Ease on Down the Road
The University of Minnesota is dealing with fairness over casting for The Wiz.
My high school did not grapple with such issues. Our all-white cast had none other than Barbie Andretti as Dorothy.
Yes, Mario Andretti's daughter.
I was a munchkin.
Labels: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, The Wiz
posted by Bernie at
8:35 PM
12 Comments:
Of course this led me to Google Barbie Andretti.
Barbie Andretti did not give up her musical dreams. Circa 1999, she recorded a big-band album produced by Canadian rocker Frank Marino (who I think should mix the new Gazetteers track). There is no indication that the album was ever released.
In 2003, Barbie ran and completed the Philadelphia Marathon.
In 2006, she transitioned into Lehigh Valley real estate. Now listed as "Barbra," she is the franchisee of Exit Fast Track Realty in historic Easton, PA (home of Crayola and Larry Holmes).
www.exitfasttrackrealty.com
Jack, you know more about my former classmates than I do.
To be fair, Michael Jackson is now white, so the Scarecrow should at least be caucasian.
We had similar dilemma at Parkhill Jr. High in Dallas, TX back in 1987. The only black guy in our class -Elimu Jackson- was more interested in sports than musical theater, so the part was taken by a white guy who did have a decent measure of soul. But, we did have a terrific African American "Dorothy" so that sort of balanced out the ocean of white faces dominating the stage.
*Full disclosure: I was denied a role in this most coveted out of the trio of "mini-musicals" we put on that year. I landed the decidedly whiter lead as Don Lockwood in "Singing In The Rain." Oh, and 1/4 of the barbershop quartet in "Music Man."
Elimu was no relation to Michael, for those keeping score.
Jack, excellent update.
It does seem realty is a decent end-all for many.
9th grade.
Jewish Youth Group
"Oz With a Touch of the Wiz." (Mostly the Wiz)
I played the lion.
Only I can't sing, so it was decided I would rap the song, as the kid who played the Wizard beat-boxed in the background. It was, uh, bad.
I shit you not: According to LinkedIn, Elimu Jackson is now a senior VP of marketing in the Dallas/Ft Worth area....in the real estate industry.
Jack, I congratulate Mr. Jackson, whom I've not seen in twenty years. The last time was on a basketball court in Dallas where he sent me crashing to the hardwood floor chin first. Six stitches later, I did feel a certain sense of "arrival" as a man.
Just to throw another wrench in the deal here (not trying to get all political, just typing out loud) would there be a fuss if an all black college decided to put on a production of "Music Man" with an all black cast? I don't think so, but then again I suppose "Music Man" wasn't really conceived of as a white musical. But, let's be honest, does it get any whiter than a barbershop quartet? No, it doesn't.
Chris, the problem in MN was that they only put on a musical every two years and in saying they'd prefer black leads, the non-black drama majors would lose their shots to get cast in these plum roles.
Ah, I admit to not having read the entire article. Shame on me. I'm showing my "Bushian" attention do detail. With regards to the casting, yes, I guess I would be a little irked at such overly p.c. nonsense, especially if I was depending on it to solidify my performing resume.
plum roles
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