For at least the second time, Helen Hunt will be taking on a gender bender role on Broadway. She convincingly cross-dressed in
her portrayal of androgynous Viola in
Twelfth Night a few years ago. And now she'll be playing the traditionally male role of the Stage Manager in
Our Town. An otherwise thoughtful
article in
The New York Times presents Hunt's part as a problem because another character at one point addresses the Stage Manager as "sir." Apparently, this is causing some
gender trouble. The article presents the situation as an almost panic-inducing dilemma that might require a change in the classic script: "The current production was planning
to accommodate its new Stage Manager either by rendering that 'sir' as an inaudible mutter or dropping it altogether." But why the fuss? I think Helen Hunt can pull off a Peppermint Patty butch quality. She can be addressed as "sir" and still be a woman. For chrissake, people, just make her a
lesbian stage manager. Problem solved. It's not as if the world has not seen a lesbian stage manager before. It's not as if people can't handle a woman being addressed as "sir." Charles Schulz knew this in the 1960s! And, frankly, Helen Hunt could pull off playing a lesbian stage manager even if she weren't a fine actress.
For at least the second time, Helen Hunt will be taking on a gender bender role on Broadway. She convincingly cross-dressed in her portrayal of androgynous Viola in Twelfth Night a few years ago. And now she'll be playing the traditionally male role of the Stage Manager in Our Town. An otherwise thoughtful 
article in The New York Times presents Hunt's part as a problem because another character at one point addresses the Stage Manager as "sir." Apparently, this is causing some gender trouble. The article presents the situation as an almost panic-inducing dilemma that might require a change in the classic script: "The current production was planning 
to accommodate its new Stage Manager either by rendering that 'sir' as an inaudible mutter or dropping it altogether." But why the fuss? I think Helen Hunt can pull off a Peppermint Patty butch quality. She can be addressed as "sir" and still be a woman. For chrissake, people, just make her a lesbian stage manager. Problem solved. It's not as if the world has not seen a lesbian stage manager before. It's not as if people can't handle a woman being addressed as "sir." Charles Schulz knew this in the 1960s! And, frankly, Helen Hunt could pull off playing a lesbian stage manager even if she weren't a fine actress.
