I definitely think that is what she meant. I think people are concerned that too many shows that merit being done will be perceived by deBessonet and others at Encores! as either too problematic to be adapted or presented in a way that they think is acceptable or, perhaps even worse, will be adapted to death (and perhaps end up being made offensive in ways that the original was not, which we have seen happen).
For example, I think a great choice might be Simply Heavenly, with book and lyrics by Langston Hughes, but would Simple no longer be simple? And would Mamie no longer be a ”plump domestic”? Would a role originally played by Claudia McNeil be cast with, say, Heather Headley?
For the time being, I have given up hoping that Encores! might do the original Flower Drum Song. The revisal of which offers an excellent example of my parenthetical in the first paragraph. |
