review catch up: Hamilton, First Daughter, etc.

[Lou Harry]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 1:41pm

The American Theatre Critics Association conference in NYC was a great chance to catch up on Broadway, etc. reviewing.

Here are my latest.

An American in Paris, Fun Home, Curious Incident http://www.ibj.com/blogs/1-lou-harry-s-a-e/post/55827-broadway-roundup-pt1-an-american-in-paris-fun-home-the-curious-incident

Something Rotten, Fool for Love, First Daughter Suite http://www.ibj.com/blogs/1-lou-harry-s-a-e/post/55837-broadway-roundup-part-2-something-rotten-sam-rockwell-in-fool-for-love-more

And, of course,

Hamilton http://www.ibj.com/blogs/1-lou-harry-s-a-e/post/55856-broadway-roundup-part-3-lin-manuel-mirandas-hamilton-reviewed?id=1-lou-harry-s-a-e

Hope it won't be this long better visits again.

Cheers,

Lou Harry

IBJ.com/arts

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 2:37pm

Thank you for sharing. I thought your critiques of Fun Home, Something Rotten, and First Daughter Suite (all of the shows that I've seen) were fair and valid which made your review of An American in Paris disappointing. I'm still going to try to see this while Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope are in it but I feel like I'm going to end up agreeing with you about the story and use of songs as I wasn't that fond of the movie either.

[Lou Harry]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 3:18pm

Thanks for reading. Sincerely hope Paris works better for you than it did for me.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 3:51pm

I think it's worth exploring other ways to convey what you mean when you use the phrase "minority actors" in reference to Hamilton.  They certainly aren't the minority on stage.

[Lou Harry]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 4:01pm

I welcome that exploration. My intent was to make clear to anyone unfamiliar with the work that a range of non-white actors have been deliberately cast in these historically white roles. "Non-white," for me, always felt like white is the standard, so I'm not crazy about that term. "Actors of color" seemed forced. For me, "minority" seemed an accurate, non-judgmental way to make the casting situation clear. But I'm open to the idea that there could be a better way. What are your thoughts? If a suggestion works, I'm happy to swap it out.

Thanks for reading.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 11/19/15 at 5:52pm

This is a commonly referenced glossary of terminology.

http://www.xavier.edu/diversity/Glossary-of-Diversity-Terminology.cfm

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/20/15 at 10:03am

Minority is still a little better than "non-white," but it still assumes that the majority/standard is white, which as someone else pointed out, isn't the case in Hamilton. And it feels outdated. 

[iagowasframed]

Posted: 11/21/15 at 7:38pm

most of them are black...just say black...black is not a bad term. 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/15 at 8:30pm

Tell that to Phillipa Soo!  

 

I agree "actors of color" can seem pretzels, although it's accurate.  How about  "And the only caucasian actor plays the King of England, sort of the way Toto is the only white character in The Wiz!".

[mariel9]

Posted: 11/21/15 at 8:52pm

"Hamilton and his founding brothers and sisters are played by people of color." No need to say actors since that's obvious from the context.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/21/15 at 9:45pm

Good, good.  I like when the point is made that it's told as a tale of immigrants.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 11/21/15 at 9:50pm

iagowasframed said: "most of them are black...just say black...black is not a bad term. "

That is not correct, nor is it correct that only the King is Caucasian.