Male Hello Dolly

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:05am

Am I only one who thinks this could so be a drag role? It would be hysterical. Plus its one of my dream roles lol. What does everyone think? Has someone actually seen or heard of this done. I'm very interested.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:30am

Discussed by NoName previously on the thread about authors protecting their works:



Male Dolly Updated On: 7/2/14 at 02:30 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:46am

The Male Evita thread didn't have a lot of support...
Male evita?

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:59am

Pointless.

[Dubliner]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 3:31am

There was a West End run in the eighties starring Danny La Rue at the Prince of Wales.

Updated On: 7/2/14 at 03:31 AM

[lotiloti]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 6:36am

Yes La Rue, did do it in the eighties. No respect for the material at all. Loathsome performance.

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 7:49am

After Eight, every time he walks down a flight of stairs.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 5:29pm

But why? Maybe a female Tevye but, again, why?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 5:40pm

I remember this was being bandied about way back than and the names of Jack Benny & Flip Wilson being mentioned.

Updated On: 7/3/14 at 05:40 PM

[Hex3]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 7:22pm

Within this day of blurred gender lines, who's to say that there isn't an actor out there who is physically male but would play the role to perfection as a woman? However those kinds of actors are few and far between.

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:24am

And why bother? The show simply becomes a campy drag show - fun for a skit maybe - but mount an entire production around it? ( some would argue it's campy enough already with C.Channing starring.)

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:35am

The actor would have to portray the part as a woman not as a man in drag. The audience will forget if the performance is of good quality.

[Hex3]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:47am

Exactly.

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 11:52am

But again what would be the point? The OP said as a drag show it would be "hysterical" - but if the audience forgets a male is impersonating a female it is not "hysterical", but is just another in a line of Dollies, albeit one with male equpment under those costumes.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 12:10pm

I don't necessarily think that Dolly is the right role for that. Mrs. Lovett works very well as well as Miss Hannigan and possibly even Mama Rose.

[Broadwayhunk]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 1:37pm

We still don't see the point. If you are talking gender-blind casting, and the actor could carry off the role that is one thing. If you want to use the material to stage a drag version for simply the sake of being "campy", that ship sailed many moons ago.

[Hex3]

Posted: 7/4/14 at 5:51pm

That's exactly my point. It would be silly and an over all bad idea to go into producing this musical (or any other like it) with the sole intention of wanting to put on a drag show. And if that's what the OP wants, then I am against the idea. If you want a drag show, then go see a drag show. Or do a show like Hairspray, Chicago, Hedwig or (on the other side of the spectrum) Peter Pan or Edwin Drood. However, I like the idea of gender-blind casting when the actor in question is the best one for the role. I know it can work because I've seen it for myself.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/5/14 at 12:12pm

David Merrick seriously wanted Bert Lahr to play Dolly and Jack Benny to play Vandergelder.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/5/14 at 12:28pm

I always felt in many ways that Carols performance was borderline drag.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 4:18am

David Suchet is to play Lady Bracknell in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST in London so surely a male actor playing a female role is just another acting challenge? You can either do it well or not..... let the public decide! I did see a male actor playing Vera in MAME once and he carried it off!

[brldisteach2]

Posted: 7/6/14 at 10:40am

There was also a version of Mame in the Twin Cities with a male actor playing Mame. I didn't get to see it myself, but people who saw the show loved it. In reference to previous posts, he played it as a woman, not as a drag queen.

[alterego]

Posted: 7/8/14 at 9:49am

That I can see Dollypop.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 7/8/14 at 10:36am

I think that Charles Busch woud make a credible Dolly Levi. Whether he's be interested in doing the role is another question.

[Hex3]

Posted: 7/8/14 at 3:12pm

I saw Charles Busch in the BC/EFA staged reading of Auntie Mame. It was some time ago but I remember enjoying his performance quite a bit. I wish I could have caught him in the fully staged production he did a while after that. I forget where exactly it was done but it wasn't in NYC. I think it would be interesting to see him take on the role of Dolly Levi. However, I'm not sure if he could sing it. Even in the Carol Channing baritone keys. Perhaps it would be better suited for him to take on the role in The Matchmaker instead (if he ever chose to play the role at all that is).

Also, the thing about some one like Charles Busch is is that I really don't consider him to be a "drag queen". Yes he wears womens' clothes, etc. But there is something different in the kind of performance he does and your typical drag queen. Weren't performers like him called Gender Illusionists back in the day?