Lend Me a Tenor

[Rando Calrision]

Quick question.

Is it possible to do a version of lend me a tenor without blackface?

I'm thinking that we just use pagliacci instead otello but i need to know that we can do this before I give my director a thumbs up. I refuse to do a blackface piece so any advice about this show would be appreciated.

FYI we are doing this as a high school show.

please give me your two cents

 

[sk8rsdad]

Anything is possible. However, the only people who can give you permission to alter the play are the publishers. Contact them and ask permission.

 

[np18358]

We tried doing this year, when we did lend me a tenor, but found it impossible. Part of purchasing the rights, is that you agree to do the show as written without any significant changes. Usually, a line or two (especially if they aren't important to the integrity of the piece) isn't an issue, but changing whole parts or elements of the production isn't ok. Maybe the publisher already has a way to do the piece without the black face section (i.e. a "kids" or Jr version)? We ultimately just did the Blackface. A lot of people in the production, just felt that it was part of the show, and it was "not to be taken seriously". Although I understand this, I feel that there are other shows that you can do without running the risk of offending people. A school near me was not allowed to do musicals with any kissing/ romance, or even the slightest questionable thing (so basically very little material) because the used the word "rape" in the fantasticks, and someone was offended. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Amiers]

Well there is always the option of casting Tito and Saunders, black. Then throw some red blush and lipstick on to have the blackface effect without going full blown blackface. You could also make them both the same actor with no makeup as they are the same there is no need to put make up on them minus the blush and lipstick.

My two cents.

 

[josh88]

Often shows with this kind of stuff are still good shows but are soured by these moments. I've seen a lot of places do it with a directors note or sign on the doors saying that it's a product of the time and are left in despite being a bit unsavory these days. Goes a long way to remind an audience that nobody WANTS to do black face or say racist things, but that we're legally not supposed to change shows. Helps keep people from being offended. Worth keeping in mind at least.


Via tapatalk

 

[StradivariusBone]

I'm against censorship, but I'm also pro-"putting things in their place". When Rent became open to the high school community and all the hoopla commenced about the appropriateness of a show that dealt with those issues with minors performing, I understood the furor. But, I think taking out the language and the sexual overtones of a piece like that dulls the impact of what the writer was pushing towards. It becomes a question of is the message of the work important enough to adapt it so that it's appropriate for the audience or is it better to allow it to exist as intended and to function as it was envisioned?

In this case I think it comes down to a question of your intended audience and your cast and production team. You've already stated that you're uncomfortable working on a show with a blackface character. That's not a statement of right or wrong, but that's how you feel and that's valid. Is it worth compromising your values or the author's intentions (and potentially copyright law) to put the show on? Is there another show that would be better suited to your theatrical environment?

This show premiered on the West End and I'm guessing that it wasn't as scandalous there. However, there are many regions in the US where race is a very real and palpable issue in communities. If that's the case here, would it be possible to use a show like this as a means of creating a dialogue within your community? Perhaps a Q&A with the actors following or a statement from the director at the beginning?

I can't help but think of Blazing Saddles and the outright apparent racism that was used as a tool to highlight the absolute ignorance of the white antagonists. I read somewhere that during filiming Slim Pickins or Burton Gilliam stopped and was hesitant to read lines with Cleavon Little, because they were afraid of offending. If I recall, Cleavon told him that it was just words and that the movie wouldn't work the same without the impact of the words. It had to be real for the audience to get that the joke was making fun of the ignorance of racism. My personal belief is that nothing should be so sacred that it can't be made fun of and that we are not free from hate as long as certain concepts are allowed to remain "off-limits". I think shying away from what has happened and continues to happen is a sweeping-under-the-rug sort of response. It doesn't make anything better or magically go away. It just hides the dirt. It doesn't fix anything.

But I also understand that many people are not ready to embrace such a concept and the truth is they have every right to want freedom from such things. I respect that wholly. Hence the reason for a time and place for all things.

At the end of the day, it's about protecting your integrity and not offending your audience.