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Lin-Manuel Miranda Supports Quiara Alegria Hudes' Response To Controversial IN THE HEIGHTS Casting
By: Michael Dale Aug. 15, 2016
When Chicago's Porchlight Music Theatre's production of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes' Tony-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS begins performances on September 9th, actor Jack DeCesare, who is white and of Italian descent, is set to play the lead role of Usnavi, originated on Broadway by composer/lyricist Miranda. As stated in the musical's opening rap, Usnavi came to American from the Dominican Republic.
As reported by arts administrator and producer Howard Sherman, director of Arts Integrity and interim director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, this case of casting a non-Lantinx in a role scripted as such comes shortly after the controversy that arose in the spring, when the Chicago area's Marriott Theatre cast EVITA, including only one Latinx actor.
On August 9, Chicago's Victory Gardens Theatre hosted a public forum, organized by ALTA, the Association of Latinx Theatre Artists of Chicago, titled "The Color Game: Whitewashing Latinx Stories."
On Sunday, August 14th, Victory Gardens artistic director Chay Yew posted a note he received from Hudes on the issue, which is posted in its entirety below.
When contacted by Arts Integrity, Miranda responded, "I honestly can't improve on her words. She speaks for us both."
Click here for the full article.
In a Chicago Tribune article, DeCesare defends his decision to play the role, noting how he feels connected to the material.
"The Catholic faith and strength in belief between both communities is very similar" he says. "Also, the Americanization of a culture is something my family went through, the Italian language wasn't passed down and was pretty much lost."
Visit porchlightmusictheatre.org.
Photos: Walter McBride
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