| re: Lynch is a bonafide TV Star | |
| Last Edit: Chazwaza 09:25 pm EST 03/11/22 | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 09:14 pm EST 03/11/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Lynch is a bonafide TV Star - BroadwayTonyJ 08:02 pm EST 03/11/22 | |
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| I didn't say I am unhappy about this. You have said you'd be unhappy if Grimes was left out of top billing, despite that it would be the first time in the history of a major production that the actor playing Eddie got top billing along with Fanny and Nick... I don't care one way or the other, but since this is a theater chat board, and I'm bored, I was chatting about this notable 4-person above the title billing they've done for this production (which, again, they did not even do for the West End run of the same production). The key talking point being that they seem to be trying to minimize the emphasis on Fanny and Funny Girl being a star vehicle for whoever plays her, and rather a musical relying on an at least 4-person ensemble of main roles... and it is just not at all true of this musical, and i doubt they could do enough rewrites to make it true. "White looking Jew"... eeek, you saying that sure does look and sound bad. "One light-skinned Iranian" ... how grossly dismissive. I forgot that not only are black people the only non-white race that counts, but I also forgot that you as a wealthy middle aged politically moderate white man get to decide that. A good reminder since I guess it wasn't clear enough when you called him "very white" in the last post. How would you ever have known the black guy was "out in the cold" if he were left off the above-title credits if he had not been put above the title for this production? Like I said, no one ever puts Eddie above the title for a production of Funny Girl, and I'm confident that the biggest reason that Lynch is there is because she is a very well known name and famous in comedy, a Network TV star, and has already headlined a Broadway musical comedy revival (which this is also). It's very very likely that had a non-famous Jewish theater actress played Mrs. Brice in this, she would not be above the title and it would just be Beanie and Ramin. The only other reason to have more than those two, if no one else included is famous, is to create the impression that this musical has an ensemble of lead roles... which is very very much does not. Famously so. So the fact that these producers have put Jared above the title is the only reason you'd ever think the actor playing this role would be put above the title. And it sounds VERY clearly like what you mean is if this Eddie were white, or even light skinned non-black, you wouldn't care at all if they were "left out" of being above the title. Because again, neither Jared or Jane's roles really warrant that billing in this show... but Jane, unlike Jared, is a famous dependable comedy star who will help sell tickets (whether you think so or not). So tell me, if it were Beanie and Ramin and Jane, and a white actor as Eddie, would you have even thought once about Eddie being "left out in the cold"? Would you even think of it being out in the cold, let alone left out? And you're just wrong that none of them are stars. Beanie starred notably in a hit indie dramedy movie (Booksmart) and has been a stand out in other beloved hits (like Lady Bird) recently -- the biggest demo for those movies is absolutely a key demo for selling tickets for this revival. She was just the lead in a big TV limited Ryan Murphy series, about one of the most famous scandals in American history, playing one of the most famous women of the last 50 years. Again, the key demos for that are also key demos for this. And before that she was a stand out in the blockbuster smash revival of Hello Dolly. She is known and liked by TV and Broadway audiences. I'm not arguing that Beanie is Barbra or even Leah Michelle during Glee days level of fame, but she is famous and she is a draw to many people in a few key demos for this show. But I'm also assuming the producers know this is a very famous musical and the title will sell plenty of tickets whether their fanny is a global house hold name star or not. Jane is quite a big tv star in mainstream America from both Glee and Weakest Link among other things, and an indie comedy favorite from things like Best in Show and Party Down and much more, and not long ago starred in the revival of Annie. Ramin is a notable West End and Broadway star/leading man, and a favorite among huge ALW and Les Miz etc kind of musical concerts, etc, besides being a Broadway heartthrob, and he's also a Tony nominee. Jared is... not even one of the 9 main characters in a network drama that lasted 2 seasons... and has done acclaimed work in regional theater. ... ... but you're right, none of them are stars, and all equal in that, and so leaving him off the top billed list would be leaving the black guy out in the cold. ... I'm not saying Jared isn't extremely talented and that he isn't (presumably) bringing sensational stuff to this revival, and it's also possibly they're beefing his role up even more (though it's not as if he's the first triple threat to play this role). He may even end up being the big reason to see this production besides Beanie (hopefully she is a big reason to, we'll see), I don't know yet! But it seems like you're flat out saying that because he's black, and the other 3 leads (aka 1 or 2 leads and a supporting character) are white or not-dark-enough-skinned poc, that he should be above the title and if he's not it is him being left in the cold in favor of "white" people, and looks bad. (And presumably if they wanted a big stand out Eddie to deliver sensational stuff, they'd cast someone who can bring that regardless of what color their skin is, no? But if they weren't poc then it would be ok not to put them in the top billing, as has always been done with this character?) And again, you're saying this about a show that is about an actual famous Jewish woman who is being played by a 1st generation Jewish-Hungarian woman, who is one of the 3 people you're referring to as being too white to be above the title without a recognizably black person there with them.... and you're also saying this referring to an Iranian stage star with a very identifiably non-white name, who is playing a real person who was a white German Jewish immigrant... I just think your upset is misplaced and your assessment of what should be, and what "looks bad" etc doesn't seem to be for the right reasons. I understand that being aware and sensitive to prioritized whiteness and lack of diversity is important and holding people accountable for that is important. But I don't think this show, about a real Jewish star, which has 2 of the 4 "main roles" not white (even one who is playing a real white person) is the one to take on. And I do not think there's be any reason to think not putting the actor who plays Eddie above the title is a bad look or a problem, unless you're specifically putting him there because of his race rather than his part's size or his box office power. I assume you disagree. Either way I'm happy for Jared that he got above the title, and happy for anyone who wants to know that this cast isn't all white and "light skinned Iranian" that they need not worry. |
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