[Mb-hair] A Few Questions

[richard haase]

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
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