't think casting is exempt from EEOC laws, but I may be wrong.

[JM226]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:14am

lizzie - as the civil rights attorney states in that CBS report, they are allowed to not cast someone based on ethnicity if it is an artistic decision but cannot bar certain ethnicities from auditioning or to even be seen/considered. that is discrimination.  EEOC laws state you must consider all qualified applicants, regardless of ethnicity, color of skin, etc.  hiring (or casting) them is much different... especially in the entertainment venue when an artistic decision will impact that

[Kad]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:17am

You can cast any which way in terms of race, but you cannot specify that a certain group of people cannot apply/will not be considered.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:23am

Then why do some casting notices specify that all ethnicities will be considered? Is that to reassure actors that it's not a total waste of time to audition?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:29am

BFOQ

These are the 4 letters you need to know. They stand for bona fide occupational qualification which is an exception to employment discrimination laws. JM226 gets it right.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:31am

Thanks; that distinction makes sense. 

[JayG 2]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:33am

This Hamilton non traditional casting is to point out that immigrants formed this country. I guess there were no white immigrants in some small minds. The whole thing is nonsense... and I like Hamilton exactly as it is, but , really, barring white actors from winning ONE central role (and not the silly, prissy villain) is wrongheaded and counterproductive to what this show is trying to say. The earth will not split if a white actor plays Hamilton or Washington or Burr.

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:36am

You just really want to play Hamilton or Washington or Burr, don't you.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:47am

I actually find this article kind of surprising and newsworthy. I think it is against the spirit of the piece for white actors to play most of the main roles, especially from the standpoint of the score being so filled with hip hop, rap, jazz and other genres that would be less...convincing coming from many Caucasian vocalists / actors.

[Broadway Forever2]

Posted: 3/30/16 at 10:56am

I wonder what will happen tbh. TBH I agree I don't see the big deal if there are one or 2 actors cast in main roles but the whole point of the thing is to have a minority cast I think... but obviously white people are considered. There are white people in the ensemble and I believe one or 2 of the main roles have white understudies. But I mean if they want to cast non-whites I don't see the big deal... 

Updated On: 3/30/16 at 10:56 AM