# Pennsylvania college cancels play after author objects to white actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 21, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennsylvania-college-cancels-play-after-author-objects-to-white-actors/738138 "2015-11-21T01:03:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 9
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennsylvania-college-cancels-play-after-author-objects-to-white-actors/738138/9 "2015-11-21T06:57:37Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I can see where the author’s coming from but I think he’s overlooking something important here. If the characters in a play are South Asian should none but South Asians play them? If black should none but blacks play them? If Hispanic none but Hispanics? But grant the foregoing and here comes the crunch. If the characters are Caucasian should none but Caucasians play them? > > This is the real danger. Actors should have the freedom to portray any character, whatever the race. Limit South Asian roles to South Asians and the corollary is, “Sorry, you can’t play Henry V, he was white.” Word. There’s a name for anyone who think that anyone should be blocked from a job or role because of their race: racist. Acting, by definition, consists of a person portraying a role. The role is always different from the actor. Should only Danish princes be allowed to play Hamlet? If Suh’s reasoning were taken to it’s logical conclusion, there wouldn’t be any more plays, period. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pennsylvania-college-cancels-play-after-author-objects-to-white-actors/738138)._