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Maine theater delays musical in last-ditch effort to add Black actors to cast
Bangor Daily ^ | 4-6-25 | Bill Trotter

Posted on 04/07/2025 6:21:46 PM PDT by dynachrome

After being told that it cannot make changes to the licensed script for a musical it plans to stage next week, The Grand theater in Ellsworth is making a last-ditch effort to add Black actors to the cast.

If it cannot find Black actors to play minor roles of two slaves in the musical, it will have to cancel the production, the opening of which has been delayed for a week, a theater official said.

But in Ellsworth and other rural parts of Maine, the population of which is more than 93 percent white, finding actors of different races to volunteer for small-town community theater productions is not an easy task.

The Grand is staging the musical “Big River,” an adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” The prominent role of Jim, a runaway slave, is being played by a Black actor in The Grand’s production. But the theater initially was unable to get other Black actors to audition for the smaller roles of Alice and her daughter, who are slaves, said Nick Turner, The Grand’s executive director.

(Excerpt) Read more at bangordailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Humor
KEYWORDS: bigriver; diversity; huckleberryfinn; lol; maine; marktwain; theater
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To: dynachrome

looks like the slaves are gonna have to be white. Unless of course they’ll allow dark makeup.


21 posted on 04/07/2025 7:59:26 PM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: HYPOCRACY

How about Clinton? Trudeau?


22 posted on 04/07/2025 8:09:19 PM PDT by Savage Beast (There's a Light over the Whole World. I just want everybody to be happy, healthy and well. --DJT)
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To: Savage Beast

I’d be happy with any of them.


23 posted on 04/07/2025 8:20:14 PM PDT by HYPOCRACY (Long live The Great MAGA Kangz!)
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To: dynachrome

Break out the shoe polish.


24 posted on 04/07/2025 8:58:11 PM PDT by Mr. Blond
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To: ViLaLuz
Justin Trudeau is out of work. I bet he is available.

OK, you win the thread.

25 posted on 04/07/2025 9:05:28 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: dynachrome

The so called arts... All they need to do is go to Lisbon Maine and grab a few Somalis.


26 posted on 04/08/2025 4:05:11 AM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: dynachrome

What the hell has happened to make Maine so stoopid?


27 posted on 04/08/2025 5:08:57 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (Kimber .45 Be Kind.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

“...I would imagine that they’ll have a difficult time finding diverse actors...”

I’m sure the local Walmart has some black shoe polish...oh, wait....that’d be racist! /s


28 posted on 04/08/2025 7:21:36 AM PDT by lgjhn23 ("On the 8th day, Satan created the progressive liberal to destroy all the good that God created...")
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To: Joe Boucher

“...What the hell has happened to make Maine so stoopid?....”

Massive mports from MassHoleachusetts, New Yawwwwkkkkers and the beloved “constitution state” Connecticut that ain’t worth a shite. They brought all their crap lib politics with em and elected the crap that occupies the governor’s office (just one look at Janet Mills outta give ya a clue) , secretary of state and the DA....all idiots to the nth degee and most likely funded by George Porgy, puddin’ and pie.
Native Mainers utterly despise the nasty basstids....


29 posted on 04/08/2025 7:30:27 AM PDT by lgjhn23 ("On the 8th day, Satan created the progressive liberal to destroy all the good that God created...")
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To: dynachrome

Just hire some graduates from The Black Acting School.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoqmCwp95Q8


30 posted on 04/08/2025 7:31:34 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: cyclotic

The signs were everywhere.


31 posted on 04/08/2025 8:58:53 AM PDT by brooklin
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