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| re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 03:59 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? - BroadwayTonyJ 08:31 am EST 02/08/18 | |
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| "I think Arden is trying to make a statement similar to what Miranda is doing in Hamilton that acting on stage is acting and any person regardless of his race or ethnicity can play any role as long as he or she is good enough." I actually do not think that is the point that Miranda was trying to make with the way Hamilton was/is cast. It's very purposeful that the white founding fathers and those around them are played by young black and latinx actors, and I don't think specifically has to do with color-blind casting. I think the Hamilton casting is very much not color-blind. |
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| re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 05:29 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? - Chazwaza 03:59 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
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| People of color had as a great role in building this nation as white people. I think that is certainly one of the main points that Miranda brilliantly gets across. The way Hamilton has been cast is entirely appropriate and is one of the reasons that the show is such an exhilarating experience. It is obvious that since Hamilton debuted, its non-traditional casting approach has been influential in productions I've seen everywhere I have attended theatre. It's just my opinion but I think Arden's casting decisions may be reflecting that influence. That's all I was trying (perhaps clumsily) to say. | |
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| re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 06:09 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? - BroadwayTonyJ 05:29 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
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| I can't tell from your wording, but there's no need to defend or explain the Hamilton casting concept to me, I understand and applaud it, and agree it's part of what makes the show thrilling and much more impactful than it might be with a white cast playing the historically white characters. But I do have to disagree about Arden's casting -- casting Papa Ge, the usually male demon of death, as a woman, and Asaka, the mother of the earth, as a man playing somewhat non-binary was the casting I found poignant and progressive. I don't think he cast Daniel as a bi-racial man who appears to be white because he wanted to show that anyone could play any role regardless of race if they are good enough for it. It seems to be he either just liked the actor and decided his bi-racialness was more than enough to fit the role, or he wanted to visually clarify and draw more clear distinction and conflict between the black peasants and the French-mixed rich blacks on the island. |
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| re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 07:41 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question re: Once On This Island revival - a white Daniel? - Chazwaza 06:09 pm EST 02/08/18 | |
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| You think a lot deeper than I do. All I can say is that when I saw this revival of Once on This Island last November, the casting overall struck me as more non-traditional than any other production I had ever seen. In my mind I attributed that decision to the Hamilton influence -- just a thought that came into my head. I'm not trying to make any kind of definitive statement. I thought the casting of Powell and even that of Salonga was somewhat unusual, but (as I said in my first post) the show worked so well for me I didn't care. | |
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