Doll's House 2 - Role of Emmy

[Jazzman714]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 9:13am

Saw this great production yesterday and noticed that Condola Rashad's understudy is a woman of color. I'm 100% for color-blind casting and assumed that Rashad earned the role of Emmy because she was the best candidate. But after noting that her understudy is also a black woman, I'm assuming that the author has specifically designated the character of Emmy to always be played by a woman of color?  Does anyone have any insight or knowledge about this?

[LarryD2]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 9:31am

No, the role is not specifically written for a person of color. The actress who played Emmy in the South Coast Repertory production (Virginia Vale) and the actress who is replacing Rashad (Erin Wilhelmi) are both caucasian. The script describes all four characters as open to performers of any ethnicity.

[Jazzman714]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 10:36am

Thanks for the info!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 11:15am

Given what LarryD said, I think it's more likely that Sam Gold is the one who envisioned Emmy as being played by a woman of color, which would explain why he cast her understudy as a black woman as well. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 12:46pm

In a (smart) effort to avoid making the play an all white bread affair, they cast a black woman as the daughter, and since she is being replaced by a white actress, the replacement for the ex-husband/father is black. I haven't gotten to see the play yet, but it is supposedly purposely filled with anachronisms and such so it's not supposed to be realism anyway.

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 1:37pm

"Supposedly?" There is a Kleenex box on-stage, in the 1800s.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 1:45pm

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: ""Supposedly?" There is a Kleenex box on-stage, in the 1800s.

 

"

Well, since The Distinctive Baritone clearly said he hasn't seen the show, he probably doesn't know that.

[Jazzman714]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 1:48pm

In addition to the box of Kleenex, the use of modern language, and the occasional inventive lighting, I also assumed that casting a person of color (in a play set in late-1800s Norway) was done to further enhance the anachronistic theme throughout.  Just wondered if it was a specific casting note in the text.

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 7/20/17 at 6:10pm

Sorry. I guess "supposedly purposefully" just tripped me up, since it seems like the alternative is that the marquee lights, Kleenex box and "f---"s are accidental.