When is blind casting okay?- Page 4

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/10/16 at 9:50pm

ljay889 said: "icecreambenjamin said: "He refers to African-Americans as "his people"
"

Randomly found this thread. Didn't you recently claim on here that you are half black? Sure doesn't appear that way in this thread. 

 

"

I am half black, but I don't look black.  This same teacher once told me that I will never be black because I don't look it.  He lost his job recently for some extremely insensitive comments towards some of his hispanic students.  The man was a grade A racist and as someone who is half black, I don't appreciate seeing poc cast for gimmick.  He informed our class that the students who were "his people" deserve priority because african americans are not handed things like the other races.  I wondered why the students shouldn't just work hard and recieve the roles based on talent.  It got exhausting, seeing him cast people that didn't deserve the part over and over again.  Also, this was a thread from a couple of years ago and I have no idea why I didn't mention my race.

 

[Tom5]

Posted: 8/10/16 at 11:18pm

"Blind Casting" is generally ok when race is not a conscious part of the plot. James Earl Jones was perfectly cast in You Can't Take It With You because he was...James Earl Jones! But when it is - South Pacific - Cabaret - Yes! Cinderella - No!!.  Oklahoma, Carousel - maybe - it is not ok.

[hork]

Posted: 8/11/16 at 1:52am

Blind casting is okay for Wait Until Dark or The Miracle Worker. 

[Broadwayhunk]

Posted: 8/11/16 at 2:28am

I see no reason that Mary Poppins could not be played by a Black drag queen and set in 1970s Charleston.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 8/11/16 at 4:47am

Hork, that quip about blind casting for Wait Until Dark is sure a groaner – a funny groaner!

Since this thread first began, Hamilton has opened and we've gotten used to the idea of ethnically nontraditional casting. This is, however, not what I would call "blind casting" -- quite the opposite, since LMM has specifically told interviewers that he wants to cast people of color to make them a part of the founding of the nation. (I'm paraphrasing here). Also, a fuss has arisen about whether it's ok for a light-skinned African-American performer to play Nina Simone, who was very dark, and whether the performer should use make-up to look more like Ms. Simone.

Unfortunately, discussing race can be exceedingly uncomfortable because we just haven't moved far enough towards equality in the United States. Yet, the questions keep arising, and people need to stop ignoring them (other than on this board, of course, where we've been very vocal). I personally believe that the theatre community should help lead the way with discussions on race because we're generally a tolerant group of people, and most of us work closely with people of all ethnicities. Still, there are always going to be hard feelings when someone gets a part that someone else wanted.