Susan in company

[nativenewyorker2]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:19am

Alright folks who do we think it’ll be

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:31am

after the small wave of controversy? Hopefully a person of color.

[viagalactica6]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:40am

 "after the small wave of controversy? Hopefully a person of color."

Oh God, I sure hope so. In fact, it doesn't have to be Susan. It can be any character or couple in the show. I remember when I saw the original show when it played its out of town tryout in Boston. I was in absolute disbelief that there wasn't at least ONE person of color in the entire cast. But, then again with the exception of Showboat and Grind Hal Prince's shows never did use people of color in them.

 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:43am

viagalactica6 said: ""after the small wave of controversy? Hopefully a person of color."

Oh God, I sure hope so. In fact, it doesn't have to be Susan. It can be any character or couple in the show. I remember when I saw the original show when it played its out of town tryout in Boston. I was in absolute disbelief that there wasn't at least ONE person of color in the entire cast. But, then again with the exception of Showboat and Grind Hal Prince's shows never did usepeople of color in them.

"

well the only role that has yet to be cast is Susan, so that's their only chance right now at making up for it.

[viagalactica6]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 10:44am

viagalactica6 said: ""after the small wave of controversy? Hopefully a person of color."

Oh God, I sure hope so. In fact, it doesn't have to be Susan. It can be any character or couple in the show. I remember when I saw the original show when it played its out of town tryout in Boston. I was in absolute disbelief that there wasn't at least ONE person of color in the entire cast. But, then again with the exception of Showboat and Grind Hal Prince's shows never did use people of color in them.

I forgot that he used Black actors in the musical Parade.

 

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 1:47pm

Susan was Amber Iman (who moved on to Lempicka - smart choice), and she will be replaced by Rashidra Scott (currently in Ain't Too Proud).

You'll ask who my source is. The streets are my source, lol. Just wait for the announcement. 

 

[jagman1062]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 4:19pm

I'm confused by the people in various threads saying there are no POC cast in the upcoming revival of Company.  Terence Archie who will play Larry and Nikki Renee Daniels who will play Jenny are both POC.  They've were announced with other prospective cast members weeks ago.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 4:58pm

jagman1062 said: "I'm confused by the people in various threads saying there are no POC cast in the upcoming revival of Company. Terence Archie who will play Larry and Nikki Renee Daniels who will play Jenny are both POC. They've were announced with other prospective cast members weeks ago."

Because having 2 black people out of 14 isn't really diversity 

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 5:24pm

It's, quite literally, the definition of diversity. Four out of the fourteen people cast identify as people of color. While that may not be enough for some people, casting decisions are never going to please everyone. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 5:37pm

Seems more like tokenism

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 8:56pm

viagalactica6 said: ""after the small wave of controversy? Hopefully a person of color."

Oh God, I sure hope so. In fact, it doesn't have to be Susan. It can be any character or couple in the show. I remember when I saw the original show when it played its out of town tryout in Boston. I was in absolute disbelief that there wasn't at least ONE person of color in the entire cast. But, then again with the exception of Showboat and Grind Hal Prince's shows never did usepeople of color in them.

"

Robert Guillaume was the LA Phantom for years. So I don't know why Prince didn't find more African Americans in Sweden, Japan, Hungary, Weimar Germany and 19th century Russia.

Prince was of a generation that privileged verisimilitude over diversity. I think most of us nowadays prefer the latter--as we should--but judging him for being of his era seems pointless as well as unfair.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 9:02pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "
Because having 2 black people out of 14 isn't really diversity"

This quota business has gotten ridiculous!

2 African Americans out of 14 actors is roughly 15%, the same percentage of African Americans in the population as a whole.

Blacks may be underrepresented when it comes to the Oscars and Tonys, but in terms of sheer employment, show business may be the most diverse business in our economy.

(Employment of Latinx- and Asian-Americans may be a different matter. I don't have the data to make a comparison.)

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 9:08pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Seems more like tokenism"

I’m genuinely confused by this comment. Are you suggesting that Marianne Elliott and the producers have an issue with casting non-white actors here or that they should have chosen actors who may not have been the best fit for the part purely because they were ‘of color’. Because surely THAT would have been tokenism?

[Zion24]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 9:10pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Because having 2 black people out of 14 isn't really diversity"

is there a specific number then? the well meaning push for increased diversity and representation has gotten silly.

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 11/23/19 at 11:16pm

Well, I mean, yeah.

Yes. We ARE in an age where if you aren't practicing color conscious casting, there is every right for some criticism. In a show that (this word is a stretch) "celebrates" the many attitudes of New York City and contemporary married life, it really isn't that difficult a concept to grasp. I've had such a wonderful life watching so many white people interpret Sondheim- it would be lovely to see how race changes dynamics within a show like Company. Company is also one of the specific opportunities where casting POC doesn't change the narrative or time and place drastically. All of the characters in Assassins are based on historical figures, many of whom had race based motives, so the upcoming CSC revival doesn't necessarily have to be held to the same casting standard as something that isn't as specific as Company.

But like, yeah. I don't really see it all that ridiculous when people are disappointed that 4/14 of the cast members are identifiable as people of color. This isn't a "Tootsie Is Transphobic despite the fact that it doesn't use Michael's dressed as female-identifying character to be played as the butt of a joke" kind of ridiculous, this is a valid casting concern where the opportunity has presented itself for criticism.

Love Taylor Iman! She would have been great.

Updated On: 11/23/19 at 11:16 PM

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 12:14am

Falsettolands said: "... it really isn't that difficult a concept to grasp... I don't really see it all that ridiculous when people are disappointed that 4/14 of the cast members are identifiable as people of color... this is a valid casting concern where the opportunity has presented itself for criticism."

I don’t think the show was cast to fit any racial quota either way and conclude that the people involved are the best that auditioned and accepted the roles offered. That some may be ‘disappointed’ is fair enough but I think you are looking for controversy where none exists if you’re reading anything more into it. If/when it comes to recasting the balance of the show could be entirely different. The thing about colour-blind casting is that it should indeed be just that.

I agree with GavestonPS that the degree of representation on Broadway in the last decade puts most other sectors to shame. Also the current number of shows that skew majority POC casts (Hamilton, Tina, Ain’t too Proud, Freestyle Love Supreme, The Wrong Man, Caroline or Change, Lion King....) will undoubtably effect who is available for roles where casting calls are open to all races. That some shows appear to fall short in what you may wish to see reflected on the stage is unfortunate but hardly representative across Broadway as a whole. In the case of Company I’d personally far rather see performers who were there on merit and not just to fulfil a quota - whatever that maybe.

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 12:42am

Oh true! Yes, all of the people in this production of Company definitely auditioned.

And that's so awesome that you brought up color blind casting. However, I'm not referring to color blind casting based on merit. I'm referring to color conscious casting, where we actually *do* take into consideration the number of POC bodies onstage and what we are specifically saying about the relationships between those characters when we cast a POC in those roles.

And unfortunately the problem (and this is not a problem with the material of the shows, merely the grouping of them together) of a majority of the shows that you have mentioned are race-specific. Hamilton (to a degree) Tina, Ain't Too Proud, Caroline Or Change, and The Lion King are all race-specific plays that require actors of a specific race play specific roles. The material already naturally divides up the diversity or limits it; it's there. And just because those plays are all presently running with actors who are employed does not mean there isn't a plethora of talent readily available to perform in Company, many being POC.

You have a choice to make as a creative team when you are presented with roles that are not race-specific. Choices were made and yes, I highly doubt race was considered when casting, they probably chose what they saw was the best fit for the role. I'm not disputing that. But that's just it; race wasn't considered when casting. you have to be open to criticism when you are putting a bunch of white people onstage for no specific reason doing work that we all know plenty of NYC based actors can do. This town ain't small.

Updated On: 11/24/19 at 12:42 AM

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 6:18am

I think often it’s so easy for white people (assuming that’s the race of most people commenting in objection) to notice there aren’t many white people, but it’s somehow impossible for them to comprehend that there need to be more nonwhite people in ANY life situation. Not limited to just broadway. A tv show, a company, a group of friends, a social gathering, etc. 

It’s not about feeding a certain quota. It’s about making the show realistic to today’s standards. But hey, if you think surrounding yourself in whiteness in 2020 NYC with 2 blacks sprinkled in is “diversity”  then that’s your problem, fam. 
 

Susan can be Latino, Asian, Native American, black, or Spanish.. I honestly wouldn’t care but that would be much more realistic than just 2 minorities in a cast of whites. 
 

I don’t know maybe it’s because I’m a millennial, But my friend groups don’t look like this in NYC. 

 

Updated On: 11/24/19 at 06:18 AM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 9:10am

Thank you, Falsettolands and YvanEhtNioj, for your insightful thoughts. I wholeheartedly agree.

In addition, what are they trying to say when all of the male suitors are white? At least the last two revivals didn’t present us with a trio of white women. It’s NYC in 2020 after all, and if your dating pool is a sea of white, that’s certainly not diversity.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 9:21am

Isn’t there a line in the script that sort of lampshades this, that Bobby mostly knows other upper middle class white people?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 9:30am

Aren’t they changing the script either way? (Lines and lyrics have changed in every production since the original.)

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 11:55am

The recent SUNDAY revival did a better job with diverse casting.

[hork]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 12:08pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "I think often it’s soeasy for white people (assuming that’s the race of most people commenting in objection)to notice there aren’t many white people, but it’s somehow impossible for them to comprehend that there need to be more nonwhite people in ANY life situation. Not limited to just broadway. A tv show, a company, a group of friends, a social gathering, etc.

It’s not about feeding a certain quota. It’s about making the show realistic to today’s standards. But hey, if you think surrounding yourself in whiteness in 2020 NYC with 2 blacks sprinkled in is “diversity” then that’s your problem, fam.


Susan can be Latino, Asian, Native American, black, or Spanish.. I honestly wouldn’t care but that would be much more realistic than just 2 minorities in a cast of whites.


I don’t know maybe it’s because I’m a millennial,But my friend groups don’t look like this in NYC.

"Realistic to today's standards" is a difficult barometer. There are in fact many social milieus, even in NYC, that are all or mostly white. I myself have a group of about 25 friends in which there are only two non-white people, and most of us live in Southern California, where whites are a minority. It's just how it is. We all came together because of our love for and interest in immersive theater, and L.A.'s immersive theater community/fan base is about 95% white (come to think of it, that's also true of NY. I see a lot of white people at Sleep No More and Then She Fell). Consciously adding non-white people to our circle would be difficult and pointless, and just plain weird ("Hey, want to join our group? We need some black people!". So when you say that there needs to be more non-white people in any life situation, you're right, I don't understand this. It's true that we need to know more non-white people in order to get over any prejudices and misconceptions we might have about other races and cultures, but to say this needs to be part of any and every life situation across the board seems unrealistic and unproductive to me.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 12:10pm

darquegk said: "Isn’t there a line in the script that sort of lampshades this, that Bobby mostly knows other upper middle class white people?"

The script has been revised to make the show present day. I don't recall such a line, but if it was there, I would assume it's gone or changed.

[binau]

Posted: 11/24/19 at 12:34pm

The line was still there in London, I assume it’s the scene with the male Martha who says how many blacks, street people etc do you know. Needless to say, the line got a bit of a laugh when Craig’s understudy went on, who is black.

As for this issue, while the outcome may not be desirable for some I trust the processes that went into it were benign. M Elliot is a pretty ‘woke’ director. I don’t doubt they went with the best available talent. That said, I personally wish they went with someone like Patina Miller or Renée G for Bobbie. I just think the aesthetic of their voices is much more interesting for the show.