Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 6, No. 0150.  Thursday, 2March 1995.
 
(1)     From:   James J. Hill, Jr. <E7E4JJH@TOWSONVX.BITNET>
        Date:   Wednesday, 01 Mar 1995 16:58:42 -0500 (EST)
        Subj:   Color Blind Casting
 
(2)     From:   Patrick Venneri <
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        Date:   Thursday, 02 Mar 1995 06:58:35 +0000 (GMT)
        Subj:   RE: SHK 6.0144  Casting
 
 
(1)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           James J. Hill, Jr. <E7E4JJH@TOWSONVX.BITNET>
Date:           Wednesday, 01 Mar 1995 16:58:42 -0500 (EST)
Subject:        Color Blind Casting
 
Color-blind casting in *Othello* may remove one of the major visual images in
the play that identifies Othello as "the Outsider."  A Black Othello surrounded
by a White cast is visually different--he is the outsider.  And, of course,
references in the play support this visual distinction.  It would be
interesting to see a White Othello surrounded by a Black cast, as he would
still be the sole outsider [but this would not be Shakespeare's play--however
interesting the "clever' casting would be:  STILL THE SPIRIT OF THE PLAY WOULD
BE SHAKESPEARE'S].  Jim Hill
 
(2)----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Patrick Venneri <
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 >
Date:           Thursday, 02 Mar 1995 06:58:35 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: 6.0144  Casting
Comment:        RE: SHK 6.0144  Casting
 
Jimmy Jung:
 
My students in prison when I was teaching Othello said the whole cast except
Othello should be black, and Othello white.  And on an Army base they said any
office who was not aware enough to see through Iago's duplicity was not a good
officer.
 
Patrick Venneri
The American University in Cairo