College pressured to cancel “West Side Story” due to lack of minority actors (1 Viewer)

[squistion]

50 minutes ago, Stealthycat said:

so only black actors can play black famous people/characters etc or only LGBT actors can play LGBT roles ........... but anybody can play white or heterosexual roles and that's ok ?

I haven't seen Denzel in white face in a while.  Can you tell me what you're talking about?

Who knows? And I don't think that either 12 Years a Slave or Malcolm X would have cut it with a white guy in the lead role, even for Stealthy.

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

They are a private college in Ohio. They decided what they wanted to do on some topic. It's tempting, but logically false, to extrapolate that fact out to whatever "We" means in the original post (Are "We" getting a little too PC).

Who is "we"?

 

[squistion]

He did in his original post too, but I know you can not admit you were wrong.  I found that out so many times.  

No he didn't. Here is his first post, which has not one word saying this shouldn't be discussed at all, just that it would serve as a distraction from talking about the shutdown.

3 hours ago, timschochet said:

Until you posted this typical Fox News type story, I had never heard of Otterbein University. Turns out it’s a very small private liberal arts college in Ohio. 

This story will provide a good 5 minutes on Hannity towards the end of the show after the first 50 minutes are spent focusing on every aspect of the Covington kids being victimized. Anything to avoid talking about the shutdown. 

 

[sho nuff]

Students of color complained that it’s not right for white kids to play the Latino parts.  

Link?  Because that isn't what the article says...nowhere does it say that it was students of color complaining...it stated theatre students had concerns and then alumni as well.

 

[sho nuff]

So any story which FoxNews might have interest in, is not worth discussing.  Nope, no liberal echo chamber here.  

I really have no idea what FoxNews has to do with this.  Strange comment and strange defense of said comment.  

You complained yesterday about changing people's words.  Nobody actually said that...and nobody really backed it up.  So just how is it an echo chamber that one poster made a comment about FoxNews?

 

[Da Guru]

Link?  Because that isn't what the article says...nowhere does it say that it was students of color complaining...it stated theatre students had concerns and then alumni as well.

First of all it is an almost all white school with an enrollment around of only around 2,400.  Out of that how many are involved in drama class?  Out of the small amount in drama how many are students of color?  I would venture to say out of that tiny enrollment maybe only 20-30 students are even involved in drama class.

To do West Side Story is acting is parts of "the arts'   People should try and be more tolerant and let the kids who are in drama perform what they want to perform.

 

[Juxtatarot]

To do West Side Story is acting is parts of "the arts'   People should try and be more tolerant and let the kids who are in drama perform what they want to perform.

Isn't that what's happening?

 

[Da Guru]

Isn't that what's happening?

WSS is still on?

 

[sho nuff]

First of all it is an almost all white school with an enrollment around of only around 2,400.  Out of that how many are involved in drama class?  Out of the small amount in drama how many are students of color?  I would venture to say out of that tiny enrollment maybe only 20-30 students are even involved in drama class.

To do West Side Story is acting is parts of "the arts'   People should try and be more tolerant and let the kids who are in drama perform what they want to perform.

Sure...but, per the article, it was the drama kids who raised their concerns.

 

[sho nuff]

WSS is still on?

The theatre kids were the ones objecting.

 

[Da Guru]

The theatre kids were the ones objecting.

I guess it is their loss.  They would have had an opportunity to expand their minds and acting range by portraying a different culture and possible learn and grow.   It is the arts and there is a reason it is called "acting'  It is not real.

 

[timschochet]

So is this whining?  I am confused because it sounds like it, but I know how much you hate it.  

No because I’m not the victim. 

 

[Juxtatarot]

WSS is still on?

The students didn't want to do WSS.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

2 pages? Impressive.

Then why do you keep posting in here?

 

[Henry Ford]

I guess it is their loss.  They would have had an opportunity to expand their minds and acting range by portraying a different culture and possible learn and grow.   It is the arts and there is a reason it is called "acting'  It is not real.

I have a feeling you've never been an actor.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

No because I’m not the victim. 

You're spending an awful lot of time in here for someone that thinks this isn't worth discussing.  Weird

 

[Henry Ford]

I love me some Laurence Olivier, but he never would have played Othello in today's world.

 

[Da Guru]

I have a feeling you've never been an actor.

Not professional...but I did play Banquo in Macbeth in HS.

 

[Mookie]

Can you see why this could be uncomfortable?

 

[Ilov80s]

Yeah it’s sad and dumb, kids just want to do a play, and now instead of doing something with insight into Puerto Rican immigrants in 1960s NYC the audience will get milquetoast Gene Kelly rehash.

While Westside Story is certainly more socially-politically relevant, I would hardly call Singin in the Rain milquetoast. It's as fine a movie musical as has ever been made. 

Seems like they are missing the forest for the trees on this one.

I agree- West Side Story is really a powerful story for our current climate. I do agree though that having a white actor with too much bronzer making fun of Puerto Rico would not have been a great look. 

So the university doesn't have enough students of color to cast a production of West Side Story and their fix is "well, we'll just stop doing plays that we would need diversity to cast"?

Yeah seems like they could use a more diverse student body but this is rural Ohio. 

so only black actors can play black famous people/characters etc or only LGBT actors can play LGBT roles ........... but anybody can play white or heterosexual roles and that's ok ?

There are no black parts in West Side so this isn't even about this story. I can give an endless list of whites playing non-whites, what  are you outrageous examples of non-whites playing whites? 

 

[[scooter]]

So, what we have here is a bunch of students at a private Christian school who don't want to portray outdated racial and religious stereotypes.

And instead of praising these kids, conservatives lash out at them?

The moral foundation of the Christian right gets more twisted every single day.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

So, what we have here is a bunch of students at a private Christian school who don't want to portray outdated racial and religious stereotypes.

And instead of praising these kids, conservatives lash out at them?

The moral foundation of the Christian right gets more twisted every single day.

On the other hand, the liberals beg everyone to not see color yet all they see is skin color.  

 

[Henry Ford]

Yeah seems like they could use a more diverse student body but this is rural Ohio. 

There are over 400,000 Hispanic residents in Ohio.  Over 70,000 of them live in Franklin county, where this University is.  That's about 4 times as many Hispanic residents as there are in New Orleans, and if any New Orleans University couldn't find enough Hispanic students to put on West Side Story, it would be rather confusing for everyone.

 

[Ilov80s]

On the other hand, the liberals beg everyone to not see color yet all they see is skin color.  

I don't think liberals beg people not to see color

- maybe like old liberals who grew up in the 60s or something

 

[Da Guru]

There are over 400,000 Hispanic residents in Ohio.  Over 70,000 of them live in Franklin county, where this University is.  That's about 4 times as many Hispanic residents as there are in New Orleans, and if any New Orleans University couldn't find enough Hispanic students to put on West Side Story, it would be rather confusing for everyone.

The school only has 2400 students...most of them all pasty whites. Out of that 2400 there are only probably 20-30 in drama class. So it would be slim pickens to cast for WSS.

 

[parasaurolophus]

So, what we have here is a bunch of students at a private Christian school who don't want to portray outdated racial and religious stereotypes.

And instead of praising these kids, conservatives lash out at them?

The moral foundation of the Christian right gets more twisted every single day.

They werent taking a stand against the content. 

 

[Henry Ford]

The school only has 2400 students...most of them all pasty whites. Out of that 2400 there are only probably 20-30 in drama class. So it would be slim pickens to cast for WSS.

Right, that's... that's what we're talking about.

As an aside, they have double-digit faculty in the theatre & dance department, so there are definitely more than 30 people in their classes.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I don't think liberals beg people not to see color

- maybe like old liberals who grew up in the 60s or something

Well maybe they should and we can all just be people.  One day.  Hopefully

 

[Henry Ford]

Huh.  The guy who plays "The Riddler" in Gotham is an alumnus.

 

[squistion]

On the other hand, the liberals beg everyone to not see color yet all they see is skin color.  

No, we ask that people not discriminate on the basis of color.

 

[Henry Ford]

On the other hand, the liberals beg everyone to not see color yet all they see is skin color.  

This is a widely held misconception.

 

[Ilov80s]

The thread title seems off. I read the article and it doesn't sound like the school was pressured. The administration, students and alumni all seemed to sit down rather politely and come to a group decision. 

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

This is a widely held misconception.

No kidding.  Everything is black or white to them

 

[Henry Ford]

No kidding.  Everything is black or white to them

I don't know how that's responsive to what I said, but liberals don't request that people not see color.

 

[jon_mx]

The thread title seems off. I read the article and it doesn't sound like the school was pressured. The administration, students and alumni all seemed to sit down rather politely and come to a group decision. 

they did not ask me.

 

[knowledge dropper]

The thread title seems off. I read the article and it doesn't sound like the school was pressured. The administration, students and alumni all seemed to sit down rather politely and come to a group decision. 

The story has been updated.  Parts had already been cast prior to the decision to cancel West Side Story.  

 

[badmojo1006]

2 pages? Impressive.

I want back the 5 minutes of my life for even opening this thread

 

[Da Guru]

Right, that's... that's what we're talking about.

As an aside, they have double-digit faculty in the theatre & dance department, so there are definitely more than 30 people in their classes.

All pasty whites though.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

While Westside Story is certainly more socially-politically relevant, I would hardly call Singin in the Rain milquetoast. It's as fine a movie musical as has ever been made. 

Well that’s why I referenced Gene Kelly. Maybe it can be done well without a top flight dancer, I dunno.

 

[Ilov80s]

Well that’s why I referenced Gene Kelly. Maybe it can be done well without a top flight dancer, I dunno.

Oh I see what you mean. Yeah the dancing Gene and Donald O'Conner do is going to very hard to replicate at a small liberal arts school. 

 

[Mile High]

Well that’s why I referenced Gene Kelly. Maybe it can be done well without a top flight dancer, I dunno.

Two top dancers. Let's no forget they both danced the same steps but one did those steps going backwards wearing high heels.

 

[Ilov80s]

Two top dancers. Let's no forget they both danced the same steps but one did those steps going backwards wearing high heels.

Debbie Reynolds had never really danced before Singin in the Rain. Gene Kelly had to teach her everything for the movie. 

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Is Oberlin the same as Otterbein?

Probably

 

[Stealthycat]

There are no black parts in West Side so this isn't even about this story. I can give an endless list of whites playing non-whites, what  are you outrageous examples of non-whites playing whites? 

more recently we've seen backlash from whites playing black roles ......... Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson remember? or Scarlett Johansson quits transgender role after LGBT backlash

more and more we're seeing that ............ so I guess my question was if West Side story has no "black" parts, then why does it have to have black or minority actors/actresses  ??

 

[Ilov80s]

more recently we've seen backlash from whites playing black roles ......... Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson remember? or Scarlett Johansson quits transgender role after LGBT backlash

more and more we're seeing that ............ so I guess my question was if West Side story has no "black" parts, then why does it have to have black or minority actors/actresses  ??

Hollywood has a long history of using white people to play minorities. It has slowly moved away from this but it's not a new issue. I am sure there were lots of complaints about the original West Side Story not having enough Hispanics in it. That movie cast was mostly non-Latinos with heavy tans. One of the biggest pushes for this was from the actors themselves. For example, there just weren't many stories being made about Hispanic people so when there are, Hispanic actors really need those parts. I think it really all started with financial motives. 

Half of the cast of West Side Story is supposed to be Puerto Rican- it is the story of Puerto Rican gangs vs white gangs. So I think people want minotority actors/actresses playing the Puerto Rican characters. 

 

[Da Guru]

Scarlett Johansson quits transgender role after LGBT backlash

Don`t understand this one.  Actors and actresses play characters that they research and then apply their craft to what the script calls for....you don`t have to be a murderer, robber or rapist to portray one in film or on stage.

That would be the same as thinking that gays should not have straight roles and only portray other gays in film or on stage when we know for a fact that is untrue.

 

[sho nuff]

Don`t understand this one.  Actors and actresses play characters that they research and then apply their craft to what the script calls for....you don`t have to be a murderer, robber or rapist to portray one in film or on stage.

That would be the same as thinking that gays could only portray other gays in film or on stage when we know for a fact that is untrue.

I also don’t understand what it has to do with whites playing black rolls?

 

[Henry Ford]

All pasty whites though.

So let them do Carousel.

 

[Henry Ford]

Don`t understand this one.  Actors and actresses play characters that they research and then apply their craft to what the script calls for....you don`t have to be a murderer, robber or rapist to portray one in film or on stage.

That would be the same as thinking that gays should not have straight roles and only portray other gays in film or on stage when we know for a fact that is untrue.

I think one of the big issues was discussed by Trevor Noah in relation to the disability role uproar a couple weeks ago.  I recommend watching the video rather than just reading the quotes.

 

[Henry Ford]

Probably

King of the fairies, right?