Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
#1Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:10am
Was thinking about this the the other day. When Hamilton tours or goes to chicago or plays in London, will they only have minorities play the lead roles? Or is Lin open to having a white guy play Hamilton or a white girl play Angelica? Burr too.
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#4Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:43am
Only King George and Peggy/Maria can be white for Broadway out of the principals. I don't see why they would change it for other productions, with the exception of schools.
I believe there are exceptions for understudies.
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 02:43 AM#5Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:43am
No, HamfourHam, it has the answer to your question. If you even care to know the answer. That's how things work here-people ask questions and other people point them to the answer.
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
#6Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:46am
aaaaaaa15, but Hamilton could be any race as long as it's not white, right?
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#7Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 2:50am
HamfourHam said: "aaaaaaa15, but Hamilton could be any race as long as it's not white, right?"
Yes. King George must be white, Peggy/Maria can be any race and all other principals can be any race other than white.
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 02:50 AM
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#9Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:11am
I'm guessing that you don't know what breakdowns are?
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#10Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:13am
I find it interesting that Peggy/Maria could in theory be played by a white actress. Does anyone know why that particular role doesn't follow the same rules as the others?
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#11Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:18am
I'm unsure. Maybe to give white actresses an opportunity to be in Hamilton that isn't being in the ensemble.
Peggy and Maria aren't as important characters as Eliza and Angelica and also don't come into the racial politics of the show (ie. black people playing the founding fathers who oppressed their race) so if there was a female character to offer to white actresses it would be that one.
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 03:18 AM
#12Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:21am
HamfourHam - educate yourself before calling someone insane:
....but the world goes 'round
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 03:21 AM
#13Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 3:52am
It should probably be noted that caucasian actors Carleigh Bettiol and Betsy Struxness currently understudy Eliza and Angelica, respectively. That being said, Alysha Desloriuex, as the standby for both roles, has priority, and neither has performed the roles they cover.
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 03:52 AM
#14Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 4:47am
aaaaaa15 said: "Maybe to give white actresses an opportunity to be in Hamilton that isn't being in the ensemble."
I can almost guarantee you that's not the reason. White actresses (or actors) aren't in need of representation in the theatre, and the Hamilton team is well aware of that. I'm sure they couldn't care less about giving white people an opportunity to do anything.
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#15Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:20am
JBroadway said: "aaaaaa15 said: "I can almost guarantee you that's not the reason. White actresses (or actors) aren't in need of representation in the theatre, and the Hamilton team is well aware of that. I'm sure they couldn't care less about giving white people an opportunity to do anything."
I know that and I agree but I can't think of another reason, can you? Maybe to leave it open for star casting if a white female celebrity was interested a bit further down the line when the show isn't quite so popular.
Dave19
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/11
#16Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:28am
JBroadway said: "White actresses (or actors) aren't in need of representation in the theatre, and the Hamilton team is well aware of that. I'm sure they couldn't care less about giving white people an opportunity to do anything."
Oh yes they are. Statistically there are more black people working in theatre than white people, compared to the race percentage of the population.
So if there is any group in need of representation in theatre, it's white people. As there is more competition and less roles statistically.
Giving a "certain race" purposely less opportunity is digusting, sad and evil.
But of course the Hamilton team does not understand this. Let's hope someday they will. What is their goal? Make the difference in percentage as big as possible?
Updated On: 1/4/16 at 07:28 AM
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
#17Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:34am
Tazber, My comments to Hogan's Hero had nothing to do with his comment on breakdowns. I can assure you.
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
#18Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:40am
It should be noted that caucasian actors Carleigh Bettiol and Betsy Struxness currently understudy Eliza and Angelica, respectively.t should pro
Why put them as the understudies if white women aren't allowed in the part of Angelica and Eliza? What if Renee and Alysha are sick one day?
.
#19Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:51am
HamfourHam said: "Tazber, My comments to Hogan's Hero had nothing to do with his comment on breakdowns. I can assure you.
"
Ok, I apologize.
I shouldn't have stuck my nose into yours and Hogan's tiff.
....but the world goes 'round
HamfourHam
Chorus Member Joined: 12/30/15
#20Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 7:56am
My tiff with Hogan's Hero is only because he seems to attack anyone that is critical of Hamilton. Would you agree? Maybe I'm crazy.
#21Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 8:36am
This whole conversation was posed in an unpleasant, troll-like manner, designed to spur arguments not discussion.
One of the things that is most EXCITING about Hamilton is that it gives performers of color the opportunity to play roles they would ordinarily be "typed" out of.
So it's about inclusion, not exclusion, and to pose the question as if you were exposing some hitherto-undiscovered racism on the part of the creators makes you seem guilty of missing the point entirely, possibly intentionally.
bfreak
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/6/11
#22Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 8:43am
Here's my issue with this. While I love Hamilton and LMM, he has said many times in interviews that he hired a diverse cast to "show America today" while presenting America hundreds of years ago. But there are certainly many white people that are still in America. While I'm not trying to be racist or anything but in my opinion the way the characters should be portrayed is by actors of any race. It just simply shouldn't matter what race the actor is whether they are playing a major character like Hamilton or a lesser character like James Madison. I'm not saying they should go out of their way to find a white actor/actress to portray these parts, but I'm also saying that they shouldn't neccessarily go out of their way to hire someone who is not white.
mpd4165
Leading Actor Joined: 8/6/09
#23Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 9:29am
Dave19 said: "JBroadway said: "White actresses (or actors) aren't in need of representation in the theatre, and the Hamilton team is well aware of that. I'm sure they couldn't care less about giving white people an opportunity to do anything."
Oh yes they are. Statistically there are more black people working in theatre than white people, compared to the race percentage of the population.
So if there is any group in need of representation in theatre, it's white people. As there is more competition and less roles statistically.
Giving a "certain race" purposely less opportunity is digusting, sad and evil.
But of course the Hamilton team does not understand this. Let's hope someday they will. What is their goal? Make the difference in percentage as big as possible?"
Dave - care to cite your sources regarding those stats? Is that based on the history of Broadway? Or based on the fact that this is the most diverse season I've seen in a very long time?
mpd4165
Leading Actor Joined: 8/6/09
#24Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 9:31am
bfreak said: "Here's my issue with this. While I love Hamilton and LMM, he has said many times in interviews that he hired a diverse cast to "show America today" while presenting America hundreds of years ago. But there are certainly many white people that are still in America. While I'm not trying to be racist or anything but in my opinion the way the characters should be portrayed is by actors of any race. It just simply shouldn't matter what race the actor is whether they are playing a major character like Hamilton or a lesser character like James Madison. I'm not saying they should go out of their way to find a white actor/actress to portray these parts, but I'm also saying that they shouldn't neccessarily go out of their way to hire someone who is not white.
"
There's a white guy as King George. White people in the ensemble.
When you started a sentence with "I'm not trying to sound racist, but..." you should rethink your argument.
#25Can a white person be cast as Hamilton or Angelica?
Posted: 1/4/16 at 9:53am
Lin-Manuel Miranda has stated in at least one interview that such matters should always follow the author's intention. The script that will be sent to regional and amateur companies doing Hamilton will contain a casting guide. Also, he said that he's fine with high schools with not a lot of Latino students casting white actors in In The Heights, as long as they don't use stereotype makeup and accents. He says that high school is the only place he would allow that kind of casting.
