Sex-Change — Page 2

Just to elaborate on what I said earlier, the idea of the Pirelli character, the character 'in control' of Tobias for much of the show, being a female adds to Tobias' character, in that Toby's female relationships have been sparse to non-existant, and he clings to any female attention (look a this relationship with Mrs. Lovett). This makes the extremely personal relationship that the Asylum character played by Donna and Tobias that much stronger. I didn't mean to imply that this was the intention or to intellectualize the original decision to cast a female. In London (and here too, I believe), men were auditioned first. The sound is better with another female. I do believe, however, that the decision to cast a female goes beyond typical decisions of the same type in its impacts on the rest of the show.

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lol- I would love to see Idina play Felix

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Yes,but The Odd Couple (female version) had basicly some of the same jokes but was written differently. Like for example: At the begining of The Odd Couple (Male) they are playing poker, but at the begining of the female version they were playing a quiz game. I would LOVE to see Idina and Kristin in The (Female) Odd Couple! I forgot the names of the Oscar and Felix characters. but I want to see Idina in the "Oscar" role and Kristin in the "Felix" role.

I`ve heard Whoopie sing "Comedy Tonight" and "Free" and HATED her singing it!

I didn`t mean to say "what`s her name" I just simply forgot her name! And I read that they got her in the role to sum up the ensemble. (Which I complety understand!)

I NEVER want to see a female or changed race "Producers" EVER!!!!!!!!

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haha very funny! I wouldn`t want a woman playing any of his parts. I wouldn`t mind seeing someone else in his parts. I changed my mind about John Treacy Egan!

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"Just to elaborate on what I said earlier, the idea of the Pirelli character..." I have heard people talk about this... and I guess it's supported by the production... but it isn't really found anywhere in the text of the musical... so it seems to sort of be made up justification after the fact... I'm not knocking it... it's pretty cool.

"I`ve heard Whoopie sing "Comedy Tonight" and "Free" and HATED her singing it!" Her name is Whoopi... and Funny Thing is harldy about the songs. In fact the songs are kinda arbitrary. But if you feel like you can judge her performance from two songs... I guess... that's your business. I think Caroline-Q-or Taboo might know what time it is.

A female Glengary Glen Ross? I know probably you're joking... but that sort of betrays the whole point of the play... you would have to re-write the whole thing.


kmc

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I want to play Elphaba... I know someone started a thread about me doing that a few weeks ago and I chuckled... but having listened to the CD (I hadn't before), it's almost heartbreaking if that character is male (or as the book suggests a hermaphrodite at birth - surgically corrected)... "I'm not that girl" becomes even MORE powerful...

-BCR

Girl From Oz
Supergirl
Mrs Dracula

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I'd love to see Peter Pan played by a girl some-... oh.

I think the original topic is not just having a woman play a man's role, or a man play a woman's, though. I think it asks for a complete overhaul of the show, as in, what if Hairspray were about a young male dancer who wanted to make it big?

I could be wrong, but that's how I interpret this thread, in which case I respond by saying that I think Hairspray would be great fun to see with some role reversals going on. :)

Can someone please explain the difference between Gender and Sex?

They started using "gender" instead of "sex" in the first half of the twentieth century to describe people because they were too prude to want to use the word "sex". The biological/social differences of the terms didn't come about until the 50s and wasn't common until the 70s.

Company would be interesting with the actors switched. Kind of Sex and the City-esque.

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OR female Producers.
Now with idina and Kristin, would be the funniest thing...ever.
A girl Tevye.
Girl Tarzan.
But you guys, I'd pay more than $111 to see a man belt Show Off in Drowsy.

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My director told me how he saw Glengary Glen Ross being done by a lesbian acting troupe. He said that it seems more realistic when it is done that way. He said that they did it by having them be traditional businesswomen instead of a businessman. He told me that It is not convincing with male actors because males sorta fight back and forth like they do in the play. He said that you could see the same thing that happens in that show at any Wall Street office.

Also, I don't know if this is 100% true or not. But I was taking a class on how to work on building up audition skills. And the teacher there told us how the man that originated the role of Gaston in Beauty and the beast sang I feel pretty for his audition song. Now, come to think of it that song fits in perfectly for the character of gaston.

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I'd like to see a "Woman in Chair." Hell, I'd kill to PLAY the "Woman in Chair."

I also think it would be interesting to switch the genders of Mark, Maureen & Joanne in Rent.

"He told me that It is not convincing with male actors because males sorta fight back and forth like they do in the play. He said that you could see the same thing that happens in that show at any Wall Street office. "

-What? It's not convincing because you can see it in real life? Wouldn't that make it more realistic? I am so confused? I have read a lot of criticism about GG/GR but I don't think I've ever heard it called unconvincing. To some degree GG/GR... and a lot of Mamet from that period... is about male roles in society... and male agression and all of that... I guess there could be some post modern argument made by casting women in the roles (as is done when the genders are reversed in H2S)... but it would really seem to betray the point and purpose of the play.

Anybody here familiar with former Chicago actress/cabaret performer Alexandra Billings? She's transgendered and is regularly cast in straight female roles here in Chicago. Most recently she was Mayzie in a children's version of Suessical... and it raised nary an eyebrow.


kmc

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