Comments on: Blackface in the theater http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:05:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Mixed Media Watch - tracking media representations of mixed people http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-12111 Mixed Media Watch - tracking media representations of mixed people Sat, 15 Jul 2006 16:55:39 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-12111 [...] Is blackface in Japan racist? More blackface and whiteface… now on Tyra! Blackface outside the U.S. Blackface in the theater Why young people *won’t* be solving racism anytime soon Oprah gets in on the race-trading game Blackface and whiteface coming to FX in March Blackface and yellowface on America’s Next Top Model Blogosphere: spotlight on Reappropriate Yellowface, coming soon to a big screen near you Dude, where’s my white privilege? Take 2: “Blackface Jesus” Blackface and yellowface on America’s Next Top Model [...] […] Is blackface in Japan racist? More blackface and whiteface… now on Tyra! Blackface outside the U.S. Blackface in the theater Why young people *won’t* be solving racism anytime soon Oprah gets in on the race-trading game Blackface and whiteface coming to FX in March Blackface and yellowface on America’s Next Top Model Blogosphere: spotlight on Reappropriate Yellowface, coming soon to a big screen near you Dude, where’s my white privilege? Take 2: “Blackface Jesus” Blackface and yellowface on America’s Next Top Model […]

]]> By: John http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6040 John Fri, 07 Apr 2006 01:09:41 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6040 La MaMa ETC presented a bare-bones adaptation of "The Emperor Jones" earlier this year. No video screens, no FX. Just a stage. WITH ACTUAL BLACK ACTORS. The company got great reviews, but ya know the Lower East Side could give a crap. La MaMa ETC presented a bare-bones adaptation of “The Emperor Jones” earlier this year. No video screens, no FX. Just a stage. WITH ACTUAL BLACK ACTORS.

The company got great reviews, but ya know the Lower East Side could give a crap.

]]> By: Lyonside http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6014 Lyonside Wed, 05 Apr 2006 02:33:29 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6014 Absolutely agree, Anonymous... Absolutely agree, Anonymous…

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6013 Anonymous Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:36:52 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6013 Male Asian American actors (APA/Indian) can say they have fewer opportunities in Hollywood and theater than any other minority group. Male Asian American actors (APA/Indian) can say they have fewer opportunities in Hollywood and theater than any other minority group.

]]> By: Lyonside http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6004 Lyonside Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:41:07 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6004 Adrianna: You know how black (and other minority) actors and especially black (and other minority) women often say that there are few good roles in Hollywood? Seems like it's epidemic in theater as well. Adrianna:
You know how black (and other minority) actors and especially black (and other minority) women often say that there are few good roles in Hollywood? Seems like it’s epidemic in theater as well.

]]> By: site admin http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6003 site admin Tue, 04 Apr 2006 10:10:31 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6003 Lyonside and John, Thanks so much for your insights into the play! This is why I love MMW--I always learn so much from our readers' comments! :) CVK Lyonside and John,

Thanks so much for your insights into the play! This is why I love MMW–I always learn so much from our readers’ comments! :)

CVK

]]> By: Adrianna http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6002 Adrianna Tue, 04 Apr 2006 04:57:47 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-6002 Did we go back to the 1920 ? I did not get the memo. Are we also going back to White Actors " playing Black people. or Asians Or Latins? Do Actors of color need to worry ? lol. I know it is a joke it has to be? If I can remeber it wasn't easy being a person of color in the 1920's. This trend needs to stop now !! Did we go back to the 1920 ? I did not get the memo. Are we also going back to White Actors ” playing Black people. or Asians Or Latins? Do Actors of color need to worry ? lol. I know it is a joke it has to be? If I can remeber it wasn’t easy being a person of color in the 1920’s. This trend needs to stop now !!

]]> By: John http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5994 John Mon, 03 Apr 2006 21:15:58 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5994 Eugene O'Neil's "Emporer Jones" was a ground-breaking play for 1920 w/ it's elements of race, religion, psychology & Darwinism. O'Neil was sympathetic of the black American man's plight; but being a white writer in the 1920's, O'Neil's upbringing shaped his portrayals of black characters (I remember characters being described as "ape-like"). Valk's gimmick: a woman in reverse-drag and in blackface, illustrates that she's playing an actor who's trapped in a racist caricature created by O'Neil. (I think.) As for the Kabuki gear and giesha-like choreography... I have no idea. I mean, this IS the Wooster Group. Their audience is almost all white, upper-class hipsters, who congratulate themselves for being forward thinking in art & politics... (Yikes! Was that a hasty generalization?) Eugene O’Neil’s “Emporer Jones” was a ground-breaking play for 1920 w/ it’s elements of race, religion, psychology & Darwinism.
O’Neil was sympathetic of the black American man’s plight; but being a white writer in the 1920’s, O’Neil’s upbringing shaped his portrayals of black characters (I remember characters being described as “ape-like”).

Valk’s gimmick: a woman in reverse-drag and in blackface, illustrates that she’s playing an actor who’s trapped in a racist caricature created by O’Neil. (I think.)
As for the Kabuki gear and giesha-like choreography… I have no idea.
I mean, this IS the Wooster Group. Their audience is almost all white, upper-class hipsters, who congratulate themselves for being forward thinking in art & politics… (Yikes! Was that a hasty generalization?)

]]> By: justin http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5986 justin Mon, 03 Apr 2006 18:33:09 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5986 I haven’t seen the play and I’ve never heard of it or the author, so I’m not defending anything . But there are lots of paintings of Negroes dressed like the lady in the picture, they’re in bath houses with big brass urns and other exotic treasures. Some people like to emphasize the best things in their culture but you cant treat racism that way, we shouldn’t dismiss things because they don’t make sense or overestimate them because they do. I get really annoyed about Chinoiserie and japonism, because going into such specific associations gives too much credit to those objects and their creators. I believe there was a time and there still are places when any old other will do to help some people get off and there is nothing you can do to stop it, exept maybe tear yourself apart. My family eats off willow china, no one questions or doubts the authenticity and no one laughs at the perversity. I haven’t seen the play and I’ve never heard of it or the author, so I’m not defending anything . But there are lots of paintings of Negroes dressed like the lady in the picture, they’re in bath houses with big brass urns and other exotic treasures. Some people like to emphasize the best things in their culture but you cant treat racism that way, we shouldn’t dismiss things because they don’t make sense or overestimate them because they do. I get really annoyed about Chinoiserie and japonism, because going into such specific associations gives too much credit to those objects and their creators. I believe there was a time and there still are places when any old other will do to help some people get off and there is nothing you can do to stop it, exept maybe tear yourself apart.
My family eats off willow china, no one questions or doubts the authenticity and no one laughs at the perversity.

]]> By: Lyonside http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5983 Lyonside Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:55:33 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/04/03/blackface-in-the-theater/#comment-5983 This seems to be an example of people producing/directing a show a certain way JUST to be shocking and avant-garde. Reminds me of the "100 things i will not do when directing a Shakespeare play" lists that make the email and Net rounds from time to time. Example from here (http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/49536): "I will not decide that Helen of Troy in Troilus and Cressida is actually a sports car, nor will Pandarus do lines of cocaine off of her." OR even more appropriate: "Casting a black Desdemona alongside a black Othello is kind of missing the point a bit." By changing outfits to some amalgam of traditional Asian and African dress they're missing a huge POINT of the play: To a primitive society that has been affected by European/American/Western imperialism, the Coleman Porter uniform would look like an imperial/military uniform, thus enhancing the reputation of the "magical" man who becomes their leader/oppressor... that same uniform in the time the play was written branded Emperor Jones as a servant of white folks, just as his skin color branded him as inferior and a "born" servant of white society. This production seems to have jettisoned the irony in favor of getting attention. To f*** with that just gets my theater hackles up - it's one thing to genderbend if it fits the show or gives the show MORE meaning; or even to show that gender doesn't matter. It's another to throw so much crap on the stage that the message and meaning are obscured - what are people paying attention to more: the anachronistic costumes, the blackface, or the damn play? This seems to be an example of people producing/directing a show a certain way JUST to be shocking and avant-garde.

Reminds me of the “100 things i will not do when directing a Shakespeare play” lists that make the email and Net rounds from time to time. Example from here (http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/49536): “I will not decide that Helen of Troy in Troilus and Cressida is actually a sports car, nor will Pandarus do lines of cocaine off of her.” OR even more appropriate: “Casting a black Desdemona alongside a black Othello is kind of missing the point a bit.”

By changing outfits to some amalgam of traditional Asian and African dress they’re missing a huge POINT of the play: To a primitive society that has been affected by European/American/Western imperialism, the Coleman Porter uniform would look like an imperial/military uniform, thus enhancing the reputation of the “magical” man who becomes their leader/oppressor… that same uniform in the time the play was written branded Emperor Jones as a servant of white folks, just as his skin color branded him as inferior and a “born” servant of white society. This production seems to have jettisoned the irony in favor of getting attention.

To f*** with that just gets my theater hackles up - it’s one thing to genderbend if it fits the show or gives the show MORE meaning; or even to show that gender doesn’t matter. It’s another to throw so much crap on the stage that the message and meaning are obscured - what are people paying attention to more: the anachronistic costumes, the blackface, or the damn play?

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