I thought this was really something for us parents to know about, if you have not already read about it. Should Esmerelda be played by a girl of color? It sure caused a stir, and even went national. It brings up an interesting discussion and causes our kids start thinking about these things.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/theater/hunchback-of-notre-dame-ithaca-high-school.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Ftheater&action=click&contentCollection=theater®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront
A very smart, informed, well-spoken discussion about diversity in casting can be found in Howard Sherman’s blogs and interviews. Google him and check out all of what he has to say. He has had great discussions with Lin Manuel Miranda on this topic and it’s great to get your brainwaves broadened.
To me, this article opens up so much more than the insular discussion about diversity in casting, however. Adults posted threats on social media against the students who initiated this, and that is beyond horrible.
Agree @lovetoact . That is a form of harassment/social bullying, imho. Adults should know better. But that is, as you say, another topic
Love, love, love Howard Sherman. He grew up not far from me in Orange, CT.
@CTDramaMom years back, we almost bought a home in Woodbridge right next door to Orange. Thankfully, it didn’t work out because the job opportunity ended up falling through.
Horrible story, and online harassment over racial, sexual orientation or sexism has sadly gotten more common over the past year.
Woodbridge would have put your daughter in Amity High School, which, I can tell you from having judged the CT High School Musical Theater awards, has a kick-ass theater program!
I have to say - my first unfiltered thought was “What high school would do a show with only one female part? And not even double cast???” (I probably had deeper thoughts later)
Yes - that was one of the reasons we looked into the area when both my wife and I had potential job opportunities in SW CT. Amity schools are very good overall. That said, some of the private schools in CT have excellent theater as well - Choate, Loomis Chaffee, Hotchkiss, etc.
@NewJeffCT and lots of other public schools, too. One of the best things about judging the CT high school musical awards was the amazing productions I got to see across the state. Guilford High School’s Sweeney Todd - mind blowing. And I’m a pretty harsh critic. My daughter was lucky enough to go to a school that put a lot of money and community effort behind their productions, and had a great choral program to provide talent. It’s heartening to see theater so valued in many school districts.
Not for nothing, but the actress whose photo appears in the article did not look to me to be a person of color so I guess she is biracial.
This reminds of the casting call for Hamilton a couple of years ago which essentially said white actors need not apply. Although they reversed their position, I have decided not to spend my hard earned money seeing that particular show.
I personally think that the best actor should be chosen for a part, race blind, unless the part is clearly meant for a particular race. For instance, while it might be interesting to see Mel Gibson play Martin Luther King, Jr., that casting would clearly be a distraction. If the white girl was the best actress the school had, then she should have gotten the part. If she got the part just because she is white, that’s wrong and is a different issue.
I also think that people who threaten others on the internet are lame losers.
@CTDramaMom - My D is a grad of Newtown HS! We have always had a strong showing at the CT HS MT awards. It is a very competitive field of schools in CT - and it really does push them all to keep improving and working toward making the programs better. Thanks for all your hard work in judging - it is a difficult and often thankless job! As for this particular topic, it is a difficult thing. Casting should be color blind unless the part is written specifically for a particular race or ethnicity. Schools should be very mindful about not taking on shows that they cannot reasonably cast with appropriate actors.
@techmom99 – The cast actress is white. The group protesting her being cast in the role are not. The play leaves enough vagueness that anyone could play the role.
In the original book, Esmeralda isn’t a gypsy by birth - she’s French. She was stolen by gypsies as a baby but was born to an aristocratic French (and presumably white) family. Thought that was a funny little irony in this case.
The casting call never said white actors need not apply. There have been white actors in the show since it was at the Public. If you have a look at any show’s casting call info, you will often see ethnicity specified, along with other factors. This is not at all unusual.
Actually, it essentially did say that and that’s why it was changed. I have no problem with, for instance, George Washington, being played by Denzel Washington, but racial discrimination is racial discrimination, no matter who engages in it. Below are links to two articles that I believe to be reputable reporting on the issue.
So is it equally discriminatory for a show to specify Caucasian ? There have always been white actors in the show so I’m not seeing the problem. Unless one is going to avoid supporting any show that specifies any particular ethnicity. With the lack of roles for non-white actors in theatre, I am happy that Hamilton has provided work for those who otherwise might not be cast.
The entire POINT of “Hamilton” is to re-imagine the Founding Fathers as people of color in order to a) draw parallels between their struggle for liberty and the struggles of marginalized people today, and b) to emphasize that the story is vibrant and timely and relevant to everyone - it’s not just a story about “old white men.”
So consciously casting people of color is the roles is integral to the artistic vision of the piece - it’s using race to make a point. It’s not “discrimination.” And the role of King George is ALWAYS cast as white, and THAT’S specified in the breakdown too.
The only reason that particular notice got in trouble was the wording - you’re allowed to specify a CHARACTER’s race, but you’re not allowed to day that actors of a certain race can’t audition. So they fixed the wording.
^This. @techmom99 I grew up near Ithaca, and have already been called a “feminazi” during a Facebook debate over this casting issue-I ask you: Have you ever watched a film version of The King and I? West Side Story? Roles written about/for POC have been played by white people-for-EVER! That’s why LMM’s brave and brilliant work with In the Heights and Hamilton is so, so very important, and relevant. Theatre is inherently political. Whether we cast, direct, write, perform, or attend-we aim to do/be better. My blonde soprano is gonna be alright: And she KNOWS and supports and celebrates that her friend Isaac Cole Powell in Once on this Island is gonna be MORE than alright. It’s a win/win. If you boycott a show due to prescrriptive casting, you are the one losing out.
@actorparent Actually saw King George played by an Asian in Chicago. It was glorious! As a POC, this made a big impact on my children. Asians are rarely cast in anything aside from roles that are racially defined. This was a “crowning” moment for every Asian aspiring actor in that audience, including my child.
That’s awesome, @prospero18!