[Mb-hair] A Few Questions

[richard haase]

i dont quite understand were youre coming from joe
basically you have the lead roles; there are 10 or so etc
then you have the tribe
you can to some extent condense the tribe
having a smaller number of tribe members do the tribal parts
or where logical having some of the main players etc
do tribe lines etc
i dont remember exactly but i did a major production of the show in nyc at
meryl streeps brothers place
in 80 - 81
with a cast of 15ish
you can certainly condense the cast
but
to take out the black people would make the thing suck
really
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <joseph.simon at fandm.edu>
To: <mb-hair at islandlists.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Mb-hair] A Few Questions


> Yeah.  I know, and there are plenty of african americans on campus
> here who would be more than happy to play the role.  I was just
> looking at what else has been done that's all.  thanks for all your
> help!
>
> >import some joe
> >but honestly if thats touchy
> >bringing in black people
> >why would you want to do hair?
> >an all white hair?
> >kind of an oxy moron
> >anyway good luck joe
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: <joseph.simon at fandm.edu>
> >To: <mb-hair at islandlists.com>
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:44 AM
> >Subject: RE: [Mb-hair] A Few Questions
> >
> >
> >>  Yes, I meant gender switching in regards to the diversity problem.
> >>  Thank you very much for you suggestions.  My problem lies
> >>  specifically in African Americans, I have enough people of color for
> >>  a good tribe, there just really is not an African American influence
> >>  in the organization I am a part of.  Thanks again for your help.
> >>
> >>
> >>  >Hi Joe, and welcome to the Hair list.
> >>  >
> >>  >It would be hard to do a production of Hair without at least a small
> >>  >amount of racial diversity in the cast. I have seen many productions
> >>  >that had only a few people of color in the Tribe, and seen that
> >>  >work, although the strongest productions are often those with a
> >>  >larger mix. There are songs and lines in Hair that reference racial
> >>  >equality, and this is one of Hair's messages. Even such simple lines
> >>  >as in Claude's hallucination when a black man and a white man take
> >>  >each others arms and say "Black and white go nice together, don't
> >>  >they?" would have to be cut or changed. Not to mention the song
> >>  >Colored Spade.
> >>  >
> >>  >Certain roles, and the songs those characters sing, are written
> >>  >specifically to be played by African American actors and actresses,
> >>  >while others are not specified. I have seen success with gender
> >>  >switching in the role of Hud. Delores Hall understudied that role on
> >>  >Broadway, and was good when she played it. Hud isn't necessarily a
> >>  >man, but he is most definitely black. Your problem is not an
> >>  >uncommon one, sadly, and I believe some companies have tried casting
> >>  >this role with a caucasian actor. I would have a hard time thinking
> >>  >that could work, but perhaps others here who have struggled with
> >>  >this situation can tell you more about it than I can, never having
> >>  >seen it done.
> >>  >
> >>  >There are other ways to fill in your company - perhaps you could
> >>  >open auditions to faculty and staff? To people outside the school
> >>  >community because of these special circumstances? I would strongly
> >>  >encourage you to try and find some ethnic diversity if you are
> >>  >mounting a production of Hair.
> >>  >
> >>  >I am not sure what you are asking in your last paragraph, when you
> >>  >speak of vocal or gender switching. Do you mean to solve this
> >>  >problem, or in the show in general?
> >>  >
> >>  >Nina
> >>  >The Hair Archives
> >>  >http://www.michaelbutler.com/hair/holding/Hair.html
> >>  >
> >>  >
> >>  >_______________________________________________
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> >>  >Mb-hair at islandlists.com
> >>  >http://www.islandlists.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mb-hair
> >>
> >>
> >>  --
> >>  Joseph Simon
> >>
> >>  "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."
> >>  -Shakespeare
> >>  _______________________________________________
> >>  Mb-hair mailing list
> >>  Mb-hair at islandlists.com
> >>  http://www.islandlists.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mb-hair
> >_______________________________________________
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> >Mb-hair at islandlists.com
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>
>
> -- 
> Joseph Simon
>
> "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."
> -Shakespeare
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