Boring Roles...- Page 2

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 11:15pm

Sarah Brown is definitely a boring character

Herbie in Gypsy

Claudia in Nine

Peron in Evita

Julian Marsh in 42nd Street

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 11:24pm

Awww! I <3 Julian Marsh in 42nd Street. When the part is played well, it can inspire and be incredibly invigorating... I'm sure if I'd been lucky enough to catch Jerry Orbach in the role, I would be able to say even more about it...

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 11:24pm

Kim in Bye Bye Birdie
the Mission Band in Guys and Dolls!
General Cartwright in Guys and Dolls
any orphan or theif in Oliver! or Annie

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 11:31pm

awww, I love the orphan/thieves in Oliver! But that's just me.
I thought Abigail Adams in 1776 was pretty boring. I don't like any of her songs. Martha Jefferson is awesome though. She gets to sing He Plays the Violin.

[La Vie Boheme]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:00am

Albert~Bye Bye Birdie (I think the character is bland)

[BialyBloomInc02]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:10am

I must agree La Vie Boheme that Albert is an underwritten role that only truly shines with very unique performers (usually those specializing in slapstick/physical comedy)..ie. Dick Van Dyke. I remember Tommy Tune even having a difficult time in the 1992 National Tour finding another side to Albert, and while Tommy certainly made Albert his own (his tap dancing was stupendous), the material was quite weak. I played Albert last year in a local production and it was very difficult to make anything special out of the character...just very bland and not very funny at all. Updated On: 2/5/05 at 12:10 AM

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:14am

The orphans from Annie (while annoying as hell) are great roles for young character- actresses in the making!

[tiger_lily007]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:08am

I second Cosette from Les Miz and Grace from Annie. I just saw Annie at the regional theatre and a wonderful friend of mine was playing Grace and I just felt so awful for her. The part didn't do anything to showcase all her talent.

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 5:23am

Ambrose in Hello Dolly
Lancelot in Camelot
And, I have to say it, I've seen a half dozen Bobbys in Company - none had even the least little bit of spark, but, well, then again, that is kind of the point.

[Sant]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 8:18am

"re: Boring Roles...
Posted On:2/4/05 at 09:35:03 PM


I disagree about Evelyn Nesbit being 'boring' in the musical; she's actually quite funny. But in the novel she's a much more fleshed-out character; it seems strange after reading the book that Nesbit was used as the comic relief. "

I've never read the book so I went to see the show without knowing what it really was about. And I truly think they could have done more with Evelyn or leave her totally out of the stage production - she didn't have any important function considering the story. She just "was" there, to give the main characters a moment to rest. The part didn't require any great acting, nor great singing. Comic relief, maybe, but totally unnecessary one.

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 8:34am

Rosemary in How to Succeed.

I am sorry, but I would never sing "Happy to keep his dinner warm!" MAKE YOUR OWN GOSH DARN DINNER!!! :)

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 8:40am

We just did "Harvey," so I'd say Dr. Sanderon and Nurse Kelly. I played Dr. Chumley, which was fun and boring at the same time.

[perfusion]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 10:49am

Marty in Dreamgirls

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 11:20am

benny in rent
miss jones in H2$ with the exception of her songs near the end of both acts
bert bratt- also in H2$- at least in the revival they gave him all of a secretary is not a toy

[zippyjen]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:10pm

I am no actor but any role except aida in aida seems boring to me. ANd i agree with benny from rent.

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:16pm

I agree with Kim in Bye Bye Birdie. Actually, pretty much everyone in Bye Bye Birdie, for me.
Oh, and Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 12:42pm

I was going to also post Benny from Rent and to a lesser extent Tom Collins from Rent

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 1:40pm

I wouldn't say Collins is boring, but the part is unfortunately overshadowed by Angel. There are some great moments in the show for Collins (ICY Reprise, Goodbye Love, ICY, Santa Fe).

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 1:42pm

Jen, I've seen Aida and I think Amneris and Zoser are amazing roles in Aida. Amneris is fun and heartbreaking at the same itme and Zoser - well the guy is evil! That's always fun!

[Derek]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:00pm

I'm confused...how is Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz boring? She sings in every song and is in ever scene lol...i dont get it...why is Judy Garland so popular lol?

[JohnnysGurl]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:04pm

Steward:Into the Woods
Meg: Phantom

[Justice]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:14pm

Cliff in Cabaret (You could be the greatest actor in the world, and it would still bring no life to this character)

Christine Daee - Are we supposed to feel for her?

Wizard in Wicked - instead of finding a name to play this role, they should have written better numbers

Cinderella's Father in Into the Woods - Five lines??? For what? Was it to bring Edmund Lyndeck's career back???

Paul in Carnival - His songs make him sound pathetic.

The father in Aida - His song ruined the whole first act for me.

Everyone in Dracula (except for Dracula's three girls)

Pirelli in Sweeney Todd - I know it's important to the plot, but I can't stand his songs.

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:14pm

The amount of songs you sing and the amount of stage time you have has nothing to do with how interesting a character is. Sometimes characters are just so "goody-goody" you can't have any fun playing it or watching it.

[Justice]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:19pm

"I've never read the book so I went to see the show without knowing what it really was about. And I truly think they could have done more with Evelyn or leave her totally out of the stage production - she didn't have any important function considering the story. She just "was" there, to give the main characters a moment to rest. The part didn't require any great acting, nor great singing. Comic relief, maybe, but totally unnecessary one."

I guess then, you didn't realise that Mother's Younger brother was in love with her, and when he was rejected it opened his eyes to certain things, and made him bitter, lonely and sad. Therefore, she did have a purpose other than singing about her life.
Also, it was telling of the time period. The musical incorporated truth, and Evelyn's story was one of them. We saw how she grew to success, and we saw how she failed. If she was unnecessary, than Houdini was, too - which I totally disagree.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:26pm

Just because the quantity of the role is big, doesn't make the role great. She gets one beautiful song, and looks wistful. Judy Garland MADE Dorothy, not vice versa. It was more her presence, beauty and grace than the role itself. This girl at my school who has a gorgeous voice but no presence was assigned to sing Over The Rainbow - point proven.