Once On This Island- all white cast??
StageStud
I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
as it was originally performed.
Feel free to comment on this...... I know I'm asking for it, and no, I
don't think its the same as doing an all white version of Porgy and Bess
or Dreamgirls.
Jeff
JMOERBE
Having seen OOTI a couple of times, I must say, you have your work cut out
for you. As far as making an all white cast work, I would say that it
depends entirely upon your audience pool. Are your patrons fairly liberal
with their theatrical wants? Do you have very demanding, critical
audiences? You would know better than anyone. However, I must say, in
certain circles, it could work. Your approach would need to be a little
different. Please don't have a white cast trying to be black - have a
white cast which is telling a black story. For example, half of the story
takes place with the "white French". Maybe it could be THEM telling the
story as they understand the island natives to tell it.
After all, it would be more difficult to pull off then a female odd
couple, but if the world can stomach an all female Mr. Roberts....why not
Good Show
Jason
Richard Millward
While I can't say I've ever seen it performed by an all-white case, I
recently saw it performed by a mixed race cast and it almost worked (the
performers themselves weren't up to the material; frankly, THAT will be a
far greater problem than whether all the people are white... Once On This
Island is one of those simple shows that sounds easy but is DECEPTIVELY
difficult to do well).
> Jeff
--
================
Richard Millward
r...@mcs.com
S Sittig
In article <19970616050...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
stag...@aol.com (StageStud) wrote:
>I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
>all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
>show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
>as it was originally performed.
>Feel free to comment on this...... I know I'm asking for it, and no, I
>don't think its the same as doing an all white version of Porgy and Bess
>or Dreamgirls.
>
>Jeff
Well, I for one am all for color-blind casting...but certain shows work and
others don't for this idea.
Having recently been in a production of THE MUSIC MAN where the director went
for color-blind casting...I have to admit that it was distracting to several
audience members of all colors. Somehow, a black mayor of a small town in
Iowa in 1912 was strange.
In the same coin, I believe that to cast only white actors in a production of
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND would be terribly distracting to the audience. First of
all, much of the plot hinges on the idea that the Beaux Hommes are lighter
skinned than the natives. Hence why Ti Moune is fated to never be able to
marry the man she loves and Andrea gets him instead. The play makes several
references to this, so unless you are planning on changing the script, you
really have to cast skin tones accordingly.
To me, doing OOTI with whites is like doing AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' with an all
white cast. The show is about celebrating a black composer who was unable to
get a lot of his music published, or had to sell it to white composers for a
pittance, so to have a bunch of white people singing the music would be
strange.
In my opinion, if you want to color-blind cast a show, do it with shows that
have no specifications plot wise for race or skin tone. There are a panoply
of shows that require no specific racial identity.
Stefan
Bruce Beaumont
I work with our local Performing Arts High School, and I was fascinated
when I found out that they cast *all* of their musicals color-blind. We
did OOTI a couple of years ago with a mixed-race cast, Pippin the year
before, Seven Brides last year, and Brigadoon this year. In all cases
casting was done on the basis of *talent*, not skin color. Given that
we're in Alabama (and I'm a relative newcomer to the area), I expected
audiences to be put off by the white male lead kissing the black female
lead (for example). But guess what? Absolutely NO ONE has ever said a
word about it, and we continue to pack the house every year.
When we did OOTI, the script was altered to make the conflict between
the "rich French" and the "poor islanders". I thought it worked very
well this way since it did not make a significant change in the plot.
I don't see why it wouldn't work with an all-white cast as well.
--
Bruce Beaumont The University of Alabama in Huntsville
Bruce.B...@msfc.nasa.gov Global Hydrology and Climate Center
Voice: (205) 922-5816 977 Explorer Blvd.
Fax: (205) 922-5801 Huntsville, AL 35806
W. Douglas Maurer
>I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
>all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
>show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
>as it was originally performed.
>Feel free to comment on this...... I know I'm asking for it, and no, I
>don't think its the same as doing an all white version of Porgy and Bess
>or Dreamgirls.
In my opinion: DROP THIS ONE.
What will happen is that at every performance there will be at least ten
people in the audience who came to see the original (black) Once On This
Island -- as soon as they see that it's all white folks they will walk out
-- your theatre will get awful publicity and it will affect other shows
done there.
You don't say whether your local area has *any* black performers at all. If
not, I don't really know how to advise you. If so, however -- if you can
cast half a show with blacks, but not a whole show -- there's always "Lost
In The Stars," which is just as lovely.
Doug Maurer
composer, arranger, musical director, orchestrator, pianist,
programmer, computer scientist, teacher, researcher,
fool for musicals
Wh1teBoy
I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
as it was originally performed. Feel free to comment on this...... I know
I'm asking for it, and no, I don't think its the same as doing an all
white version of Porgy and Bess or Dreamgirls.
__
I say go for it - as long as your cast can pull it off. I mean come on,
if your talent base comes from an "all-white" town (and there ARE still
some out there unfortunately), then your audience comes from the same
demographic and won't mind. Especially since "Island"'s story doesn't
depend on elements unique to the African/American/Caribbean community like
"Porgy" would. As long as there isn't minority talent out there that you
wouldn't be using (& it sounds like if there were, you'd use them!)
There's also something to be said for the educational impact that a
properly ethnic audience would have on your audience. It might be worth
casting out-of-towners for this reason, but if you don't have the budget
to put them up and stuff that's certainly understandable - in which case
doing it "white" is better than not doing it at all!
Michael Spillers
Brian P. Thornton
I was in a production of Once On This Island with a mixed race cast - mostly
Caucasian, but with several African Americans, as well as Asian and Hispanic
Americans. Instead of following the racial lines, our production used the
playwright's revisions of socio-economic lines. Tonton and Mama were poor,
but not necessarily dark skinned. The Beauxhommes were rich, but not
necessarily light skinned. For example, I am Caucasian, and played Tonton,
but the woman who played my wife was African American.
Overall, I think a production using these themes is somewhat diluted, but not
impossible to pull off. Ours would have worked, had it not been for lots of
other production problems besides these.
Andrew J. Fox
On 16 Jun 1997, S Sittig wrote:
)To me, doing OOTI with whites is like doing AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' with an all
)white cast. The show is about celebrating a black composer who was unable to
)get a lot of his music published, or had to sell it to white composers for a
)pittance, so to have a bunch of white people singing the music would be
)strange.
This doesn't really follow. Especailly when considering that Once On Thsi
isalnd was written by two white people.
ajf
Andrew J. Fox
On 16 Jun 1997, StageStud wrote:
)I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
)all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
)show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
)as it was originally performed.
The authors provide lyrics alterations for mixed race casts. I did a
version fo the show that was mostly white, and it worked well.
ajf
(who sees nothing wrong with an all white version of Dreamgirls)
Andrew J. Fox
On Mon, 16 Jun 1997, W. Douglas Maurer wrote:
)In my opinion: DROP THIS ONE.
)What will happen is that at every performance there will be at least ten
)people in the audience who came to see the original (black) Once On This
)Island -- as soon as they see that it's all white folks they will walk out
)-- your theatre will get awful publicity and it will affect other shows
)done there.
)You don't say whether your local area has *any* black performers at all. If
)not, I don't really know how to advise you. If so, however -- if you can
)cast half a show with blacks, but not a whole show -- there's always "Lost
)In The Stars," which is just as lovely.
Oh my. Wow. RATm is getting more surreal with each post.
How can you say this?? Would be upset if you went to see A Little Night
Music and it was all black people? Or Pippin and it was all Asians?
People are so goddamned closed minded. We did a production of THE CRADLE
WILL ROCK, a musical written and set in 1930s, with a cast that was of all
different backgrounds. We had a black Mister Mister (the richest, most
powerful man in town) an Indian Mrs. Mister (his wife) their two white
kids, one blond, one brunette, and many other casting decisions that I
would assume cause you to raise eyebrows. yet, not one person did who saw
it (well, at least, no one said anything about it if they did). And this
includes such notables as Tim Robbins, Andre deShields, Mary Schmidt
Campbell (dean of Tisch, and a Tony voter), and others. As a matter of
fact, Tim Robbins offered our director a job to direct at his theatre
company in LA, he liked the multi-cultural cast so much.
And it might also help to do some research. In the process of doing the
show, many of our misconceptions about history were challenged.
I'm ranting and going to stop, because I could go on forever.
ajf
(who can't wait until an all white Ain't Misbehavin pops up - if you want
casting ideas, let me know)
Matthew W Mitchell-Shiner
ALL IMHO . . .
I think a play that is about racial divides needs to be done either two
ways:
One, with the racial divides in mind, that is with a racial "correct"
cast for the script
Two, color blind, but racially diverse cast. I wouldn't mind seeing Once
on this Island with a racially diverse cast (I saw Wiz down this way very
well in a high school setting), down very stylistically, I mean the show
is a story being told.
An all white cast I think does run the risk of being offensive because
that is what the show is about, racism, and the act of putting the show
on might be racist. (I E, imagine the local KKK-Youth Group doing Once
on this Island - I know absurd example, but a thought). Where as Pippin
and Little Night Music have very little in the their text to deal with
themes of racism.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - -
Matthew Mitchell-Shiner(mat...@juno.com)
www.geocities.com/Broadway/8519
Stage Manager, Crazy for You, Western Stage, Salinas, California
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - -
On Tue, 17 Jun 1997 22:20:47 -0400 "Andrew J. Fox" <ajf...@is.nyu.edu>
writes:
>On Mon, 16 Jun 1997, W. Douglas Maurer wrote:
>
>)In my opinion: DROP THIS ONE.
>)What will happen is that at every performance there will be at least
>ten
>)people in the audience who came to see the original (black) Once On
>This
>)Island -- as soon as they see that it's all white folks they will
>walk out
>
Patrick Gaik
Contact the rights holder (MTI, I think). I belive there is an
alternate script available that changes the issue from race to
class (rich vs. poor). It cuts the one song (The Sad Tale of
the B....).
I saw a production done this way that used a mixed cast. They
were all very talented and the production was technically very
good, but it seemed to be missing something.
Pat
o o o o "To know you're there, we're deeply glad,
`//'//'//'//' deeply grateful, and deeply PLAID."
/\ /\ /\ /\
- Forever Plaid
StageStud
Original poster here-- My point with this thread was to help me clarify
the ability of this show to be performed with a white cast.....not because
I want to produce an all-white version of OOTI, but because of the lack of
available black talent in our area. I have one talented black girl that I
have worked with, and would be wonderful in the show, should she
audition--- I would cast her.
I'm sure many other directors out there are frustrated by the lack of
available multicultural performers willing to work in a community setting.
Does this mean certain shows should never be viewed by some audiences? I
would not want to do the Wiz for instance, unless it was at least widely
cast with a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Knowing I can't cast it that
way, I would instead do Wizard of Oz, even with the inferior scripted
version available.
When I worked for a company in Chicago, we had a terrible time casting
OOTI for tour......... and Ellington's Jump for Joy---- we had the same
problem.
I had heard a lot of 'buzz' about predominently white high schools doing
OOTI, and was wondering what your opinions were on the subject, and if
anyone had actually produced OOTI-- and how the problems were solved.
Having directed for 15 years, I have already worked with many, many pieces
of theatre. OOTI can not be compared to Brigadoon or Camelot, which are
both done to death here. OOTI offers a much different type of theatrical
experience........ the story-telling format, different styles of dance and
song, and unique costume and stage design opportunities. Thus, my interest
in producing it.
Jeff
Andrew J. Fox
On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Matthew W Mitchell-Shiner wrote:
)I think a play that is about racial divides needs to be done either two
)ways:
First of all, the play is not "about" racial divides. It is about love
overcoming prejudice and cultural divides. In the book and original
staging, i concede, it was racism as the divide, but I don't think that
changing it is classism takes away anything, especially when they authors
have provided alternate lyrics for just this.
W. Douglas Maurer
>)In my opinion: DROP THIS ONE.
>)What will happen is that at every performance there will be at least ten
>)people in the audience who came to see the original (black) Once On This
>)Island -- as soon as they see that it's all white folks they will walk out
>)done there.
>)You don't say whether your local area has *any* black performers at all. If
>)not, I don't really know how to advise you. If so, however -- if you can
>)cast half a show with blacks, but not a whole show -- there's always "Lost
>)In The Stars," which is just as lovely.
>
>
>How can you say this?? Would be upset if you went to see A Little Night
>Music and it was all black people? Or Pippin and it was all Asians?
Would I, personally, be upset? No.
Would most audience members be upset? No.
How many audience members would not be upset? Probably over 90%.
Would SOME audience members be upset enough to walk out? In my experience,
very definitely.
Would this get bad publicity for the original poster's theatre? In my
experience, very definitely.
This whole thread reminds me of the one on the fourth graders who were
supposed to see Man of La Mancha, and my answers are basically the same:
Would I, personally, be upset if my kid went? No.
Would most mothers be upset if their kids went? No.
How many mothers would not be upset? Probably over 90%.
Would SOME mothers be upset enough to go screaming to the principal, the
school board, the press, or whoever they can find? In my experience, very
definitely.
Now there are some exceptions to this, which have a lot to do with where
you are located. If you're in a big city in which everyone moves in a
multicultural environment, it's quite possible that no one would complain.
I guess I must have assumed that, if the original poster were in such an
environment, there would be no need to ask the question in the first place
-- the answer would be, of course, go ahead.
S Sittig
In article <Pine.OSF.3.95.970617...@is.nyu.edu>,
So? AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' was directed by a white person, and OOTI was directed
and choreographed by a white person (albeit a South American-Graciela
Daniele.)
The point is not what color the creator/director etc is, but what the main
theme of the show is. AM is about celebrating the music of FATS WALLER and
honoring a black composer who was unable to get credit at the time he wrote
the songs...he, as a black composer was not able to perform his songs for a
white audience, so white performers would buy the rights to his songs for 25
cents. Don't you see the irony if only white performers were cast in this
show?
To me, OOTI is a different story, yes, but it deals with the Beaux Hommes (a
lighter skinned tribe) and the natives who are darker skinned. This would all
be lost in an all white production. Why bother? Why not do DAMN YANKEES? Or
BRIGADOON?
Stefan
>
W. Douglas Maurer
On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Andrew J. Fox wrote:
>First of all, the play is not "about" racial divides. It is about love
>overcoming prejudice and cultural divides.
WHAT!!!
Did I see exactly the opposite play you did??
I saw Once On This Island at Toby's Dinner Theatre, Columbia, Maryland. The
whole point of the play was that love DID NOT overcome the cultural divide!!
The whole point of the play was that the poor girl fell in love with the
rich boy, who TOLD her that he loved her in return, but it was clearly a
lie because, when he got back to his rich girlfriend, he clearly showed
that he did NOT love her, he never HAD loved her, because if he did, then
he would have thrown over his rich girlfriend and married the poor one!
And the ONLY reason for this was the cultural divide (and, in the
production that I saw, the racial divide as well, very clearly -- the poor
girl had dark skin, while the rich girl's skin was what used to be called
"high-yaller" -- in other words, very light black.)
Andrew J. Fox
On Thu, 19 Jun 1997, W. Douglas Maurer wrote:
)I saw Once On This Island at Toby's Dinner Theatre, Columbia, Maryland. The
)whole point of the play was that love DID NOT overcome the cultural divide!!
)The whole point of the play was that the poor girl fell in love with the
)rich boy, who TOLD her that he loved her in return, but it was clearly a
)lie because, when he got back to his rich girlfriend, he clearly showed
)that he did NOT love her, he never HAD loved her, because if he did, then
)he would have thrown over his rich girlfriend and married the poor one!
I was talking about her love for him, not their love in general. Although
the romantic in me does believe that Daniel does still love her (as
opposed to you, who thinks he never did, but that isn't worth arguing).
)And the ONLY reason for this was the cultural divide (and, in the
)production that I saw, the racial divide as well, very clearly -- the poor
)girl had dark skin, while the rich girl's skin was what used to be called
)"high-yaller" -- in other words, very light black.)
As was the Bway & touring production. But I still maintain that the show
is not simply about race. It is about ALL prejudices, and their damaging
effects. To say it is just about race simplifies the story.
ajf
Andrew J. Fox
On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Patrick Gaik wrote:
)Contact the rights holder (MTI, I think). I belive there is an
)alternate script available that changes the issue from race to
)class (rich vs. poor). It cuts the one song (The Sad Tale of
)the B....).
No it doesn't cut the song. A few lyrics revisiosn are provided.
ajf
Karen Horn
W. Douglas Maurer (mau...@seas.gwu.edu) wrote:
: On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Andrew J. Fox wrote:
: >First of all, the play is not "about" racial divides. It is about love
: >overcoming prejudice and cultural divides.
: WHAT!!!
: Did I see exactly the opposite play you did??
[snip]
: production that I saw, the racial divide as well, very clearly -- the poor
: girl had dark skin, while the rich girl's skin was what used to be called
: "high-yaller" -- in other words, very light black.)
: Doug Maurer
Yes, agree.
I'd just seen ONCE ON THIS ISLAND this past Saturday up in
La Mirada. (Thanks for the recommendation, Adman.) Very well done.
All black cast...the ONLY thing that was a tad disconcerting to me
was that the woman playing Ti Moune was lighter skinned a bit than
the boy...and the rich girl was darker than she was too.
"Naturally" I filtered that out. BTW, I am _assuming_ that in the
B'way production Ti Moune was darker skinned than the rich people.
Am I right? Or did they cast "color blind" so-to-speak on that
isuse?
Karen
StageStud
Though I know some changes would be needed, I wouldn't understand why "Sad
Tale" would need cut. The line "they despised us, for our blackness" would
need altered, but on Broadway they used masks in this number anyway. I
think the race issue or rich vs poor serve the same purpose for the story.
The conflict, after all is much like Romeo & Juliet, in that they are "two
people from different worlds, never meant to meet". The story is about
love winning out over evil. Not specifically about race.
Jeff
StageStud
Original Poster here--The audiences upset expecting to see an all black
cast of OOTI and being disappointed? I hardly think that is a problem,
considering there may be 10 people in 80,000 who have ever heard of
OOTI,including thoses I work with! I am about 40 miles from Chicago. My
community is culturally mixed(55% white, 18% black & 27% Hisp.), but my
talent pool is 98% white. On the whole, in my area, ethnic groups do not
participate in cultural activities outside their group. They are not
interested. I had three black performers in my last production, all under
16 (one was 8), and that is the most I've had audition for me in six years
directing in this area. The locally community college just did WSS and had
to beg people to audition, and Maria, Anita and 80% of the Sharks were
still white. It is the result of the area I live in, and the fact that
their is no money spent in the local schools for drama, art, and music
(though a few small programs exist).
Even in Chicago it is difficult. They have a special unified audition for
minority performers, and minority audiences make up a small percentage of
the whole. I worked on Ellington's Jump for Joy (primarily Black cast) and
the theatre spent a majority of its advertising budget targeted towards
bringing in a minority audience. Since I worked front-of-house every
performance, I can say that maybe 2% of the audience overall was from an
ethnic background other than white. Its education folks, we are not
spending enough money in the schools and community to introduce younger
generations to theatre and the arts. No wonder audiences, performers, and
volunteers are disappearing.
Jeff
W. Douglas Maurer
>Original Poster here--The audiences upset expecting to see an all black
>cast of OOTI and being disappointed? I hardly think that is a problem,
>considering there may be 10 people in 80,000 who have ever heard of
>OOTI,including thoses I work with! I am about 40 miles from Chicago. My
>community is culturally mixed(55% white, 18% black & 27% Hisp.), but my
>talent pool is 98% white. On the whole, in my area, ethnic groups do not
>participate in cultural activities outside their group. They are not
>interested. I had three black performers in my last production, all under
>16 (one was 8), and that is the most I've had audition for me in six years
>directing in this area. The locally community college just did WSS and had
>to beg people to audition, and Maria, Anita and 80% of the Sharks were
>still white. It is the result of the area I live in, and the fact that
>their is no money spent in the local schools for drama, art, and music
>(though a few small programs exist).
I am the poster whose advice was originally: DROP THIS ONE. However,
another poster has mentioned an alternate script. By all means, have a look
at the alternate script. If you think that it works, then go ahead with it.
I can very easily see how people can imagine at least one Caribbean island
with no local blacks, but with rich and poor. (Personally, I don't think
such an island exists, in reality, but that shouldn't matter.)
Wh1teBoy
"Original Poster here--The audiences upset expecting to see an all black
cast of OOTI and being disappointed? I hardly think that is a problem,
considering there may be 10 people in 80,000 who have ever heard of
OOTI,including thoses I work with! I am about 40 miles from Chicago. My
community is culturally mixed(55% white, 18% black & 27% Hisp.), but my
talent pool is 98% white. On the whole, in my area, ethnic groups do not
participate in cultural activities outside their group. They are not
interested."
I know that must get frustrating. Theoretically your talent pool should
equal those same 55-18-27 percentages as the general population. Maybe
you could look for different creative, aggressive ways of targeting the
the auditions and the audience toward the minority markets.
Help the communities see that your theatre is NOT outside their group -
that it represents EVERYONE in the community. Bring people of color on
board at the theatre thru-out the decision-making process, and find ways
to make it clear that its not just some dog&pony show for a bunch of white
people. Believe me - they ARE interested. But probably intimidated,
suspicious, and like you said - todays schools are doing a HORRIBLE job
exposing kids to theatre. So what ends up happening is that mostly white
kids whose parents can AFFORD to take them to these shows become the only
ones interested in participating. Maybe you could find a way to get
involved with the schools, connect your theatre to their drama classes
etc... create a "buzz". Kids also need to be re-assured that plays aren't
"corny" or for sissies. Jazz it up...
As for bringing in a new audience, maybe ticket prices are the bottom
line. How much are you charging? You don't wanna give away the bank, but
sometimes a few dollars makes a difference between reaching the community,
or only reaching the more affluent crowd. Again, bringing people of color
on board to help out is a major first step.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Michael Spillers
Andrew J. Fox
On 20 Jun 1997, Karen Horn wrote:
)"Naturally" I filtered that out. BTW, I am _assuming_ that in the
)B'way production Ti Moune was darker skinned than the rich people.
)Am I right? Or did they cast "color blind" so-to-speak on that
)isuse?
La Chanze (Ti Moune) was darker skinned than Jerry Dixon (Daniel) and the
actress who played Andrea, whose name escapes me.
ajf
Brandon VandeBrake
"W. Douglas Maurer" <mau...@seas.gwu.edu> writes:
>On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Andrew J. Fox wrote:
>>First of all, the play is not "about" racial divides. It is about love
>>overcoming prejudice and cultural divides.
>WHAT!!!
>Did I see exactly the opposite play you did??
>I saw Once On This Island at Toby's Dinner Theatre, Columbia, Maryland. The
>whole point of the play was that love DID NOT overcome the cultural divide!!
Actually, the stated point of the play is love conquering death, which it
does when Ti Moune refrains from killing Daniel, then cheats death herself
by becoming a tree. Obviously, what we are supposed to conclude from this is
that it is easier to conquer death than to conquer cultural divides. 8-)
--
Brandon VandeBrake A mathematician is a device for
Ricketts Hovse Librarian turning coffee into theorems.
bra...@cco.caltech.edu ---Paul Erdos
----------http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~branvan---------
Andrew J. Fox
On Fri, 20 Jun 1997, W. Douglas Maurer wrote:
)I am the poster whose advice was originally: DROP THIS ONE. However,
)another poster has mentioned an alternate script. By all means, have a look
)at the alternate script. If you think that it works, then go ahead with it.
)I can very easily see how people can imagine at least one Caribbean island
)with no local blacks, but with rich and poor. (Personally, I don't think
)such an island exists, in reality, but that shouldn't matter.)
To be technical, it is the French Antilles, not the Carribean.
As for alternative script, it is not a whole different script, but a few
lyrics changes.
"They despise us for our blackness" becomes "They despise us, they deny
us"
"Blacker than coal and low as dirt" becomes "Out of the fields and low as
dirt"
there is one or two more that I forget.
ajf
Malinee M. Chuaprasert
In a previous article, stag...@aol.com (StageStud) says:
>I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
>all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
>show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
>as it was originally performed.
>Feel free to comment on this...... I know I'm asking for it, and no, I
>don't think its the same as doing an all white version of Porgy and Bess
>or Dreamgirls.
>
>Jeff
>
I realize I'm a little late catching up on the thread here, but...
I was involved in a production of Once On This Island about 2 years ago,
and we did not have an all black cast. The script actually has some
alternate wording to change the racial prejudice focus. We did have a
mixed cast, but the show was casted blindly. (Ti Moune and Ton Ton were
white, Euralie and Papa Ge were black, and Daniel was Hispanic.)
Personally, I think it worked very well.
I say, go for it. It's a fun show with great music and opportunity for
some wonderful choreography.
Malinee
--
They break your heart, they steal your soul, * Love,
tear you apart, and yet they somehow make you whole. * Malinee
So what's their game? I suppose a rose by any other name, *
the perfume and the prick's the same. *
accompa...@gmail.com
> I was wondering if anyone has seen or done a production of OOTI with an
> all white cast? Did it work? How were the racial lines drawn? I love this
> show and would really like to produce it locally, but could never cast it
> as it was originally performed.
> Feel free to comment on this...... I know I'm asking for it, and no, I
> don't think its the same as doing an all white version of Porgy and Bess
> or Dreamgirls.
>
> Jeff