The Albee Situation

Recently, the estate of the late Edward Albee shut down a production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" because the production team cast a black actor in one of the roles.

There has been much discussion about this, some of it quite heated.  For me, it comes down to this: To tell his story, Mr. Albee felt it important that his characters be white, and of a certain social-economic level.  It helps if you realize that the play is a period piece, a slice of lives during a particular era.

And Mr. Albee was a lion, as to protecting his work from re-imagining, re-interpretation, and anything else that changed it from what he wrote and intended.

In this case, that would clearly include color blind casting.  It would also include gender swapping, time and place changes, and so on. All the muck that often destroys Shakespeare. But in this instance, his estate was triggered by race.

I understand this. Without getting too far off my intended track, I find it difficult to believe that the production did not understand it as well.

And, as a writer, I support it. As a creator, dealing with other creatives who don't always play respectfully with the toys, I wholeheartedly support it.

My point, however, in bringing this up?

This is a great play, with great parts- and one that is closed to me, as a performer. I could do this. I could absolutely play one of the leads in it. At this point in my life, I have an understanding of the character that I would not have had as a younger man, and not only do I know that I could do this, I know that I could do it well.

And I will never be able to.

Nor will other minorities, or women or anyone other than a white man.

And even though I respect and agree with Albee's choice? Even though I see that the story as he told it does require casting that excludes me?

I mourn the loss.

The thing to do, obviously, is look for other parts, similar parts, parts that exist within a framework that would support my being cast.

I can do that. As an actor, I realize that there are a great many parts out there that aren't suited to me, due to my size, my clumsiness, my key, my sex and my race.

This is just another.  For me and those like me.

Beyond that, however...

It's made me want to direct the play.  Because the director gets to play with ALL the parts. No one will ever see me play them on stage... but I can help other actors realize the part. I can contribute what I feel needs expression, within the story, to another performer, help shape things.  I cannot collaborate with Albee on this- but I can collaborate with others to bring his story to life.

And that?

Well.

You can't always get what you want.

But sometimes you can get what you need.

Be seeing you.