Sorry YK only til Jan 6th

http://www.nypl.org/research/calenda.../celistlpa.cfm

Re: Hamlet - I saw a really short version during the Public Theater's 1st season downtown (same time Hair opened) - Hamlet did the To Be or Not To Be speech dressed as a Puerto Rican Street cleaner. I had remembered it as being played by a young Raul Julia but I discovered I was wrong. It was a young Jed Bartlett aka Ramon Estevez aka Martin Sheen.

How much time is needed to see the Lincoln Center exhibit?

I have no idea if Finian's Rainbow's script was rewritten, but the racism issue is dealt with head on and at times from a black point of view. Initially, I was taken aback and wondered where they were going with it. By play's end, I thought it was handled beautifully and for a play set in the early 40's and written by a Jewish immigrant, it was way ahead of its time. For instance, one minor black character is a college student - down south - which is not a typical character that you'd expect. He is treated in a racist way - sort of tongue in cheek - and then he reacts in a way that makes the audience laugh in support of him. There's quite a bit of the unexpected - at least for me it was unexpected. I enjoyed everything about it (except that ugly set).

As much time as you can give it. I only had about 20 minutes this time. It deserves more - especially with all the videos.

I may be off base, but I think the issue about "politically incorrect" was that the racist senator is "punished" by being turned into a black person. The issue was that "being black is a punishment". Is that what I'm remembering?

Yes. Being black was the worst thing that could possibly happen to him. Interestingly, the sharecroppers who live and work together harmoniously were black and white. To me, there were a lot of things handled differently than you would expect in a play of this vintage.

And all the evil people are white - the sheriff, tax collector, senator, etc. They're bad to blacks and whites.

Whoa....I've not see the revival and am not an expert on the show, but I believe the intent of turning the senator into a black person was not meant to be a racist act (i.e., anti-black), but the opposite, i.e., to show him what it was like to be black at that time in order to reform him.

Howard, I know that was the "intent", but I've heard more than once from theatre people in a couple of theatres -- including directors explaining why the show just "doesn't work today", that the way it was written, audience members often didn't take it that way. And I do recall incidents of community theatres getting a lot of bad press for doing that show. I also recall years ago in Ohio, our group cancelling the show from our schedule when all the black actors we had refused to audition for it saying it was highly insulting to them. I think it was even the use of "black face" which was considered forbidden just like in minstrel shows that caused the problem.
Don't forget the same thing happened with Flower Drum Song which was considered very insulting to Asians until it was re-written and re-styled a few years ago for a new revival. Of course it wasn't meant to be racist, but most audience members were seeing the old version as being racist or certainly very politically incorrect. And remember Annie Get Your Gun taking out the "I'm an Indian Too" number which was never meant to be racist but over the years came to be considered very offensive.

Ah. I just paused to google and look what I found. This explains it much better than I just have:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/theater/18heal.htm

Good article, Neo. I was not all uncomfortable with the race issue. It was a very good production IMO. CPG said she did not care for the set. I think it was no worse than the set from Hair. It may have been a bit sparse.

Patrick, thanks for posting that interesting article.

So I guess the "new" version uses a black actor to replace the white one rather than putting the white one in blackface. That's a major change. And the "servant shuffle" scene is changed to make it clear the servant is NOT a low class guy, but a college educated one. Apparently a few other changes in the shortening of the script have softened some of the other politically incorrect issues.

But I'm somewhat stunned that the set by John Lee Beatty would be anything but brilliant!!!

As a side note, as of today, looks like I'm heading to New York for a month -- mid January to mid February, so look out as I catch up on what's happening theatre wise in NYC!!!

GREAT NEO! We must have another GTG while you are here!!!

You staying at the same apartment complex?

Yes. Worldwide Plaza -- Jan. 17 to Feb. 17. The owner had a cancellation and I got the apartment for half price. Too good to pass up. But I don't see us sitting in the plaza with balloons in FEBRUARY!!!

Well Thalia would certainly work for you!!! Wouldn't
even have to wear a coat.

emd, while you're trying to decide whether to see Finian's Rainbow, you should double check whether that discount is even good for a Sat. night performance. Very often they're not.

I saw Broadway Unplugged at Town Hall this past week. One of the performers was Terri White from Finian's Rainbow. She brought down the house. Amazing story about her here
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...r_a_break.html

mclaurie - my first post in this thread has a link to a similar article in the Times from Oct about Terri White - quite a story. Did she do "Necessity" at Town Hall? It really is poignant when you know her background. What a turnaround! Truly amazing.

I saw "Wishful Drinking" today-Carrie Fisher's one-woman show. LOVED IT!!!! She's hilarious and it was both funny and poignant.

How embarrassing that I forgot that you'd already posted that (another senior moment). She didn't do "Necessity" and I can't remember at this moment what she did do. I'll get back to you. :-[

mclaurie, the playbill discount is good for Sat. night. $85 each ticket, Right orchestra row N, 10 seats in from aisle.

The story about Terri White is very inspiring. CentralParkGirl and Judyrem enjoyed it.

What say you, should we go? Is it really good, and most importantly (since we are ssing a drama God of Carnage on Fri. night already) is the music really good?

emd3 - since everyone's taste is different and I don't know you and you're visiting for a short time, I hate to push. But, as you can read above, I really enjoyed it and loved the music. As I said earlier, I plan to buy the cd. And the whole cast is good. When the ensemble sings, they sing! 'God Of Carnage,' btw, has some funny moments; it's not straight, heavy drama and it's so well-crafted. Have a great time!