I don’t remember there being two Egypts in my World Geography class, but I obviously missed something.
Bay Street Theater and DreamWorks Theatricals tried it with their casting choices for the lead roles in the upcoming reading of ThePrince of Egypt. And when I say “tried it,” I mean every single lead character would pass the paper bag test with flying colors. I mean the melanin deficiency is off the charts. It’s almost like none of them are of African descent. Wait.
Ok, there is Solea Pfeiffer. *blank stare*
There is no need to go into listing every single actor or talking about how they shouldn’t have taken the roles. I don’t know these people. Maybe they have rent to pay. Maybe they haven’t eaten in weeks. Maybe they haven’t worked in months. Maybe there aren’t an immense number of three-dimensional characters for people who lack color.
I. DON’T. KNOW.
What I DO know is that the real problem started at the top.
How ignorant and downright disrespectful does one have to be to go out of their way to miscast? There could not have been a greater opportunity to cast non-white actors, yet here we are with a Moses the color of mayonnaise! WHY.
What really gets me is the fact that we just had an incredible season of beautiful stories centered around varying degrees of color. The theatre world nearly pulled a muscle trying to pat itself on the back for being so “diverse.” Yet here we are with Milk of Magnesia in Egypt. Leslie Odom Jr. said that we “shouldn’t be so quick to praise” and to look to the next two seasons to see if there has actually been change. Lin Manuel-Miranda simply called last season a “fluke.” Both men seem to have been correct.
I get it. There are times when ethnicity isn’t essential to the story. This is not one of those instances.
“Well, Hamilton cast real historical figures as a different race!” SHUT UP! Stop being willfully ignorant and obtuse.
Hamilton’s casting created opportunities for POC, because there are significantly fewer fully fleshed out roles for them. And even when there are opportunities the roles are STILL given to white people. I bring your attention back to The Prince Of Egypt.
There is no reason why a theatre that has employed POC in the past missed the mark on this. How does one go from Norm Lewis and Patina Miller to every shade of milk? It is not only disappointing, it is infuriating! The blatant disrespect is unacceptable and something needs to be done.
This is the part where I usually wrap it up by offering solutions to the problem. There’s only one solution.
Yes, You read that right. Snoop Dogg will make his theatrical debut in a new stage play titled Redemption of a Dogg also starring R&B superstar Tamar Braxton. Teaming up with the same producer who brought us Set It Off Live!, Je’CaryousJohnson, the play will begin touring in October starting in Houston, TX.
Johnson also serves as writer and director for the production, described as the chronicles of “a character built around the persona of Snoop Dogg – a multi-faceted character who is a gangsta rapper, family man and man of God.”
The stage play is said to ‘examine the internal battle one man has between preserving his life-long legacy and losing the love of his life when he is faced with choosing fame and fortune over faith and family.”
“Redemption of a Dogg is set against a backdrop of Snoop Dogg’s greatest hits, as well as, songs from his recently released chart-topping Gospel album, Bible Of Love.” according to the press release.
“Please believe you’ve never seen urban theatre like this! With my flavor and his (Je’Caryous Johnson) expertise, we’re gonna bring the people an unmissable show. I can’t wait for everyone out there to see it!” — Snoop Dogg
FALL 2018 REDEMPTION OF A DOGG TOUR DATES:
October 5-7 Houston, TX Hobby Center
October 11 Newark, NJ NJPAC
October 12-13 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
October 14 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre
October 19 St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre
October 20-21 Chicago, IL Arie Crown
October 25-27 Detroit, MI Music Hall
October 28 Cleveland, OH KeyBank State Theatre
November 2 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
November 8 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall
November 9-11 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
November 16 Los Angeles, CA Microsoft Theater
November 17 Long Beach, CA Terrace Theater
November 18 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre
*Dates Subject to Change Without Notice and More Cities To Be Added
It’s time Y’all, for the 2018 Tony Awards. This Sunday. Go to church. Grab a plate from your grandma or play-cousins house and get comfy!
Some of the performances we are looking ready for include the wig snatch that is Caissie Levy! Bruce Springsteen, who is also going to rock the stage! EVERYTHING that is Once On This Island! While we too are secretly hoping for that Yolanda Adams bop from Spongebob The Musical to be performed, we know whatever Tina Landau and her aquatic squad bring to the Radio City Stage is sure to help us get through the inevitable Tony recovery week that looms head on Monday.
New musicals nominated include: “The Bands Visit,” “Mean Girls,” “Frozen,” and “Spongebob Squarepants The Musical,” each nominated for Best New Musical. Adding to that list, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” which brings along two performance nominations.
This season of musical revivals includes “Carousel”, “Once On This Island”, and “My Fair Lady”.
Once on This Island Photo: Joan Marcus
Plays nominated this season, new and revived, include: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, “The Children”, “Farinelli And The King”, “Junk”, “Latin History for Morons, Angels In America”, “Three Tall Women”, “The Iceman Cometh”, “Lobby Hero”, “Travesties”, and Saint Joan’s Condola Rashad.
Some of the presenters include Bernadette Peters, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kerry Washington, Titus Burgess, and Viola Davis (not really. But if we say her name in the mirror three times, she’ll appear right?)
Who else is set to appear? Glad you asked. You’ll see the familiar faces of Uzo Aduba, Leslie Odom Jr., James Monroe Iglehart, Christopher Jackson, and more!
So tune in to CBS June 10th, Sunday at 8 pm eastern time to catch all the fantastic performances and see who gets to turn from Tony Award Nominee to Tony Award winner!
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