FOF #2506 – When the Reviewer Gets Reviewed – 07.18.17
Actor Jerome Beck (center) with Fausto Fernós and Marc Felion. Photos: Fausto Fernós, Jerome Beck.
With the success of Hamilton, theater companies are embracing diversity in stories, plays and casting, but some reviewers aren’t liking it – Chicago Sun Times theater critic Hedy Weiss reportedly said at a panel in 2011 “there are so many plays about race and gender that it’s sickening.”
Weiss recently questioned why a play dealing with police violence didn’t also cover black on black crime, which is a tactic you’ve seen conservatives to discredit the real issue of police violence.
For the Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition, it was the last straw, so they started a petition asking theaters to make Weiss pay the ticket price if she wants to present racist, homophobic, and body shaming reviews.
Today actor Jerome Beck joins us to take a look at the conservative backlash on diversity in theater and the role of theater critics in the age of social media and the internet.
Plus,
➤ Miley Cyrus says she “felt sexualized” while twerking onstage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.
➤ Stranger Things and RuPaul’s Drag Race sweep the Emmy nominations with 18 and 7 awards respectively.
➤ Farewell to actor Martin Landau, director George Romero and radio host Stephen Rice of Outcast Austin.