Character Names in Showtunes ?

#1

Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 10:02am

While watching "Broadway on Broadway" I noticed that 2 tunes, "All I Ask Of You" from Phantom, and "Gotta Have a Gimmick" from Gypsy, both have the characters' names (Christine and Gypsy) sung in the lyrics. Can members think of other showtunes where a characters' name is sung. I also thought of the showtune "Oliver" from Oliver and "Nathan Detroit" from Guys and Dolls. There must be many more.

#2

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 10:09am

"Someone is Waiting" from Company
"Rose's Turn"
"Baby June and Her Newsboys"
"Dainty June and Her Farmboys/Broadway"
"Sunday in the Park with George"
"Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden
"Roses at the Station" from Grand Hotel
"My Husband Makes Movies" from Nine

ummm...there are a lot.

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#3

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 10:13am

Virtually every musical has a song or songs in which character names are mentioned.

#4

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 11:08am

Hello Dolly
Mame
Nothing (A Chorus Line)
Roxie (Chicago)
Beauty and the Beast

Notice how most of these are also the titles of the shows. I think the list might be endless.

#5

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 12:46pm

Sunday in the Park with George
Beautiful
Everybody Loves Louis
Lesson #8
Sunday (Finale)

I agree, this is far too common to be "listable."

Updated On: 9/16/08 at 12:46 PM

#6

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 1:24pm

Almost all the songs in Wicked have a characters name sung in them somewhere. The Wizard and I even has the name in the title.

I agree with ppc1979 the list is endless since almost every show done has a characters name in a song.

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#7

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 2:15pm

Maria - West Side Story
Maria - Sound of Music

Johanna (Anthony) - Sweeney Todd
Johanna (Judge) - Sweeney Todd
Johanna (Quatet) - Sweeney Todd

#8

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 2:59pm

I think that every song in "The Last Five Years" mentions a character's name.

Oh, I guess "Shiksa Goddess" doesn't, but it does mention a lot of other names.

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#9

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 4:33pm

Ilona from She Loves Me
You Could Drive a Person Crazy from Company
I'm Not Getting Married from Company
Mister Snow from Carousel
Poor Judd Is Dead from Oklahoma!
Bill from Show Boat

Maybe it would be more challenging to list songs from musicals that don't include a character's name.

Updated On: 9/16/08 at 04:33 PM

#10

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 9:30pm

Remember in the book The Phantom Tollbooth where one of the characters is made to move a mountain of sand grain by grain a short distance for no point what-so-ever.

I feel like this message board is a lot like that.

Sorry.

#11

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 9:34pm

Light My Candle-Rent
Jimmy-Thoroughly Modern Millie
Dance of the Robe-Aida
Opening-Company (You know BOBBY BOBBY BOBBY BOOOOOBBBBBBY)
Omigod-Legally Blonde

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#12

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 10:28pm

Look What Happened To Mabel - Mack & Mabel

#13

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 10:47pm

Queenie Was A Blonde - The Wild Party (either version)

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"I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking...someday all of this will have to be developed, carefully printed, fixed." - Christopher Isherwood

#14

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/16/08 at 11:59pm

"Company" from Company
"The Phantom of the Opera" from The Phantom of the Opera
"We Can Do It" from The Producers

#15

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/18/08 at 10:18am

I thought of some more character names in showtunes. How could I forget: "Mame", "Hello Dolly", "Bloody Mary" from "South Pacific", "Maria" from both "Sound of Music" and "West Side Story" and even "Truly Scrumptious" from the recently-closed " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".

#16

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/18/08 at 1:48pm

Recently closed?

Chitty closed in 2005.

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"I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking...someday all of this will have to be developed, carefully printed, fixed." - Christopher Isherwood

#17

re: Character Names in Showtunes ?

Posted: 9/18/08 at 2:02pm

"Without Love" - Hairspray
- Tracy, Link, and Seaweed are all mentioned