Roles that has a gender change
Roles that has a gender change
JarqueLemos
Stand-by Joined: 5/24/13
#1Roles that has a gender change
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:13pm
Okay that was written badly.
Ben did pippin right as the leading player right ?
Now Patina is doing this ?
Any other example of this ?
Updated On: 5/28/13 at 09:13 PM
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#2Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:16pmDo you speak English as a second language?
JarqueLemos
Stand-by Joined: 5/24/13
#4Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:40pmI live in London but came from France and have just started taking English Courses for a year.
#5Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:42pmYou know, I really don't think Jarque is a troll... I think he does want to learn. That said, I'm prepared to be wrong. But Jarque, don't get scared away too quickly.
#6Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:46pmDonna Lynne Champlin played Pirelli (as a male) in the 2005 SWEENEY TODD revival.
#7Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 9:58pm
There have been productions of Cabaret with female Emcees.
There are male roles that are written for women to play, for example the title role in Peter Pan which is traditionally played by a female and was immortalized by Mary Martin. These are called breeches or trouser roles.
There are also female parts which are written for men to play like Edna in Hairspray, and most recently Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda.
JarqueLemos
Stand-by Joined: 5/24/13
#8Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:04pmAll That Jazz yes I know that but has there been a roll that was played by a men and now played by a women. I wonder if the Leading Player was changed because of the high notes?
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#9Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:14pmPseudolus in Forum was a gender switch too, right? how was that reaction met?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#10Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:18pm
Whoopi got great reviews as Pseudolus.
It is quite common in community or school productions to change one or both of the fathers in Fantastiks to Mothers.
#11Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:21pmI don't think the high notes have anything to do with it, I think they just wanted to create more sexual tension.
#12Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:21pmThe narrator in "Joseph" was written for a man and is now mostly played by a woman. I think Laurie Beechman was the first (and best)
#13Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:25pmI don't know who did it first but Ben Vereen's role in Fosse has also been played by women.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#14Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:36pm
Felix and Oscar/Florence and Olive
Hamlet
Fiona Shaw as Richard II
Linda Hunt as Billy Kwan (film)
Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan (film)
Who's LIfe Is It Anyway? (Mary Tyler Moore replacing Tom Conti as Ken/Claire; James Naughton succeeding Jane Asher and Jean Marsh as Dr. Scott)
Updated On: 5/28/13 at 10:36 PM
#15Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:53pmThe Cat in the Hat in Seussical. Written for a man, performed by both genders on Broadway.
lachri5
Featured Actor Joined: 1/4/11
#16Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 10:58pmOne recent example: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. The role Daisy Gamble originally played by Barbra Fabulous Streisand, turned into a gay guy David Gamble in the 2011 revival.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#17Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/28/13 at 11:09pmlachri5, Daisy Gamble was originally played by Barbara Fabulous Harris.
#18Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 6:43am
I've seen the Emcee in Cabaret played by a woman (very Victor/Victoria style).
I've also seen the Stepmother in Cinderella played by a man.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#19Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 7:26amLea DeLaria played Marryin' Sam in LIL ABNER and Eddie/Dr Scott in ROCKY HORROR, though she played them both as male.
dreaming
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/09
#20Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 8:10am
In opera, there are a lot of 'trouser roles' mainly played by mezzo sopranos. Sesto in Handel's Giulio Cesare, another Sesto in "La Clemenza di Tito" and there is a role in "Figaro" which falls into this category. There is a version of "Romeo and Juliet" ("I Capuleti Y I Montecchi") where Romeo is played by a woman. One of the leads in "Der Rosenkavlier" is a pants role (Octavian is his name I believe).
It's interesting to note that it is not typically done for comic reasons (in theater it quite often-not always-is done to comic effect). The women in operatic trouser roles play the role as a man. (And I've seen it done to great effect.)
Updated On: 5/29/13 at 08:10 AM
Thparkaly
Stand-by Joined: 9/11/12
#21Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 9:17amI've seen Cinderella with a man in drag playing one of the stepsisters multiple times.
#22Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:17pmI think it's odd to claim that trouser roles in Opera are usually for comic effect, Dreaming. yeah, Cherubino wouldn't be as funny if he was written for a man, but 99% of trouser roles are written to be taken very seriously: Octavian, The Komponist, Romeo, All the Handel Roles, The hero in Semiramide...these are all serious romantic leads that are written for women.
dreaming
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/09
#23Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:40pm
Whoops, meant to say NOT for comic effect, unlike theater, where it typically IS.
Updated On: 5/29/13 at 01:40 PM
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#24Women that played mens roles
Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:57pm
The original Brazilian production of PIPPIN (in 1974) also featured a woman as the Leading Player. The role was played by Marília Pera, who is currently doing Hello, Dolly! (as Dolly)
Here's a Magazine cover with her as The Leading Player
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