Most Famous Genderblind Roles in Musical Theater

[JonahKost]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 11:30pm

I'm just curious about other ones I know other than the Leading Player in Pippin. And I'm talking about roles that are specifically stated in the script that they can either be played by a man or woman. And if there is another thread about this, can someone post the link please? Thanks.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 11:43pm

The Emcee in Cabaret, though on Broadway it's always been played by a male. 

 

Pseudolus in the last Forum revival was played as a female by Whoopi, though I'm not sure Sondheim or Burt Shevelove ever intended for that to happen. 

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 11:46pm

Danny LaRue played Dolly in HELLO, DOLLY! as the first major West End revival.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 11:48pm

The eponymous Fiddler On The Roof!

 

At least I've seen female fiddlers, but maybe it's not that common. Is there any reason the fiddler should be a man?

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 11:50pm

Hedwig comes to mind, even though I personally think the character should really, really be played by a man.

Updated On: 2/22/16 at 11:50 PM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 4:14am

If I'm not wrong, the role of Lillian in Nine was originally written for a man, then they fell in love with Montevecchi and made it a woman; but I think I read that it can be played by a man a named "Maurice" if it happens.

[Dave19]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 5:52am

Teen Angel in Grease

[artscallion]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 7:12am

Murray Poppins

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 7:24am

Saint Jimmy in American Idiot was gender blind.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 9:47am

The narrator in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 2:55pm

imeldasturn said: "If I'm not wrong, the role of Lillian in Nine was originally written for a man, then they fell in love with Montevecchi and made it a woman; but I think I read that it can be played by a man a named "Maurice" if it happens."

 

I'm pretty sure I checked the book of the musical out from the library and it definitely listed both Liliane la Fleur and Stephanie Necrophorus were both originally supposed to be men. The legend goes that no men auditioned that the creative team liked, so they went with the odd (and in my opinion genius) idea to have the whole cast be women except for Guido, young Guido and a few of his schoolmates. It's a very cool concept that is similar to that movie The Women. I wish the movie version of Nine had kept the concept (though I understand it would have been difficult and farfetched).

[gallerygirl]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:07pm

I doubt that any of these roles are specifically stated in the script that they can be played by either sex. For example, Paula Kelly's casting as the Leading Player in PIPPIN was obviously based on Fosse's having worked with her in SWEET CHARITY and realizing her suitability, but Diane Paulus actually considered a variety of men and women for the revival, workshopping a core group of completely different types (including white males and females) before deciding on Patina Miller. What surprises me is that all of Miller's replacements have been carbon copies. But usually directors make the "unconventional casting" call, such as making The Whitmans in FOLLIES a sister act rather than a married couple, or changing the sex of the dancers in A CHORUS LINE. Apparently the script of NINE was indeed written to include male characters but Tommy Tune was so dazzled by the array of female talent he was auditioning that it led to the "eureka" moment of casting the whole show with women.

[Tom5]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:10pm

Just a guess but I think if a character in a musical or play could be of either gender that character may not have been written too sharply.

[mpd4165]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:15pm

Tom5 said: "Just a guess but I think if a character in a musical or play could be of either gender that character may not have been written too sharply.

 

"

Considering some of the roles mentioned thus far, that argument doesn't really hold up.

[Tom5]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:35pm

Perhaps people are confusing race blind roles (good) with genderblind roles, which in many cases might fall more in the category of gimmick casting. What serious playwright would like a producer to switch the sex on one of his characters? 

[illiniparkie]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:43pm

Peter Pan.  I was in a production at a community college where the lead was played by a young man.  It worked perfectly fine.

[artscallion]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 3:58pm

There's a difference between Peter Pan, where the character gender remains as written whether played by a male or female (same can be said for Gary Coleman in Avenue Q) and the gender of the character changing based on the gender of the actor playing it, because the gender of the character is not relevant to the story. This could include The Lead Player in Pippin  and the MC in Cabaret.

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 4:18pm

Not to be nitpicky, but in the number Two Ladies in Cabaret, it is stated that the Emcee is a man. Of course, the show does bend gender lines a lot so you could definitely have a woman in that role, but just to be specific.

[funhamilton_rent]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 4:19pm

The Cat in the Hat in Seussical and Angel in Rent come to mind

[newintown]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 4:39pm

Many of the characters in Charles Busch's plays can be played by either men or women, although the sex of the character stays the same - this includes Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Psycho Beach Party, Red Scare on Sunset, The Lady in Question, The Divine Sister, etc., etc., etc.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 2/23/16 at 7:30pm

Angel from Rent is definitely a man. That's kind of the point.

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 2/24/16 at 12:33am

What about.the disciples in Godspell? I've even heard of two productions using a female Judas