All black production of Sweeney Todd with Lillias White

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 6:56pm

Is anyone going this next week?

On a side not Chuck Cooper said he dropped out of the production because the producers did not get permission to do the show? Who does the producers have to get permission from to the show? And if they didn't get permission couldn't the show be shut down? 

This the article were he talks about this 

http://broadwayblack.com/breaking-chuck-cooper-will-not-cut-sweeney-todd/

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 7:00pm

I assume they have to get permission from MTI. Music Theatre International does have people that go to  different shows and make sure that particular theater company is performing the show legally and only making changes that are legal. They take it very seriously. I find it hard to believe they did not get permission from MTI.

Updated On: 8/6/15 at 07:00 PM

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 7:07pm

They don't have to rights to do this? How is this working?

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 8:43pm

Well, this thread came out of nowhere. I have heard literally NOTHING about this, and Lillias White projects tend to be pretty big news on the theatre scene...I'm really confused.

[cardamon]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 10:53pm

Seems like it must have been canceled. There isn't any information on the theatre's website or Facebook page.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/6/15 at 11:27pm

I remember hearing about this months ago when Chuck Cooper was announced along with Lillias White, but then I assumed it was canceled. Hm.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 12:07am

Yeah that makes no sense. They wouldn't cancel a production for being "all black" and i doubt they'd do it without getting the rights? Unless concerts are under a different sorta thing.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 10:22am

A shame if it does not happen. White would make a killer (pardon the pun) Mrs Lovett.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 10:55am

I assume they have to get permission from MTI. Music Theatre International does have people that go to  different shows and make sure that particular theater company is performing the show legally and only making changes that are legal.

That is patently false and just flat out wrong.

No licensing agency, MTI or otherwise, randomly sends representatives to productions in the nearby area to "make sure" of anything. They only investigate a production or licensee if a formal complaint is filed, and they only pursue further action against the licensee if said investigation provides evidence of a violation or at the official request of an MTI author and/or their controlling estate.

Updated On: 8/7/15 at 10:55 AM

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 11:00am

It's a bummer this production isn't happening.  White and Cooper would've been incredible.

[Brick]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 11:53am

Also, race and ethnicity are not factored into changes to character that must be approved. The largest one that remains is gender.

So, he wouldn't have needed permission, but only the rights. And strange, a production could land both Cooper and White and not have the rights?

Shame, as I agree they both would be sensational.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 12:41pm

I think Lillias White would be a great Mrs. Lovett.  Her only problem is that she goes outside the music and puts in her own riffs.  I've never seen her sing that she didn't do that.   Sondheim hates for his music to be tampered with.  I wonder if there was some conflict because of this.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 2:26pm

Does anyone know if this was actually cancelled? 

[missthemountains]

Posted: 8/8/15 at 2:46am

If we lived in a world where it would be against contract to have "color blind", "racial blind" or whatever you want to call it kind of casting, I wouldn't want to live in it.