Swing Joined: 11/30/15
Hey you guys! I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for roles for a male character actor who's in Musical Theatre. What are some of the best male character roles in shows? So far, I have Amos in Chicago, Kodai in She Loves Me, Luther Billis in South Pacific, Thenardier in Les Mis, and Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone.
Updated On: 11/30/15 at 08:33 PM
Could you be a little more specific? Are you asking for the most iconic male roles in musical theatre?
William Barfee and Leaf Conybear- Spelling Bee
Seymour Krelborn/Orin/Mushnik/Audrey 2- Little Shop
Officer L. - Urinetown
The MC- Cabaret
Miss Trunchbull/Mr. Wormwood- Matilda
The Dysquiths- Gentleman's Guide
Frank- Rocky Horror
Sancho- Man of La Mancha
Broadway Star Joined: 9/28/15
Most of the male roles in The Producers, Drowsy Chaperone, Something Rotten, and Spamalot
"Could you be a little more specific? Are you asking for the most iconic male roles in musical theatre?"
What's there to be more specific about? He's asking for the best male character actor roles in Musical theater.
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Stephen Kodaly isn't really a role for character actors (the three Broadway productions had Jack Cassidy, Howard McGillin and Gavin Creel in the role).
Hamilton22, I would think that "best" is pretty subjective when it comes to choosing to perform a role. Can you possibly ever relax?
Freddy Benson
Carl Hanratty
..., any and all roles played by Nobert Leo Butz.
Pseudolus in FORUM
Og in FINIAN'S RAINBOW
Basically ANY male role in DROOD and/or CURTAINS...
I could go on, but I won't. Lol
What's confusing about your question is that you've listed as examples only featured roles, some of which are usually played by "leading men" types (Kodaly for instance, as gypsy101 already noted, who is a dashing "player" but don't list any lead roles which are usually played by "character" types.
So you seem to be looking for plum featured roles for men in musicals, not for a list of the "best character" roles. While there's substantial overlap between the two categories, they are clearly not the same thing.
In any event, we might be able to help you more if you told us why you were asking this question. Is it an academic question? Out of curiosity? Or are you searching for roles to look at for yourself or another actor - and if so, you might get a more helpful answer if you give us some information about yourself or that other actor in terms of what types you might be seen as being as well as your stage skills.
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