In this day and age, minorities should be cast in any roles except those
where being caucasian is a very key plot point - e.g., the whites in LOST
IN THE STARS, which is a musical about apartheid in South Africa.
There are also musicals in which the original performers were not
minorities, but which in this day and age of Political Correctness, a
minority performer better be case if you don't want controversy, or worse.
Finally, a few plays legally require minorites - for example, the Gershwin
estate stipulates that anyone licensing PORGY AND BESS must use an all
black cast.
EAST ASIAN
Lady Thiang, Tuptim, other wives in THE KING AND I (Thai)
Kim in MISS SAIGON (Vietnamese)
Mei Li, Linda Low, Madam Fong, Helen Chao, Madame Liang in FLOWER DRUM
SONG (all characters are Chinese)
Tamate and Shogun's Mother in PACIFIC OVERTURES (the characters are
Japanese)
PACIFIC ISLANDER
Liat and Bloody Mary in SOUTH PACIFIC (These characters are Hawaiian.)
BLACK
Irina in LOST IN THE STARS (African)
Queenie in SHOW BOAT (Julie can also be black, but must be fair and
"Caucasian-looking" enough to "pass" as this is a key plot point)
Anita, Miss Mamie, Gran Mimi, Too-Tight Norah in JELLY'S LAST JAM
Barbara in NO STRINGS (by tradition - the role was created for Diahann
Caroll)
Lutiebelle and Aunt Missy in PEARLIE.
The six females in ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
KM
=====
My NEIL SHICOFF Website:
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Website:
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
-----
We're sitting in the opera house;
We're waiting for the curtain to arise
With wonders for our eyes,
A feeling of expectancy,
A certain kind of ecstasy,
Expectancy and ecstasy....Sh's's's.
- Charles Ives
|
|  |
