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Black on the Great White WayBlack on the Great White WayAudra McDonald, Colorblind Casting and the Power of IdentityAudra McDonald, Colorblind Casting and the Power of Identity
Gabrielle LevyMUS-185
Final Paper
Black ON THE Great White Way
"If you grow up singing Funny Girl but no one will ever cast you as Fanny Brice, you look for people doing work that might welcome you, and what they are doing will not typically be Funny Girl but Medea."
"If you grow up singing Funny Girl but no one will ever cast you as Fanny Brice, you look for people doing work that might welcome you, and what they are doing will not typically be Funny Girl but Medea."
Green, Jesse. “Diva of the Difficulty Song.” New York Times. 7 Nov 1999.
Black ON THE Great White Way
"Basically, actors play themselves. From the director's point of view, the ideal is to cast someone as close to the character being portrayed as possible. From the actor's point of view, the ideal is to replicate your real-life emotions on stage, honestly playing yourself rather than "hiding behind the character." From the audience's (and thus the critic's) point of view, you are supposed to "reality test" the performances against your experience of everyday life.
Thus, if a white man on stage purports to have a daughter who is in fact a black woman, lights flash in your head. This could never happen! "Blacks do not belong in parts for white actresses," Simon was quoted as saying, "unless they can pass for white"
Hornby, Richard. “Interracial Casting.” The Hudson Review Vol. 42 No. 3. (1989)
Black ON THE Great White Way
RagtimeBook: Terrance McNally
Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Music: Steven FlahertyBased on the novel by E.L. Doctorow
Brian Stokes Mitchell“Coalhouse”
Marin Mazzie“Mother”
Mark Jacoby“Father”
Audra McDonald“Sarah”
Peter Friedman“Tateh”
Book: Terrance McNally
Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Music: Steven FlahertyBased on the novel by E.L. Doctorow
Brian Stokes Mitchell“Coalhouse”
Marin Mazzie“Mother”
Mark Jacoby“Father”
Audra McDonald“Sarah”
Peter Friedman“Tateh”
McDonald and Mitchell singing “Wheels of a Dream”
Black ON THE Great White Way
CarouselCarouselBook: Richard Rogers
Lyrics: Richard Rogers
Music: Oscar Hammerstein IIAdapted from Ferenc Molnár’s Liliom
Sally Murphy
“Julie”
Michael Hayden
“Billy”
Audra McDonald
“Carrie”
Shirley Verrett
“Nettie”
Book: Richard Rogers
Lyrics: Richard Rogers
Music: Oscar Hammerstein IIAdapted from Ferenc Molnár’s Liliom
Sally Murphy
“Julie”
Michael Hayden
“Billy”
Audra McDonald
“Carrie”
Shirley Verrett
“Nettie”Performing “Mister Snow” at Broadway’s Best at Pops
Black ON THE Great White Way
110 in the Shade110 in the ShadeBook: N. Richard Nash
Lyrics: Tom Jones
Music: Harvey SchmidtBased on The Rainmaker by Nash
Audra McDonald
“Lizzie”
John Cullum
“H.C. Curry”
Steve Kazee
“Starbuck”
Christopher Innvar
“File”
Book: N. Richard Nash
Lyrics: Tom Jones
Music: Harvey SchmidtBased on The Rainmaker by Nash
Audra McDonald
“Lizzie”
John Cullum
“H.C. Curry”
Steve Kazee
“Starbuck”
Christopher Innvar
“File”With John Cullum, singing “Raunchy”
Black ON THE Great White Way
Broadway roles, 1994-2007Broadway roles, 1994-2007Show Role Written (racial) categorization Awards
Carousel Carrie White (1870s) Tony, DD (won)
Master Class Sharon A Soprano Tony (won)
Ragtime Sarah Black, from Harlem (1906) Tony (won)
Marie Christine Marie Mixed-race, voodoo-practicing (1890s) Tony (nom)
Dreamgirls Deena Black, pop and disco star (1962-1972) n/a
A Raisin in the Sun Ruth Black housewife (1950s) Tony, DD (won), Emmy (nom)
Passion Clara Italian (1860s) n/a
110 in the Shade Lizzie White, spinster (1936) Tony (nom), DD (won)
Black ON THE Great White Way
"Singing for Ms. McDonald is just a more emphatic and articulate way of talking, one that’s needed when emotions are so intense they can’t be captured without the texture and shading of melody. When you listen to Ms. McDonald’s Lizzie sing … you don’t know how she feels; you feel how she feels."
Brantley, Ben. “Neither Rain Nor Love Till a Guy Promises Both.” New York Times. 10 Mar. 2007.
Black ON THE Great White Way
“Mister Snow” - Carousel (1994)“Mister Snow” - Carousel (1994)
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Black ON THE Great White Way
“Raunchy” - 110 in the Shade (2007)“Raunchy” - 110 in the Shade (2007)
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Black ON THE Great White Way
“Happy Days are Here Again”/ “Get Happy” - with Patti LuPone
“Happy Days are Here Again”/ “Get Happy” - with Patti LuPone
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