Roles played by both genders in major productions

#1

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 12:42pm

Inspired by the "die and returns later in the show" threads and similar, what roles have been played by both males and females in major productions?

The biggest example I can think of is Whoopi Goldberg replacing Nathan Lane as Pseudolus in FORUM.

I'd also imagine many local and even regional productions of CHICAGO have used a female to play Mary Sunshine.

What else?

#2

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 12:46pm

The Leading Player in Pippin

The Narrator in Joseph

#3

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 12:48pm

Since you're including regional in major productions, there have been female emcees in Cabaret.

#4

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 12:57pm

Stage Manager in OUR TOWN.

#5

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 12:59pm

Peter Pan in PETER PAN.
The Stepmother in CINDERELLA.
The Cat In The Hat in SEUSSICAL.
The Witch in INTO THE WOODS.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#6

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:34pm

Pirelli in SWEENEY TODD.

#7

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:34pm

Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

#8

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:35pm

Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

#9

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:36pm

Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

#10

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:37pm

Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

#11

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:47pm

Casting a female as the Leading Player in Pippin is generally a mistake. It just doesn't really translate vocally as well as one might think it would.

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"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."-Stephen Sondheim

#12

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:49pm

Ally Sheedy

#13

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:55pm

Has a woman ever played Pirelli in Sweeney Todd? I think it might work.

#14

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 1:58pm

Ally Sheedy

Hedwig! Originally Sandra Bernhard was supposed to be the first female Hedwig.

#15

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:02pm

Annie in Annie.

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Formerly: WishingOnlyWounds2 - Broadway Legend - Joined: 9/25/08

#16

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:09pm

Lottie in MACK & MABEL was played by Lisa Kirk on Broadway and by Tommy Tune on tour.

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#17

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:19pm

Lilliane LA Fleur in Nine. The libretto actually provides alternate lines depending on who plays the role.

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The meat is always leaner on somebody else's dinner plate!

#18

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:25pm

WHOSE LIFE IS IT ANYWAY?

#19

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:31pm

Eddie/Dr. Scott in Rocky Horror and Lucy in Threepenny Opera.

Oh yeah, and Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

#20

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:39pm

I remember seeing MaryTyler Moore in Whose Life Is It Anyway? They had to rewrite some of the lines because the play's character was always hitting on the female nurses and going on about his sexual prowess.

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#21

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 2:58pm

Gavroche in Les Miserables

#22

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 3:08pm

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Pirelli from Sweeney Todd.

#23

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 9:02pm

Gary Coleman in Avenue Q

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Everything in life...is only for now.

#24

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 9:38pm

A male played Dolly in a major London mounting of HELLO, DOLLY!

Many men have played Lady Bracknell in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST (Brian Bedford will do so this season for The Roundabout)

Males and females have played The Mute in THE FANTASTICKS over the years.

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#25

Roles played by both genders in major productions

Posted: 8/2/10 at 9:45pm

When the Papermill put on Mame a few years ago, Mother Burnside was played by a man.

Oh, and Pirelli in Sweeney Todd.

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson