Broadway Rom-Com "Maybe Happy Ending" Faces Backlash Over Casting Controversy

Strategic Insights -

A casting dispute has plagued the Broadway musical "Maybe Happy Ending," with critics and performers denouncing the decision to replace an Asian lead actor with a white one. The controversy began when the show's creators chose Andrew Barth Feldman to take over the role of Oliver, despite having a predominantly Asian cast. The move sparked outrage from the Asian American Performers Action Coalition, the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists, and prominent Asian American artists.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 2,400 people have signed a letter asking the musical's creators to reconsider their casting choice, including two-time Tony winner Donna Murphy and Tony winner Golden Globe winner Awkwafina.
  • The reaction on social media has been intense, with many calling for Feldman to drop out and comparing the situation to the whitewashing controversy around Scarlett Johansson in the movie "Ghost in the Shell."
  • The controversy comes 36 years after the casting of a white actor as the Eurasian lead in "Miss Saigon" sparked a similar backlash.
  • The show's creators, Will Aronson and Hue Park, stated that they wanted to write a show in which every role could be played by an Asian performer but ultimately chose Feldman for the role.
  • Critics point out that the script and direction highlight the importance of an Asian-presenting lead actor in the plot, making the casting choice even more contentious.
  • According to data, only 3.7% of all actors on Broadway are of Asian descent, while Asian American actors secured just 2.8% of all lead roles in musicals.
  • The controversy has impacted Asian American actors, including Helen J. Shen, who is making her Broadway debut and is also dating and living with Feldman.
  • Some critics have defended the show and its makers, while others have called for a boycott.

Statistics:

  • Over 2,400 people have signed the letter asking the musical's creators to reconsider their casting choice.
  • Only 3.7% of all actors on Broadway are of Asian descent, in a city where Asians make up 14.5% of the population.
  • Asian American actors secured just 2.8% of all lead roles in musicals, while white actors nabbed 52.8%.
  • The show's creators, Will Aronson and Hue Park, stated that they wrote Oliver and Claire as androids created by a global company, but ultimately chose to cast a predominantly Asian cast.
  • The musical has been a hit in South Korea since its development in 2014, and has a strong following in the country.

Sources:

  • New York (AP)
  • Asian American Performers Action Coalition
  • Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists
  • East West Players
  • Kennesaw State University
  • Florida Gulf Coast University
  • Broadway World
  • The New York Times
  • Variety