| Mindful of the fact that, early on in OKLAHOMA!, Curly describes Jud as a "bullet-colored, growly man," it entered my mind many years ago that the role could be specifically cast with a black actor, but I ultimately decided that would make all of those scenes involving Jud'sotherness and, ultimately, his death too dark (certainly no pun intended here) and painful for the audience. For some reason, It never actually occurred to me until recently that Jud could be Native American, but that might have the same effect. |