Male Vs Female Dominated Shows

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 5:51am

I was thinking how Male dominated so many of the current shows on B'way are:

American Idiot
Billy Elliot: The Musical
Catch Me If You Can
Ghetto Klown* (But this is a one man show, yes?)
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Jersey Boys
La Cage aux Folles
Lombardi*
Million Dollar Quartet
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Rain
That Championship Season
The Book of Mormon*
War Horse

vs. FEMALE dominated shows
Chicago
Kathy Griffin
Mamma Mia
Wicked

(Certainly there are lots of shows that aren't one or the either)

Then I got to thinking about shows past to think of more female dominated shows. Would love your help adding to the list! I had problems thinking of titles. (Gads of MALE dominated spring to mind: 1776, Two by Two, Kiss of the Spider Woman) but only a few FEMALE dominated.

Certainly Thoroughly Modern Millie & August: Osage County spring to mind as of recent but what others are there? Please help me find the shows (musicals AND plays)that are Female centered/dominated!

(And I'm sure not everyone would agree that I've correctly identified all the current shows correctly, and I've marked the shows I'm not certain of being called "male dominated".)

[chewy5000]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 6:19am

I find it interesting that in A Chorus Line, most of the songs go to the female characters.

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 9:55am

"I find it interesting that in A Chorus Line, most of the songs go to the female characters."

But Richie's "Gimme the ball" and Paul's monologue may be the two most remembered moments - after the explosive opening.

Female shows: I can think of many plays, such as:
Sisters Rozensweig; Crimes of the Heart; Steel Magnolias; Little Foxes; Children's Hour; Agnes of God; night, Mother; The Odd Couple (female edition!)

But musicals are difficult: there are many musicals with strong female leads (Evita; Wonderful Town; Dolly, Mame; Annie; Annie Get Your Gun; Hairspray; Light in the Piazza; Sideshow; Sweet Charity) But I don't know that I would say they were female-dominated. Each has some pretty prominent male roles - in part because too often a theme is how is the girl going to get the guy!

That said, the Nunsense shows are female dominated.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 11:48am

Sister Act and Legally Blonde strike me as two very female-dominated shows.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 12:10pm

"But Richie's "Gimme the ball" and Paul's monologue may be the two most remembered moments - after the explosive opening."

I don't know that I agree with that. "What I Did For Love" is the most memorable song from that show (started by Diana and then supported by the cast). "Music & the Mirror" is very memorable (the red dress dance as some remember it). And everyone knows the "T&A" song. I also think that "At The Ballet" is a song people remember for it's emotional impact.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 12:20pm

I think in terms of the show in general, I'd call Chorus Line even. In terms of songs, females dominate.

Another interesting one is Nine. Guido (plus Young Guido) sort of dominates the show, but the rest of the cast is female.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 10:57pm

THE PRODUCERS is clearly a male driven show.

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 3/19/11 at 6:12am

Some Female Dominated shows to add to the list include:

The Life
Caroline, Or Change
Brooklyn
The Color Purple
Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Little Women
The Pirate Queen
and 9 to 5

[Marianne2]

Posted: 3/19/11 at 8:45am

Would Gypsy count as female dominated? The only main male role I recall is Herbie, and he hardly had any songs. The rest of the songs were from Rose and the girls, and the strippers.

[buddy 11432]

Posted: 3/19/11 at 10:23am

To quote a recent Sondheim comment, women dominate Broadway shows, men dominate films. He gave Ethel Merman and Mary Martin as two examples. It's true that men have most of the leading roles on Broadway right now. Props to Nathan Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell and John Gallagher, Jr. Let's see where we are in 10 years.