Men in Musical Theater- Page 2

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:47pm

Mama Rose/Albin...

I don't see it.

Mama Rose is sorta the Hamlet of musical theatre. She can be played in so many different ways.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:51pm

I understand what the original poster is getting at. As a man, I wish that there were more roles that would let a guy belt 'em out and really become a star like Eva, Rose, Charity etc.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 5:58pm

Well, I was lumping Mama Rose in with roles like Dolly and Mame. Roles where you get to plant yourself downstage center and sing.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:10pm

Ah.. that I see.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:12pm

TOUR DE FORCE VOCAL ROLES?????????

Valjean?
The Phantom of the Opera?
Roger in Rent?
Freddy and anotoly in CHESS?
CHE in Evita?-the show you on which you based this thread
Georges Seurat in Sunday?
Jonathan in TIck Tick Boom?
Chris in Miss Saigon?
For every Momma Rose and Elphaba there is a Billy Bigelow or Phantom

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:14pm

I do want to say that while it wasn't a huge success on Broadway, Don in "Singin' in the Rain" is a crazy part to pull off. He's offstage for maybe one scene and dances his ass off, in RAIN no less. So while its not a huge vocal showcase, I'd say its comparable to a male Charity Hope Valentine.

As far as a vocal tear-the-house-down role I'd probably say the closest is probably Percy in "The Scarlet Pimpernel" as a few have said. Besides the two leads in "Jesus Christ Superstar".

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:18pm

Tommy Walker?
Coalhouse Walker
Percy and Chauvelinin Pimpernell
HENRY JEKYLL FOR GOODNESS SAKES!?!?!?!?!?!
Leo Frank in Parade?
Frankie in Jersey boys?
Archibald Craven?
Judas Iscariot?
The beast?
I could go on forever.

Less singing but equally impressive:
Tevye
King Arthur in Camelot
Henry higgins
Harold Hill
Starbuck in 110

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:22pm

Paul in Carnival?
Emile Debecque
Joey in Pal Joey

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 6:41pm

Dirty Rotten and Wedding Singer are two recent ones where the lead roles aren't exactly the tour-de-force roles that are associated with so many ladies.

This thread is goofy. You've listed two very poorly written (or underwritten) shows. Just looks at what people have listed here. You're not looking to the classics enough. Hell, even shows from the 70's like Pippin and Godspell are tough on the ol' vocal chords.

Variations on a Theme blog: http://panekattack.blogspot.com/

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 7:43pm

I think what RentBoy86 is saying is that people don't go to the theatre JUST to hear a man belt a high F, whereas for a woman (Elphaba/Evita) they do. Otherwise, I agree that for (almost)every Mama Rose there is a Tevye.

[WaitingForKathy]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 8:40pm

Men have it easier than women in MT cause there's not as many. I know the University of Michigan and Oklahoma City Univeristy summer music programs are still auditioning for men!! I guess if you're a man and can walk, you can get a job!!

[misschung]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 8:41pm

Yeah, I dont think he's saying there is a lack of male roles that are challenging, exciting, or enjoyable to play. And there are certainly parts that include "money notes" for men, but it's not like it is for women.

The only solution I can offer is to move to operatic performance instead of musical theater, hehe

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 8:42pm

This thread is the reason I was a drag queen for so many years. It was the only way to play some of those juicy parts!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 9:20pm

Neverandy, about half of the people you listed don't really count. I wouldn't call any of the 80s/90s pop-opearas to be star-making roles. And I thought about "Sunday in the Park with George," but it really seems like the show - at least in Act 1 belongs to Dot.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 10:35pm

It may be because I am not in fact male, but I really don't agree when people say that the sort of fame of the role doesn't shine as much for men. When I find a male singer who can sing songs like "Falcon in the Dive" or "Ol' Man River" I listen to them on CDs and on the computer much more than the women. There's a certain glamour established with the leading lady I think, but that is not to say that men can't shine and attract audiences for THEIR part.

"I wouldn't call any of the 80s/90s pop-operas to be star-making roles." Really? Michael Crawford became a HUGE star after The Phantom of the Opera. Colm Wilkinson for Les Miserables?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 10:48pm

I think Ben and Buddy in FOLLIES are two very well developed male roles. Any man should feel lucky to play those roles.

Though audiences may care more about Sally and Phyllis. Especially Sally, who is the heart of the show - in my opinion.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:11pm

And then there are people who say FOLLIES is Ben's show (though I agree it's mostly about Sally)
I'm not sure I agree with the premise of this thread. How can you say that there is no male Momma Rose when you have Sweeney Todd who gets to stand center stage during "Epiphany" and spill his guts? And how does Act I in SUNDAY belong to Dot if she's gone for a good half hour or twenty minutes before the curtain? And how about Guido Contini in NINE? That's not only a terribly hard role to sing but a very complex character to act, and it definitely is a star-making role.

Updated On: 5/10/07 at 11:11 PM

[misschung]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:38pm

Let's not forget the Emcee.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:40pm

It's all a matter of opinion. I just found myself more drawn to the role of "DOT" in Sunday than George, not to say I didn't care for their relationship or anything.

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:43pm

While Assassins doesn't have any "leading role" per se, it is a male dominated show, with plenty of roles for men to shine

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:47pm

I don't think Phantom or the lead in Les Mis are "tour de force" type roles.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 5/10/07 at 11:49pm

Well you may not, but most other people do. Isn't that the point of this thread? That audiences pay more attention to the starring female roles? People go to see The Phantom of the Opera to see the Phantom of the Opera in action. Jean Valjean is the most well-known character out of Les Miserables.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 12:01am

okay, people go to Phantom to see a chandlier fall, and people go to Les Miz cause of the name or the turntable. Not for who is playing what.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 12:19am

Michael Crawford, Michael Ball, Colm Wilkinson were all shot to fame because of their 80's pop shows, Rentboy.

Yes, Crawford had worked before that - but he took everyone by surprise with PHANTOM playing a completely different character than the public was used to. He was a comic lead, really, before PHANTOM. And if I remember correctly, Sir Webber even thought he was a long shot.

Michael Ball had one major credit to his name before being cast in LES MISERABLES.

And Colm Wilkinson's performance as Valjean will always be remembered as one of the best.

Today people can't really reclaim said status because, I think, those British shows were created to work like a machine. They weren't written to be vehicles for its stars. Instead, the actor had to make the role his own. And to these shows, that was dangerous. In order for them to work - they had to move as gracefully as a machine. They were created so every Valjean would be the same and every Phantom would be the same. They weren't made for completely different interpretations - good or bad. So the originals were really able to leave their mark on the role. Everyone after Wilkinson was a copy. At least that's how it would seem.

You can't deny people go see PHANTOM for the chandelier...but that's because the show wasn't created for its star...and thus isn't marketed that way.

But look at shows like FIDDLER, MAN OF LA MANCHA, OKLAHOMA, CABARET (even), and even THE PRODUCERS to an extent, for example. These show rely on their stars.

But, yes. It is easier to name shows with female leads.

Updated On: 5/11/07 at 12:19 AM

[alwy15]

Posted: 5/11/07 at 3:19am

Here's what I think the real issue is.
In life, women are typically more willing to express their emotions. Musical theater relies on the convention that when something becomes so emotional, it must be sung. So women, who do the majority of the emotional expressing in our culture and therefore in our theater, usually get the big songs.
I don't want to start a huge debate about men versus women in our society --- but on some level --- does anyone else think this is true?