Something To Talk About

A few filmmaker friends have emailed this article to me. Neil LaBute wrote an editorial of sorts called "The Cast System". The caption under the title reads, "When great actors are denied great roles on the stage because of their skin color, there's a problem. Even if they are white."

At first I was going to put down this deep analysis but honestly I want to go to Mike's and have some pancakes. I had a crazy night last night where some crazy guy was banging on the front door of our building at 3am. He was ringing all of the doorbells looking for someone he was fighting with. We have no idea if he actually wanted to yell at someone in our building or if he had the wrong building. We're not sure. We called the police and he went away. (They did not come fast enough in my opinion.) I was really happy that I had a friend in my buiding. We were both pretty freaked out but were able to handle it.

I am curious what you guys think about this Neil LaBute editorial. It is at the bottom of this entry. My fast analysis is that it really is a window into some feelings people have about affirmative action. I have no problem with white actors playing roles by people of color in a world where people of color get equal consideration for all roles. This is not really the world we live in. I think it's cool every once in a while when a director is trying something really provocative. I for one would pay top dollar to see this Raisin in the Sun production that LaBute wants to do with Brad Pitt. I'm not sure he's right for Walter Lee at all, forget the fact that he is white! Walter Lee has a quiet desperation that Pitt just can not convey but it would be cool to see him try.

I am not aware of all of these instances where great white actors can not play all of these roles meant for people of color. If Liev Schrieber wants to play Othello, I am pretty sure he could find an investor who would help him do that. The question would be if he would want to take the heat. And I do think that because of the dearth of roles for people of color in the theater, there is a right for there to be some heat that people have to take for taking those roles away from them. In other words, you better have a damn good reason.

LaBute's problem in this article is that he a bit too glib. Comments like, "I understand about slavery and all that ..." and "Call me crazy or mad or just plain racist (I've already been called everything else). You can even call me "nappy-headed" if you'd like — just take a look at my picture sometime. It's true. But honestly, let's not waste any more valuable time in our lives fussing about something that doesn't really matter."

This actually came up a lot when I working on the Alvin Ailey documentary. I watched a lot of archival footage for the film. In some of it, the white dancers admitted having a hard time with the fact that there were dances they could never do. One of Alvin Ailey's most famous pieces, "Cry", created for Judith Jamison in 1971, is a solo set to music by Alice Coltrane, Laura Nyro and the Voices of East Harlem and dedicated to ''all black women everywhere - especially our mothers.'' When Ailey created this piece, he stipulated that it never be danced by anyone who is not of color. It is one of the greatest solo dances ever created. If I were an amazing Ailey dancer, I would want to do that dance. It's incredible. But Ailey created Cry to highlight African American women. It is just not appropriate for a White woman to do this dance no matter how good it is.

It's hard for me to see a white performer doing a piece meant for a person of color when the piece is specifically about race and opression specific to being that ethnicity. Plus, I sort of think it would downright strange to watch Alec Baldwin in an August Wilson play or Ryan Gosling playing Booth in Suzan Lori-Parks' Topdog/Underdog.

OK, now I am having my pancakes. The Forum on the LA Times is fascinating as well. Happy Sunday!

THE CAST SYSTEM
When great actors are denied great roles on the stage because of their skin color, there's a problem. Even if they are white.
by Neil LaBute for the LA Times

THERE'S a wonderful old theater story about Laurence Olivier in the 1960s — he was playing in "Othello" and receiving generally glowing notices opposite Frank Findlay and a young actress by the name of Maggie Smith. One night, however, as he stormed through the jealous general's odyssey, Olivier seemed to be on fire (not literally, of course, because that would be painful, and, while certainly an interesting if too literal take on the Moor's passionate histrionics, pretty "out there" as an interpretation of Shakespeare, even for the '60s).

Backstage he was approached by his colleagues, who found him, rather than overjoyed by his brilliant portrayal, staring mournfully (as only Olivier could supposedly do) into his dressing room mirror. One meekly said to him, "You were magnificent tonight, Larry," to which he moodily answered, "I know." Another of his costars continued on, brave enough to ask, "Then what's the matter?" Olivier turned to them and wearily said, "I don't know how I did it."

Even if that story isn't true, I want it to be because it's not just a terrific tale about one of the great stage actors of the 20th century, but also a perfect example of the actor's alchemy in general. How do they do it? I don't know exactly — and I'm around them all the time.

The focus of my thoughts here, however, is not about the way in which actors go about crafting their work but about the opportunities they have to do that work. If Olivier was alive today, young and vibrant and working in the theater, we might never have that story to tell for one simple reason: In these troubled times, the man would never be allowed to put on blackface and play that role. Hell, he wouldn't be allowed to perform it if he went out in a strawberry-blond wig and clown makeup.

Now this probably won't stop somebody from having the bright idea of casting Beyoncé in the role, but Liev Schreiber — as fine a Shakespearean actor as this country has at the moment — will never have a shot at the part. For most white actors today, roles of color — from the classics to some of the sensational writing that is currently being done for the theater — are not even an option for them, and I'm not sure why.

For a time this idea was given the name "color-blind" casting, but the only thing it seemed to be blind to was the fact that it wasn't a two-way street; it was obviously designed to provide opportunity for minorities rather than put the best person in a role, regardless of color.

I suppose this is the notion of equal opportunity rearing its fearsome head again — and if it is, can we stop using the word "equal" in that phrase?

Or is it something far deeper and much simpler: What are people going to think of us for even suggesting such a thing?

Maybe.

I understand about slavery and all that, but that was a generally unpleasant time in our national history and it's firmly in the past. No one but a few folks who own "The Dukes of Hazzard: The Complete First Season" continue to think that slavery brought this country anything but shame and heartache. So we should all get over it, say we're sorry — I'm happy to do that to anybody who stops me at the Grove — and move on. Anyone whose ancestors were slaughtered by the U.S. Cavalry or spent time in a wartime internment camp may line up directly behind.

This is a nation of great promise and stunning achievement, yet our road to freedom is paved with blood and ambition; but, hey, enough about Hollywood. Today we should embrace the idea of a collective history and speed off into the future holding hands, enjoying and understanding the wonderful variety of our various cultures and head toward the glowing sun of a better tomorrow. And while we're doing this, why not acknowledge the achievements of several of our greatest playwrights — people like Lorraine Hansberry, David Henry Hwang, José Rivera, August Wilson, etc. — by allowing anybody who wants to play the parts they've written the opportunity to do so?

Don't forget, these actors still have to find a theater company brave (or crazy) enough to cast them. But if that happens — if someone does allow me to mount my all-white version of "A Raisin in the Sun" — then please let us proceed. I promise you, we'll be doing it not to be provocative but because it's a terrific American play. Don't picket outside the theater or send letters to the editor — if you have to, though, do that first rather than start up another annoying blog — or ask CBS to take away my radio show. (I actually don't have one, so relax, you can continue sleeping in in the mornings.)

Just think about it for a moment, though: Why do we barely bat an eye at an all-black version of "Long Day's Journey Into Night" or when Denzel Washington wants to play the title role in "Richard III" (did they really think this is what was meant by the "black prince"?) or Brutus in "Julius Caesar"? Mind you, I'm not complaining — great work has come from these brave and adventurous ideas — but why shouldn't it cut both ways? Isn't it simple prejudice to suggest that we should think otherwise?

Color is going to remain the great dividing line as long as we allow it to be. That's a simple fact. Religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality — all have fallen under the heavy wheel of progress, and thank heavens for that (although I'd rather not get into the "God" issue right now), but race remains the most feared stumbling block in the theater (and in society at large). That, and: Will this play sell tickets?

Now, I suppose if Brad Pitt (a big star and a hugely underrated actor) suggested that he was interested in the role of Walter in "A Raisin in the Sun" — I'm coming to you first, Brad, when I raise the money — then I can believe wily producers would begin hustling the idea quickly around the Great White Way (which is not a racial thing but fits very nicely into my theme).

Surprisingly, it's easy to forget that so much in the arts today is driven by pure, unadulterated economics — so much so that even a radical idea like this, one that would normally make Al Sharpton quiver with indignant rage, might seem palatable to him if he could raise enough money to get in on the ground floor of a Pitt performance on Broadway.

'Call me crazy'

MAYBE this is a just silly idea — maybe "West Side Story" was a fluke and people really should play only characters that fit their looks and color and where they were born. I'm sure when the musical gets a decent revival in New York or London — and this needs to happen, people, it's the one musical score of genius this country has produced — then there will be a major uproar if anyone other than a Latina actress is cast as Maria.

Fair enough. Or is it? Shouldn't the best person for the part be considered, no matter what amount of makeup they have to wear or accent they need to conquer? If a major talent like, say, Kevin Spacey (who has continued to return to the stage throughout his career) decides he'd like to take a shot at playing Othello rather than Iago — but let's be serious for a moment, can you imagine how good that guy would be as Iago? — then let's let him do it. He's running the Old Vic, after all, taking on the headache of steering a major arts institution in London during the prime of his career. So if he has a hankering to wear coal dust smeared on his face every night in search of a greater truth, who are we to tell him no?

Even if you argue the point about the dust — I mean, we don't want to offend anybody who ever had a family member who spent his life working in a coal mine — why shouldn't Mr. Spacey march out on stage each night and put his arrogant trust (Othello's, not Spacey's) in Iago, begin to suspect his wife of an affair and finally kill Desdemona and himself in a fit of rage. And as far as I'm concerned, Desdemona can be any color she pleases.

Call me crazy or mad or just plain racist (I've already been called everything else). You can even call me "nappy-headed" if you'd like — just take a look at my picture sometime. It's true. But honestly, let's not waste any more valuable time in our lives fussing about something that doesn't really matter. If an Englishman puts on an Irish accent and can fool us successfully, then let him do it without our worrying about Cromwell and Belfast and the entire history of Ireland. If some white actress out there has her heart set on playing Madame Butterfly and she's got the vocal chops (I'm already sorry I used the word "chops"), then shut up and let the girl sing.

This is not an argument about opportunity or imbalance; all I'm asking is that you let the theater, that last bastion of illusion — a place of magic and hope and imagination — remain exactly that. The stuff that dreams are made of.

*

LaBute's works include the plays "Bash," "The Distance From Here," "The Mercy Seat" and "This Is How It Goes." Films include "In the Company of Men" and "The Shape of Things."

Comments

[Prince Gomolvilas]

Totally agree with you. It's not so much WHAT LaBute says but HOW he says it. Forget the fact that his thesis doesn't hold water in modern day society--he's so smug about everything. I wrote about his article too at:

http://bamboonation.blogspot.com/2007/05/fatter-pig.html

Thanks for sharing.

[beebs]

I'm actually surprised at how kind you were in conveying all this- because I think Labute is an arrogant priveleged little brat. I agree with everything you said!!!!- I'm sorry but I am not crying a river because Kevin Spacey is confined to ten million other Shakespearian roles out there. Secondly- I am not even sure that color blind casting truly works in either direction regarding historical pieces of work were the writers WROTE exact character descriptions! Hamlet- was the DANISH prince. August Wilson wrote his ten plays about the AFRICAN AMERICAN experience and g-d dammit no one but an Asian actress should play Madame butterfly because how many freakin roles are out there for Asian women?????? This is not about racism- its about respecting the work the way it was written. That said a play is about PLAYING- and Labute is right- it should be magical and open to any kind of trick of the mind; be it convincing me that an actor is another color simply by their craft. However Labute is the last poster child for equal opportunity- I hate to say it but I think that most of the people that have issues with affirmative action and other things related are dealing with some form of suppressed white guilt and projecting it. Someone should really inform Labute that racism is not contained to just a few people who own "the Dukes of Hazzard box set" its a pandemic national crisis and if the politics alone revolving around this upcoming election don't tell Mr Labute that -I don't know what will!

Sorry- I can't freaking stand that guy! Oh and In the company of men was GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!

(phew)

[The Rover]

Neil (I can be on a first name basis with him, because he dated my ex - long story) misses the point completely - which is completely shocking, because he's a writer.

The most important thing is telling the story.

You can have a black Hamlet, or a brown Medea because the story isn't about race. It's about something else. Similiarly, because Othello does deal with race, you can have a brown Othello, or go the Patrick Stewart route and have a white Othello with a brown/black cast. It's still making the same point. I fail to see however, what an all-white cast of Fences would bring to the play. And the same rules apply for gender, by the way.

Why doesn't he bankroll a white "Raisin"? He's got enough money? Shucks, he must not have the stones...

[bella]

Rover you are right- I just hate Neil LAbute. BTW- that Patrick Stewart Othello sounds really intrigueing- was it only in LA? I still want Madame Butterfly to be Asian though.

[The Rover]

I'm pretty sure it was on Broadway, actually. And, as I remember, there was no big outcry about that one. Stick that one in your pipe and smoke it, Neil.

[L. Britt]

He's an idiot! I can't take him or his argument seriously because he's not taking anything seriously. He, who writes the whitest plays on the planet. "Slavery and all that." What an idiot!

[beebs]

Ditto!

[tracey]

i have to say, and i know this isn't exactly PC... but the feeling i got when reading this... was just Wow... can't we have anything? really, can't we just have anything w/out your need to co-opt our shit? i mean, really... for the last couple of years, all we've been hearing is how joss stone is the re-incarnation of black soul... almost every critically acclaimed film about people of color made in the last 10 years (and beyond, for that matter) has been by white people... and i'm not just talking about Dreamgirls (mainly cause i think it sucked, but that's another story)... from Quinciera to Tsoti, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Whale Rider, Our Song, Raising Victor Vargas, Girlfight, etc... need I go on... and all this is the age of so-called equal opportunity... it's not enough to co-opt our bodies, our neighborhoods, our style, speech or music.... you must assert your right to the very stories we tell to save ourselves...

not to mention, the fact that he's relegated the whole basis of racism in America to "something that doesn't really matter anyway," means that he doesn't understand what Lorraine or August were talking about in the first place... and if that's not the best reason, why he has no place being anything more than a paying audience member at any production of their work, I'm not sure what it is....

[tuckergurl]

Preach Tracey! You said somethings I did not have the guts to say (except the Dreamgirls dig, I liked that movie man! Am I the only one?) Tracey, I salute you.

[Beebs]

Tracey, I think you are totally right. I really don't think there is anything wrong with what you are saying! I get annoyed when pretty waspy women play Jewish women because I think it says something about the beauty archetype.

I think what you wrote is what I was sort of getting at regarding a writer's intent as well. Yes Rover I agree that the craft of acting can suspend disbelief but shouldn't the plays that have brought African Americans to the forefront of the cannon be preserved at this time and place for African Americans to interpret- I am more than happy as a white person to just sit my ass down in the audience and learn. Secondly, you are so right- until people stop thinking that racism (for that matter sexism, agism, and bodyism- if thats a word) is a dated notion of the past then we cannot share in the wealth of great roles offered by Lorraine, August, Baraka and the likes of such.

As a side note tucker- I thought that Tracey's words were yours until I got to the bottom. Funny.

This was a really nice post- thanks for this and the judd APatow post.

[Rose]

Can't we all just get along? Sorry, I just had to say it. Yeah, we'd like to see theater all warm and fuzzy, but, it's not going to happen. The problem I have with some African American's going after the roles slated for African American's is, they are whiter than I am. Their great-great-great-great grandmother was an African American, and they've chosen to take that on. I went to school with a girl who had her scholarships, her everything based on checking that box, and she was blue eyed, pale skinned. Don't play the game because it demeans those who are struggling against racism.

Rover needs to cough up the dirt, because a friend of mine dated him, too.

[anthony d'juan]

The LaBute article pushed me aback. I have directed two of his plays (Bash and The Distance From Here -- one of his best next to The Mercy Seat) and I must say, it is a sad case (and a ridiculous stance) that LaBute takes. I agree with what is being said. It is all based in his wording. I wrote a blog on the article too. you can find it at this link: (http://djuan-shelton.blogspot.com/)

[anthony d'juan]

The LaBute article pushed me aback. I have directed two of his plays (Bash and The Distance From Here -- one of his best next to The Mercy Seat) and I must say, it is a sad case (and a ridiculous stance) that LaBute takes. I agree with what is being said. It is all based in his wording. I wrote a blog on the article too. you can find it at this link: (http://djuan-shelton.blogspot.com/)