Should Character Actors play Leads?

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Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 2:14pm

I am not anywhere near being the "Cute Broadway Lead," so I will forever be cast as a Character Actor. I was watching the "Broadway:The Golden Age" DVD in the section where there is a preview of the new movie coming out soon and one of the people (I can't remember her name right now) said that Character Actors should play Lead because good things do not happen to JUST pretty people. I completley agree. I have seen shows where the "pretty" lead was outshined by a secondary character and sometimes I think that theatre is going the way of Hollywood where it's more focused on looks than actual talent. Anyone else have an opinion about this?

"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 2:17pm

No...
Celia Keenan-Bolger and Kelli O'Hara have both been cast as "ingenues" and "Cute broadway leads." And sometimes, their character is both!
Don't give up hope, try your best, and good luck!

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re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 2:19pm

yes, I agree, but that is the way it has always been. in a perfect world, talent would take precedence over looks, but it's not a very perfect world now, is it?

"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 2:23pm

i think that both are important depending on the level of theatre in which you are involved but i dont think that it will ever be the case that someone with looks who is lacking talent will beat out someone who is astounding and not so attractive

personally i think it also depends on the character and whether they are stereotyped as being "pretty" or not

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 3:33pm

broadwaybaby, the "ingenue" is the "cute broadway lead" in most cases. And I think that John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Amy Spanger (TTB), Carol Burnett, Burnadette Peters, and many others think that there are a lot of leading character actor parts.

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 3:48pm

i totally agree
not just because of the concept that "good things do not happen to JUST pretty people"
but because i believe everyone should @ least have their CHANCE in the spotlight.

they CAN suprise ya!

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 3:51pm

I always find it way more fascinating when Character Actors play lead roles, because they find a side to a character that isn't as commonly seen. But truth be told there are so many lead roles that are also character roles: Nathan Detroit, Adelaide, Princess Winnifred, Tevye, Golde, Tracy, Edna, Gaston, Amos Hart, the Emcee, Freddy Benson, Lawrence, Jolene, Sweeny, Annie Oakley, Leo and Max...the list goes on and on. I was making a living just doing character roles for a long time and loved those roles way more than if I had gotten lead roles. If I had been Perchik and not Motel for 4 months...I would have gauged my eyes out...even though the actors who play Perchik usually are the types to get lead roles in other shows.

Akiva

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 3:55pm

Don't despair, my friend. Many shows have character leads.

FYI, there are 3 main 'types' in musical theatre. For females they are Ingenue, Character, and Leading Lady. There are certainly crossovers and people who do both or all three well, but just to kinda give you some examples...

Ingenue - the romantic lead. Usually beautiful, with a (in the old days, not sure how it'd be categorized for more modern shows) more soprano lyrical voice. Think R&H Cinderella, Guenevere in Camelot, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Eileen in Wonderful Town...

Character - I think you know this one already, lol.

Leading Lady - Ethel Merman was always used as the perfect example of this. She's definitely not ingenue, but if you were to try to categorize her as 'character'...it just seems off; you can't picutre her doing character type stuff well. Despite either of those, she can still carry a show - roles for Leading Lady types are things like Mama Rose, Norma Desmond perhaps, the lead woman in The Cherry Orchard, Antigone, Marie Christine would maybe fall into that category, Ruth in Wonderful Town, maybe Elphaba in Wicked...

I dunno if that helps or not, but jsut know that you have a third option besides just ingenue or character, adn that there are plenty of great roles for that type as well - in fact, in my opinion those are sometimes the best roles; they seem to require more acting chops and often more deep with a better journey...again, just my opinion though.

If I show you the darkness I hold inside, will you bring me to light?

re: Should Character Actors play Leads?

Posted: 5/14/06 at 4:07pm

IT's funny it's a nice sentiment isn't it. being a character actor myself, I would love for us to have some leads but it generally doesn't really happen. Most of the shows I'm reading can and usually are played by more attractive people. It's just the way it's ALWAYS been. I mean sure it'd be nice but look at the reality, when's the last time you saw Mary Testa (who's quote that is) headline in a broadway show. Never, she's always the secondary lead. I think that's why she made that point. I just go out for everything, do the best I can with what ya got. Eventually a director or producer will see something in you. I have faith in some of these people.

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