Sierra Boggess to play Maria in West Side Story in London

[Elegance101]

Oh, no.
http://www.playbill.com/article/sierra-boggess-will-be-maria-in-west-side-story-concert

[RippedMan]

I guess it's a concert, but like, did no one think about...like...race?

[Elegance101]

RippedMan said: "I guess it's a concert, but like, did no one think about...like...race?"

No excuse. Kennedy Center earlier this year was also a concert, but they got it right. This is just idiotic, at best.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Will she be doing an accent?

[wssinsider]

I hear that she’s freaking out about the attacks on social media. Expect a statement from her and from Royal Albert Hall. She’s dropping from the project.

I blame her manager for thinking this was a good deal for her.

[Elegance101]

I adore her, but what on earth did she expect?

[Elfuhbuh]

Um...yikes.

[RippedMan]

I get wanting to sing the songs, and I'm sure she'd sound lovely, but just do it in a cabaret setting. 

[Cat Guy]

I just decided to schedule my annual London visit so that I can see this.  Exciting news.  Ain't nothing wrong with Sierra as Maria.  Nothing at all.

 

 

[Elfuhbuh]

"Nothing wrong" except for the fact that Maria is specifically a Puerto Rican character, and Sierra Boggess is white. It's 2018.

[Call_me_jorge]

This was an accident waiting to happen

[TheGingerBreadMan]

I’m so sick of this bullsh*t. Why can people not get it through their heads that it’s not okay for minority stories to be told by non-minorities? It’s ridiculous. Cast people who are talented AND racially/ethnically appropriate for the roles. It’s not fu*king difficult. Shame on Sierra and shame on those who were involved in her getting the role.

[MargaretCrawford]

Yikes. She has publicly expressed regret over playing it the first time too, and made it clear that she knows she should not be playing non caucasian characters.

[Elegance101]

https://youtu.be/hFkQPDWXldY?t=1m26s

[gypsy101]

i could maybe see her playing the character on like a studio cast recording but even that’s kind of iffy. is it that hard to cast her in appropriate roles? you wouldn’t think so.

[GeorgeandDot]

No. Absolutely not. Nope. No. Yikes.

[Elegance101]

gypsy101 said: "i could maybe see her playing the character on like a studio cast recording but even that’s kind of iffy. is it that hard to cast her in appropriate roles? you wouldn’t think so."

More important question: is it that hard to cast a Latina in a role that's written...for a Latina?

[non-stop26]

Yikes

[broadwayboy223]

Didn't Jessica Vosk play Anita in like a couple of concert versions? I don't think Sierra is right for Maria at all, but shouldn't we also be reacting the same way to other performers who do similar things?

[JBradshaw]

Question. Such outrage over this. Why was never any outrage over the many non Latinas that played Mimi in “Rent”?

[Elegance101]

broadwayboy223 said: "Didn't Jessica Vosk play Anita in like a couple of concert versions? I don't think Sierra is right for Maria at all, but shouldn't we also be reacting the same way to other performers who do similar things?"

I thought I saw on Twitter that she said she had Hispanic heritage. I could be wrong, but that sounds familiar to me. If not, then shame on that team, as well.

[TheatreRocks]

Might as well cast a white Celie or a white Kim. This is B A D.

[Elfuhbuh]

JBradshaw said: "Question. Such outrage over this. Why was never any outrage over the many non Latinas that played Mimi in “Rent”?"

I remember people raising their eyebrows quite a bit when Kerry Ellis was cast as Mimi in the British RENT 20th anniversary concert.

Regardless, nice attempt at deflecting the issue.

[TheatreRocks]

And I believe Maria in Prince of Broadway was played a white woman. 

[Bwayfan292]

Prince of broadway was differnt though, they all played like 80 other roles.