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    Why A Theater Director Made A 'Color-Conscious Choice' In 'Virginia Woolf' Casting

    A small theater in Portland, Ore., cast an African-American actor in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? But the Albee estate wouldn't grant the rights to produce the 1962 play.
    by Jeff Lunden May 31, 2017 3 minutes
    Elizabeth Taylor, (from left) George Segal, Richard Burton and Sandy Dennis starred in the 1966 film adaptation of Edward Albee's play, <em>Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? </em>A theater director in Portland recently cast an African-American actor as Nick (Segal's role) — and found the Albee estate withheld rights to the play.

    It all started when a director and producer from a tiny theater in Portland, Ore., posted a message on Facebook; he was outraged that the Edward Albee estate wouldn't grant him rights to produce Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? because he'd cast a black actor in one of the roles. His post went viral, and a firestorm ensued.

    Michael Streeter says he wanted to dust off Albee's 55-year-old play and give it a new angle. So, he cast an African-American actor in the role of Nick, a young biology

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