Coming in Second: Broadway’s Game of Consistently Placing Black Talent Solely as Standbys and Replacements

If this pandemic has shown us anything about our industry, it is that it does NOT happen without Black people. From the front of the house to the back of the wings, from the principal to the swing, Black bodies have consistently worked to bring millions of dollars into this industry. We are such an integral part of the machine and yet, when it comes to money, and to roles, we are always coming in second. 

Unless the story is specifically about a Black person or group, Broadway casting teams always relegate the bulk of Black talent to standbys, swings, and understudies of the complex, heartfelt, and usually white, principal roles. If they do get the chance to play the role full time. It is only until the second or third replacement. This is not to say those positions are not just as important, and even more challenging than the original principal, but it makes you wonder. 

Time and time again we have seen this happen. I think of this trending video of Saycon Sengbloh absolutely disintegrating our edges as Elphaba in Wicked. Isn’t insane that in a show literally about a woman of a color different than the rest of her peers being discriminated against, there has never been a full-time Black Elphaba on Broadway? The irony hurts.

There have been constant examples of this from Jordan Fisher’s heartbreaking performance as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen, Aisha Jackson’s exhilarating Anna in Frozen, Ashley De La Rosa’s seductive Regina George in Mean Girls, the list goes on and on and on. 

The most disappointing part about this, is the decisions cannot be based on talent, because we always tend to be just as good if not BETTER than the white original. Our experiences, our struggles, and our triumphs that we face as Black artists make our performances more precise, more emotional, just because we have been conditioned to think that we must be at the very top of our game at all times, just to get our foot in the door. Our Blackness not only informs the role, but it also improves it.

The most important thing is that WE see us. WE see the work and appreciate the choices. In all this talk that the Great WHITE Way has had about diversity and change, let’s hope we actually see some change, and more importantly, our people getting the things we deserve. 

We are #TeamBootleg over here so check out some of our favorite Broadway Black replacement/standby performances and reach out to let us know how YOU feel: 

https://youtu.be/VHsa1U2OXZc

https://youtu.be/ZZ808TJQL6U

https://youtu.be/DHSTF-KIybI

https://youtu.be/NZI5tqRrn5Y