An American in Paris acting choice
An American in Paris acting choice
MBFan
Understudy Joined: 4/23/05
#1An American in Paris acting choice
Posted: 6/18/25 at 3:18pm
Just saw a local production of "An American in Paris" and I wondered why wouldn't the actor playing Jerry Mulligan play him as a straight man? I mean, he's clearly after the girl, Lise. So, I always assumed Jerry was straight. I saw Robbie Fairchild play Jerry in London years ago and he definitely played him as straight. Just confused as to why they would make that acting choice in the production I saw locally.
#2An American in Paris acting choice
Posted: 6/18/25 at 3:21pm
Can you elaborate on what kind of choices you’re talking about? Like they made rewrites?
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JSquared2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
#3An American in Paris acting choice
Posted: 6/18/25 at 3:37pm
MBFan said: "Just saw a local production of "An American in Paris" and I wondered why wouldn't the actor playing Jerry Mulligan play him as a straight man? I mean, he's clearly after the girl, Lise. So, I always assumed Jerry was straight. I saw Robbie Fairchild play Jerry in London years ago and he definitely played him as straight. Just confused as to why they would make that acting choice in the production I saw locally."
Whaa?? Are you trying to say that in a local production you attended, the character of Jerry was played as an openly gay man? Are you sure it's not just that the actor/dancer they cast was effeminate? For the Broadway production, even Robbie Fairchild had not "officially" come out as a gay man. The actors who played "Henri" and "Adam" were also both openly gay -- did you have a problem with them playing straight characters?
#4An American in Paris acting choice
Posted: 6/18/25 at 4:02pm
I saw a production of Hair in which Claude was played as openly and exclusively gay; it didn’t impact most of his book scenes, but it made Jeannie’s scene where she tries to get his attention incredibly funny. Her “…he loves me” line on his exit got an enormous and well-earned laugh.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#5An American in Paris acting choice
Posted: 6/18/25 at 5:22pm
1. Please explain why you felt he "played it gay". (There are, after all, effeminate straight men, just as there are butch gay men.)
2. My guess was this wasn't what they were going for.
3. If they were, only the people involved with the production could tell you why.
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