The school isn't making Jim a white character or Huck an African-American
-- it has a large teen-age white actor playing grown up Jim,
a Negro slave; and a smaller teen ager -- from the illustration,
a light brown one--- playing 12 year old Huck; in a story that
clearly depicts the color line and the immorality enforced by
it.
Nobody has suggested that the audience or the actors are confused
about the story or its moral intentions. Both characters were
invented by dead white man Mark Twain who had the audacity to
believe that he could understand and portray them because they,
like him, are human-- and nothing human is alien. There were
protests about this at the time, there have been (different)
protests since. But it is difficult for me to believe that a
group of authors, who presumably would resent being told who
they may or may not write about, is on the censors' side of
this issue.
Junior high schools all over the country do Fiddler On the
Roof. The schools DON'T cast Jews and Orthodox Russians in the
production-- or if they are cast, they are as likely as not
to play characters from the "other side". The time,
place, ethnicities within the story are not changed. Kids understand
the story, and the empathy they develop and the history they
encounter is good for them! Fiddler's collaborators must be
very pleased that they have involved 3 generations of American
school kids in their tribute to their immigrant forebears.
IMHO, Oscar Hammerstein would be very pleased that the ground-breaking
engagement with prejudice that was a bright and brave thread
throughout all his libretti is being continued, even if his
estate doesn't agree. (5/23/05)
See also Colorblind Casting
Roils 'Big River'
by 
