Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings

[BDrischBDemented]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings#1

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:17pm

My roommate asked me tonight if there are any musicals where the lead (or one of the leads) either does not sing or rarely sings. The only one I could muster up was "The Magic Show" but something keeps telling me there's at least one more that I'm blanking on. Does anyone else know of any?

"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

[ljay889]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #2

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:19pm

Desiree in NIGHT MUSIC doesn't have much to sing.

[bjh2114]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #2

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:21pm

Drowsy Chapeone. Man in Chair is the lead.

[BDrischBDemented]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #3

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:25pm

I was kicking around ALNM, but Desiree still gets a whole song, part of "Glamorous Life," responses in "You Must Meet My Wife" and probably the best-known song in the show, so I counted her out.

But the Man in the Chair... I didn't think of that. Thanks!

"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

[givesmevoice]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #4

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:29pm

Doesn't Fiorello LaGuardia only sing two songs in Fiorello! ?

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

[Overkill]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #5

Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:39pm

Horace in Hello, Dolly barely sings. Amos only sings "Mr. Cellophane" in Chicago.

[beagle]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #6

Posted: 11/13/11 at 12:07am

Jeff in Brigadoon doesn't sing at all.

[chewy5000]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #7

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:26am

Henry Higgins?

[theatreguy]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #8

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:29am

Henry Higgins has 4 large solos plus parts in 3 other songs.

[HeyMrMusic]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #9

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:47am

If you consider him a lead, Cliff in Cabaret doesn't sing that much.

The Reciter in Pacific Overtures doesn't sing a whole lot either.

I would not consider Amos a lead. He's a featured role.

Sondheim in Sondheim on Sondheim.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #10

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:50am

The one that sprung to my mind was Fiorello! He's the title character and barely appears in the score.

Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco. Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!

[BDrischBDemented]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #11

Posted: 11/13/11 at 3:17am

"Sondheim in Sondheim on Sondheim."

Well played, sir.

"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"

[Drew Fitzsimmons]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #12

Posted: 11/13/11 at 3:57am

Tony in "The Boyfriend" Sings twice but the songs are dead easy. You do have a quick tap solo but it's all simple stuff.

[chewy5000]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #13

Posted: 11/13/11 at 4:13am

Henry Higgins has 4 large solos plus parts in 3 other songs.

Not as Rex Harrison played it...

[best12bars]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #14

Posted: 11/13/11 at 7:59am

It's an older show, but Thomas Mitchell won Best Actor in a Musical for his role in "Hazel Flagg," and it's a non-singing role.

I would say this, plus Man In Chair in Drowsy and Jeff in Brigadoon are the largest non-singing roles I know of.

EDIT: One more -- Natalia Makarova won Best Actress in a Musical for the 1983 revival of "On Your Toes." (She was terrific, too!) It's a ballet (leading) role with a lot of comedy, but she has no songs. Doesn't sing a note.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

---

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 11/13/11 at 07:59 AM

[jayinchelsea]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #15

Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:13am

best12bars-the Thomas Mitchell one is the best, always wondered how he won an award but never sang.
One more, although it's a supporting role: Carrie Nye (the late Mrs. Dick Cavett) got a Tony nom in HALF A SIXPENCE, but never sang or danced.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #16

Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:34am

Buddy Hackett also barely sang in "I Had a Ball." You would think Karen Morrow and Richard Kiley were the stars judging from the cast recording.

Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco. Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!

[winston89]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #17

Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:35am

I was under the impression with regards to Man In Chair in Drowsy, that there was a minimum amount of singing that one had to do to be considered for best actor or actress in a musical. And, Bob Martin did that minimum amount which was what got him his nomination for the Tony. Could I be totally off base here, or was that a rule that was changed between now and when the other people mentioned were nominated for their Tony despite doing little to no singing?

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

[HistoryBoy2]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #18

Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:39am

Man in Chair sings about two lines in the reprise of As We Stumble Along, that's it.

Doug Panch in Spelling Bee? Updated On: 11/13/11 at 10:39 AM

[rorschach37]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #19

Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:05am

Prof. Harold Hill doesn't actually sing much. Most of his songs are just speaking, much like Henry Higgins as previously stated.

[dreaming]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #20

Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:22am

The King in The King and I doesn't sing very much-he has "A Puzzlement" but most of his songs are spoken rather than sung.

[Jordan Catalano]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #21

Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:25am

Everyone in the "musical" CONTACT.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #22

Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:34am

He's not THE lead, but Bernardo doesn't really sing in West Side Story.

[South Fl Marc]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #23

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:17pm

"Prof. Harold Hill doesn't actually sing much. Most of his songs are just speaking, much like Henry Higgins as previously stated."



Wrong! The range may not be that great but most of his songs are sung.

[wicked4l]

Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings #24

Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:24pm

You could argue at that Usnavi from "In The Heights" doesn't "sing" very much, just a lot of rapping.