Choice of Actress in Helen Keller role upsets deaf and blind advocates

[paulsby]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-abigail-breslin-helen-keller.html


On Wednesday, the producers of the Broadway revival of the play "The Miracle Worker," about the early life of blind and deaf hero Helen Keller, announced that they'd chosen the young actress who will play her on stage this winter: 13-year-old Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin. The decision has unleashed immediate complaints from groups representing blind and deaf actors who feel that an actress from their community should have been considered for the role.

Sharon Jensen, executive director of the Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, told the New York Times "We do not think it's OK for reputable producers to cast this lead role without seriously considering an actress from our community." Jensen recognizes the difficulty Broadway plays are having attracting audiences right now, but says "I understand how difficult it is to capitalize a new production on Broadway, but that to me is not the issue. There are other, larger human and artistic issues at stake here."

For his part, the show's producer, David Richenthal, claims that the production was unable to find a blind or deaf child actor with the star power to bring in enough of an audience to justify the show's large budget, saying "It's simply naïve to think that in this day and age, you'll be able to sell tickets to a play revival solely on the potential of the production to be a great show or on the potential for an unknown actress to give a breakthrough performance," he said. "I would consider it financially irresponsible to approach a major revival without making a serious effort to get a star." The show will, however, be making an effort to find a blind or deaf actress to play Breslin's understudy -- but they won't make any promises.

The original Broadway production of "The Miracle Worker," which focuses on Helen Keller's relationship with Anne Sullivan, the teacher who taught her to communicate, debuted in 1959 with the actress Patty Duke as its star. Later, movie and TV versions of the play starred actresses Duke, Melissa Gilbert, and Mare Winningham in the role of Keller, none of whom were blind or deaf.

[baldguy]

1. That's why it's called "acting".

[Toucano]

9. +1

[spanone]

2. absurd. actors 'PRETEND' to be other people. that's their job.

[Merlot]

3. Patty Duke - Brilliant actress got her start in this role.

The story of Helen Keller is amazing, and the best qualified actress should play her. Telling this story is important, and the producer makes a very valid point - no one will see this story if it doesn't make any money. Star quality is what brings in the audience.

[DailyGrind51]

7. Patty Duke was incredible! Ann Bancroft was equally great.

[virgogal]

4. God,will the whining ever end?

[tabasco]

6. They have every right to assert their position.

What's your malfunction with that?

[greennina]

5. Time to boycott!

I thought we were getting past discrimination for the disabled.

[gooey]

8. Everybody's a victim these days.

[XemaSab]

10. As long as they make HK out to be

the TOTAL SOCIALIST THAT SHE WAS, I'm cool with anything. :P

[blogslut]

11. I'm torn

I understand both sides. Sadly, the costs to mount a show on Broadway have become so ridiculously high producers almost always have to bring in a well-known film/television star in order to get a return on their original investment. What's worse is sometimes those film/television actors are untrained in stage performance and end up a disappointment to the audience. I would imagine that in the city of New York there are at least a hundred extremely talented ingenue age actresses who would do as fine a job as Ms. Breslin, if not better.

[Sultana]

12. Lame

:eyes:

[DRoseDARs]

13. CATS musical upsets cat owners, groups say real singing cats should be used instead of actors.

And don't get me started on movies and TV shows about extraterrestrials...