controversy over "ITH" material

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:46pm

So a close friend of mine produced a benefit concert, this summer.

At the concert there were a few special guests. None of the performers were hispanic (or even very ethnic) but a couple of them performed material from "IN THE HEIGHTS"

When the videos were posted on youtube, many ITH fans flipped and proclaimed that these performers shouldn't be doing the songs because they aren't hispanic. My friend eventually had to disable the comments.

What do we think, Broadway World? Must we be hispanic to perform these at a benefit concert? Or are these ethnic fan girls just being absolutely ridiculous?

[BNN]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:49pm

I don't have red hair, can I sing anything from Annie?

And isn't ridiculous fan girl redundant?

[HollyDiver]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:51pm

Anyone of any ethnicity/gender should be able to perform the songs. I just watched a youtube clip of Bernadette Peters performing "Being Alive" from Company. She doesn't seem like a 'Bobby' to me, but the performance was fab!

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:53pm

BNN I agree with what you are saying, but let me be clearer. These songs weren't as generic... they did have some hispanic slang which really set off some youtube viewers.

Again, I think it's absolutely ridiculous. But it goes back to the ITH fans being soo overly-protective of "their" material. It's a little arrogant and naive.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:56pm

Well said.

That should apply to almost any song... except Fats Waller's "Black and Blue" would sound rather scary when sung by a Caucasian.

"In the Heights" I have one issue about, too. Probably the only issue regarding national lyrics comes in "When You're Home" when Nina sings "Who would I be if I had never seen Manhattan, if I'd lived in Puerto Rico with MY PEOPLE?" Other than that, I'd say you're okay with any ethnicity or gender.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 1:58pm

"Again, I think it's absolutely ridiculous. But it goes back to the ITH fans being soo overly-protective of "their" material. It's a little arrogant and naive."

wtf why would you even stereotype in the heights fans to be like that?
I do not think that and I am a huge fan of the show and have been for a very long time. same goes to several of my friends. That comment is just as bad as the comments to the video.

[killertofu333]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:04pm

I'm black so I don't think I'd be cast as the next Elle Woods, but these fan girls coupled with the poster from ITH that some BWWs were raving about a while back (The poster that said something about if you're not Hispanic then you don't get it) they're just stirring up trouble in an empty bowl.

However, I suppose I could almost understand where they're coming from. I guess they feel that they "finally" have something of their own and don't want anyone other than Hispanics or Latinos putting their mark on it.

Overall it's crazy to suggest that simply because your skin is too light, too dark, you have an accent, you don't have an accent that you can't do a particular show. Broadway and the arts in general is about expression not suppression.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:09pm

I understand portrayals in shows, perhaps, but not even allowing performing the songs by themselves seems a little too rigid for me.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:09pm

Mealz: have you ever seen http://community.livejournal.com/broadwaysecrets/ ? I promise you, there are some ITH fans out there who get VERY snotty and VERY racist when forced to confront the fact that non-Latin people enjoy "their" show.

What the HELL? Because I'm a white English girl I can't possibly know what it's like to be searching for my home, to be afraid of letting my family down, to be struggling financially? No, I don't have Latin culture in my background and I've never been to Washington Heights, but almost EVERY show works on MULTIPLE levels. I don't get the Spanish, but I'm RIGHT on board with the rest of it.

And I personally will lay down a smack on ANONE I catch going "omg, how can Yanks possibly understand 'Billy Elliot'?". There's another show that works on several levels; Americans (and probably any British people under the age of 25) may not get the whole Thatcher thing as over-25-Brits will, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy and appreciate a story of struggling in the face of adversity, working to follow your dreams, being true to yourself, and supporting and being supported by your family.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:21pm

Well said, Weez.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:32pm

very well said, Weez. bravo.

[musikman]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:36pm

Well, I can maybe maybe see where these crazy fans are coming from.

For example, the recent revival of Fiddler. Sure, you can cast someone like Alfred Molina in the role of Tevye, and while I don't know what his childhood, or religious beliefs are like, I don't believe he is, or ever was Jewish. This greatly effected his performance, and the whole show quite negatively, as it became a sanitized version of the show. What made Zero Mostel so iconic was the knowledge, and experience of being Jewish, as well as understanding and living with those people who most likely had immigrated into the US. This is also what made Harvey's performance so much better, despite that a voice and a personality that doesn't exactly scream tevye on the surface.

That being said, that should not prevent anyone of any religion, race or nationality in this case, from performing certain music, or songs. Them not being Hispanic or Latino doesn't give them that inherent advantage of knowing what it's like to be one when performing that someone who is Hispanic or Latino would automatically have.

It's like when a person sings a song about losing someone who they love, or has died. Many people who sing these songs might not actually go through these experiences, menaing they don't quite know the real feeling of it because they haven't gone through it, but by no means does that mean they shouldn't be allowed to perform these songs.

In other words, those people who posted the videos have every right to sing those songs....even if it makes no sense, or they don't quite do it right.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:40pm

In other words, those people who posted the videos have every right to sing those songs....even if it makes no sense, or they don't quite do it right.

I very wholeheartedly agree.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:44pm

" Mealz: have you ever seen http://community.livejournal.com/broadwaysecrets/ ? I promise you, there are some ITH fans out there who get VERY snotty and VERY racist when forced to confront the fact that non-Latin people enjoy "their" show. "

oh trust me, i know. I just meant its not fare to categorize ALL ith fans that way is all. I do understand if this was the show, but its not, its a performance at an event. People are stupid.

"For example, the recent revival of Fiddler" exellent point! In fact Lin has said in interviews that in the heights is more like fiddler than it is like west side story. just because they both have latinos does not mean they are one in the same.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 2:48pm

"That should apply to almost any song... except Fats Waller's "Black and Blue" would sound rather scary when sung by a Caucasian."

I disagree. I think one interpretation of THAT song is that it could be about being hurt and not necessarily about racial prejudice.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 3:14pm

I honestly find the whole "you can't like OUR show because your not Latino" thing to be rather scary. You can be of any nationality and still get the themes of the show. I really latched onto In The Heights when I first saw it because I am now in my first year of college and I was/still am trying to figure out what home means now that I am not going to be there every single day. Do I have to be Latino to understand this feeling? No, of course not. It is something that everyone feels at one point or another. I think that the themes of In The Heights are universal and are things that people understand or go through at some point or another.

It's called acting. A lot of actors haven't really gone through the things that their characters are going through. But, it is their job to act like they are going through those things.

Updated On: 9/15/08 at 03:14 PM

[The Ghost of Kringas]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 3:22pm

I'm white inside,
But that don't help my case.
'Cause I can't hide
What is on my face,
Oh!

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 4:04pm

I agree that it's silly to get worked up over people singing songs from In the Heights. It would be one thing if the people performing had a horrible attitude and were being rude about the culture, but it sounds like they didn't. And I also loved In the Heights when I saw it, and I certainly am not Latino. I swear, people find all sorts of things to complain about, just so they have something.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 4:07pm

Well, speaking as a latina, this whole thing is ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with non latinos performing material from this show, at a benefit concert or elsewhere. And the fact that latinos may empathize with these characters and stories in a different, perhaps stronger and more intimate way doesn't mean that non latinos can't appreciate the show, or its music.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 6:12pm

I think one interpretation of THAT song is that it could be about being hurt and not necessarily about racial prejudice.

Oh, yes, you have a valid point right there.

[fvalle24]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 7:31pm

Wow, that's funny... Being 'Latino' that's crazy and somewhat disheartening. As an aspiring playwright, I would love ALL cultures to love/cherish/interpret/perform my work no matter what the subject matter is. I’m sure LMM feels the same way.

But I guess because of the rarity of a successful Latina/o oriented production makes people very cautious and protective. I think if the show has a long run, at some point there is going to be a non-latina/o performer playing a Latina/o part on ITH.

Those kinds of comments also get kind of risky. At what point do they stop? I’m sure with that mentality it will get to the point of “how” Latina/o is a certain performer. Eden Espinosa was reading the part for Nina, I’m sure if she ever gets it there is going to be criticism about that too!

I also wonder who’s really going to the show. Is it a predominantly Latina/o audience? Are Latinas/os coming in droves? That’s another thought there too!


Point is who cares! Be proud that there is a “latino” musical! It belongs to all of the Broadway community!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 8:32pm

Probably the only issue regarding national lyrics comes in "When You're Home" when Nina sings "Who would I be if I had never seen Manhattan, if I'd lived in Puerto Rico with MY PEOPLE?"

That's the only example you can think of? Abuela Claudia singing about coming over from Cuba, Daniela singing about Christmas in Puerto Rico, Usnavi's parents coming over from the Dominican, Carla being Chile-Dominicurican...? Nearly every main and supporting character's nationality is mentioned in the show.


On the main subject, whatever. If a bunch of white people have no qualms over singing in Spanish about their struggles as an immigrant, they can do whatever they want.


And I personally will lay down a smack on ANONE I catch going "omg, how can Yanks possibly understand 'Billy Elliot'?"
Broadway secrets had that too, heh.

Updated On: 9/15/08 at 08:32 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 8:38pm

It's still a double-standard, IMO. For instance, does Tatah in Ragtime have to be played by an actual immigrant?

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 8:57pm

This reminds me of the debate of whether it was appropriate for Jonathan Pryce to play the Engineer in Miss Saigon.

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 9/15/08 at 8:57pm

This reminds me of the debate of whether it was appropriate for Jonathan Pryce to play the Engineer in Miss Saigon.