Leading role vs. supporting/featured role

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/9/16 at 4:01pm

My last post got me thinking - producer petitioning aside, what is the true distinction between a "leading role" and a supporting/featured role? Every Tony and Oscar season I feel like I see supporting actors being nominated in the leading category and leading actors being nominated in the supporting category.

For me, there are usually between one and three lead actors in any play. For example, in A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche, Stanley, and Stella could all be considered leading, because it is the story of the three of them. Mitch and everyone else is there to help tell their story. However, in Les Miserables, there is only one lead, and it's Jean Valjean. Everyone else - Javert, Fantine, etc. are all there to support the telling of his story, even though they do have stories of their own that are explored.

Anyone else have any thoughts on how to make the distinction?

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 5/9/16 at 4:15pm

For me, it's a combination between time on stage and importance to the story. For instance with regards to Hamilton, I believe the committee made the right decisions.

Although Daveed has more stage time than Phillipa, you could easily remove Lafayette/Jefferson from the show and just mention them by name (like John Adams etc.) with little effect on how well the story gets told. You can't remove Eliza. You need her there for those big moments in Hamilton's personal life.

Leslie has less stage time than Lin but is almost as important. As I mentioned in the other thread, Burr is a foil to Hamilton and is there throughout his life as depicted in the show. 

Both Phillipa and Leslie also get multiple songs where they are either solos or may as well be (Helpless, Burn, That Would Be Enough, WLWDWTYS, Wait For It, The Room Where It Happens etc.) compared to actors like Renee and Daveed who only get one huge moment each in the show (Satisfied, What'd I Miss). 

Different people will qualify it in different ways but that's how I see it.

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/9/16 at 5:03pm

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Updated On: 5/9/16 at 05:03 PM