Why the gripe? Sharon Jensen, executive director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts tells the New York Times that the role should go an actress “from our community” — in other words, an actress who shares Helen’s disabilities.
David Richenthal, the play’s producer, says he had already made up his mind about his casting criteria for Helen when he chose to revive the William Gibson play -– he wanted a star!
That said, Richenthal added that he and the production’s director, Kate Whoriskey, as well as their casting director, planned to audition deaf or blind actresses to be Abigail’s understudy.
Your thoughts on the matter?
4 Comments
It’s like hiring Reese Witherspoon to play Dorothy Dandridge
It’s called “acting” for a reason. People get offended way too easily.
im not trying to be funny or anything, but wouldn’t deaf people find it difficult to sing, and blind people would present a hazard onstage….
Um, who do they suggest should be hired if Cats ever has a revival? What about the Lion King ? I sure hope there’s a lot of multi-talented felines out there!
Come on people, stop this ridiculous politically correct c**p.