The Most Thankless Roles in Musical Theatre- Page 2

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 8:49pm

The Distinctive Baritone wrote: "Cliff in Cabaret though...yeah, that is totally thankless. ...  in each of the three version of the show available for licensing, he either hardly sings at all or gets either "Why Should I Wake Up?" or "Don't Go" - both completely generic and forgettable love songs."

 

I don't find Why Should I Wake Up? either generic or forgettable. I've always loved it, and I most certainly haven't forgotten it. And what about Perfectly Marvelous, also sung by Cliff? Those two songs are my favorites in the show.

[NoName3]

Posted: 2/9/18 at 9:27pm

I've played Ambrose. I had a blast. Not thankless.

Thankless is Mendel, the Rabbi's son in Fiddler.

[Show2n]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 12:52am

Guys & Dolls - Arvide, Benny Southstreet

Annie Get Your Gun - Dolly Tate, Foster Wilson, Charlie Davenport

Dreamgirls - Lorell

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 1:37am

After Eight said: "The Distinctive Baritone wrote: "Cliff inCabaretthough...yeah, that is totally thankless. ...in each of the three version of the show available for licensing, he either hardly sings at all or gets either "Why Should I Wake Up?" or "Don't Go" - both completely generic and forgettable love songs."



I don't find Why Should I Wake Up? either generic or forgettable. I've always loved it, and I mostcertainly haven't forgotten it.And what about Perfectly Marvelous, also sung by Cliff?Those two songs are my favoritesin the show."

 

I have often questioned your taste, i.e., just because something was from the 60s doesn't automatically make it better than virtually every musical in the past 30 years; but this comment proves I was right.  If those are your two favorite shows from Cabaret, I now understand why you haven't liked almost anything for years.  They are probably the two most generic songs in the show.  

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 1:58am

I think Carrie in Carousel is pretty thankless. She has "When I Marry Mr. Snow" but...why do we care? Honestly? Carrie's story is so vanilla and simple compared to the complexity of Julie Jordan's. And perhaps that's the point.

Schroeder in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. 

Jojo in Seussical

Sandy in Grease the original stage show. 

And wow do I agree that it doesn't get anymore thankless than Cliff and Cosette. 
Cliff is SO passive. He's truly like a placeholder for the audience.
 

 

Updated On: 2/10/18 at 01:58 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 2:13am

Jarethan's wrote: 
 
"just because something was from the 60s doesn't automatically make it better than virtually every musical in the past 30 years;"

You're right. Just because something was from the 60s doesn't automatically make it better than virtually every musical in the past thirty years. It just so happens to be the case.

Updated On: 2/10/18 at 02:13 AM

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 5:43am

HamilHansen said: "Ellen in MISS SAIGON

Cosette in LES MIS


Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (overshadowed by Wonka and even the other children if they're good enough)"

 

you didn’t see ruthie henshall. It’s crap role. But damn. Amazing. 

 

[Dave28282]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 5:48am

I feel a lot of reactions here are based on either the size of the role (amount of songs) or simply disliking the character of a role.

Ellen in Miss Saigon is a glorious role of you ask me. It really is a key role in the show and it has the ability to turn around the assumptions people have, show both sides and win sympathy against the odds. It's an essential role to the story and a very interesting one.

Updated On: 2/10/18 at 05:48 AM

[helvizz]

Posted: 2/10/18 at 9:09am

Fastrada in Pippin. I think her solo is great, but it's not nearly as fun as Berthe's No time at all nor is it emotional like Catherine's songs, so it's overshadowed by them. It's mostly for dancing, but if the whole show has great choreography throughout, it's hard to stand out. And if the leading player is played by a woman, the role is even more overshadowed. Having said that, I think it's a very fun role with some great dancing and singing in which the actress can have a blast, it' just not the role people usually remember when talking about the show.

Updated On: 2/10/18 at 09:09 AM

[iWannaBEaSedaris]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 8:03pm

Earl in Waitress The Musical
When done well, the guy literally gets booed off the stage at bows.

Updated On: 2/11/18 at 08:03 PM

[IronMan]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 9:35pm

No one has mentioned Herbie in GYPSY... and if you've played it, you know that 80% of the role is standing there while people sing at/around you.  In the last few revivals they've given him more to sing, but still... 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 9:52pm

iWannaBEaSedaris said: "Earl in Waitress The Musical
When done well, the guy literally gets booed off the stage at bows."

I've never heard anyone boo at bows for Earl. They cheer when Jenna decides to leave him. But he gets regular applause at curtain call like any actor. 

I'm not sure why you think that if the actor does well, he'll be booed at curtain call. Obviously he's an actor who did a good job. 

[C.Jack]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 9:53pm

Max and Elsa from Sound of Music

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 10:43pm

Hope in Anything Goes.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/11/18 at 10:49pm

KathyNYC2 said: "iWannaBEaSedaris said: "Earl in Waitress The Musical
When done well, the guy literally gets booed off the stage at bows."

I've never heard anyone boo at bows for Earl. They cheer when Jenna decides to leave him. But he gets regular applause at curtain call like any actor.

I'mnot sure why you think that if the actor does well, he'll be booed at curtain call. Obviouslyhe's an actor who did a good job."

Some shows that feature very broad villains (and cater to children) have actors that get booed (for fun). Scar will sometimes get booed in Lion King- there was an interview with Patrick Page some years ago who said he wore the booing like a badge of honor. I’ve heard Gaston get booed before, too, but again, it was not vicious. 

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 12:35am

Cinderella's Father in Into the Woods. I know in some productions (including the original broadway production, when Dick Cavett took over as the Narrator) the role doubles as the Mysterious Man, which makes more sense, as they are both absentee fathers. But as traditionally done its a throwaway part.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 1:25am

No one has mentioned Herbie in GYPSY... and if you've played it, you know that 80% of the role is standing there while people sing at/around you.  In the last few revivals they've given him more to sing, but still... 

If the actor brings their A game to Herbie, I think he comes off as interesting and complicated and resonates. Boyd Gaines proved that.

You as an audience are like Louise and don't know what to make of Herbie for a while.

His biggest moments that you can really make land are him right before Everything's Coming up Roses and of course when he leaves. And you feel the moral compass that he was disappear when he leaves. The toxic element of Rose and her agendas throughout the show seem less disturbing cause Herbie's always there raising an eyebrow and we get to see Rose humorously justify it. When he finally walks out, there is just Rose and Louise and no one is fighting to stop what's going to happen to Louise from happening.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 8:36am

Amos in Chicago, although the role was probably written that way.

[iWannaBEaSedaris]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 8:38am

KathyNYC2 said: "iWannaBEaSedaris said: "Earl in Waitress The Musical
When done well, the guy literally gets booed off the stage at bows."

I've never heard anyone boo at bows for Earl. They cheer when Jenna decides to leave him. But he gets regular applause at curtain call like any actor.

I'mnot sure why you think that if the actor does well, he'll be booed at curtain call. Obviouslyhe's an actor who did a good job."

 

The Earl on tour gets booed nightly, he even talks about it on Twitter. 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/baltimore/article/BWW-Review-WAITRESS-at-The-Hippodrome-is-Two-Parts-Love-Story-and-One-Part-Comedy-with-a-Dash-of-Heart-Sprinkled-Throughout-20180131

https://twitter.com/nicholousbailey/status/961390381790310400

Updated On: 2/12/18 at 08:38 AM

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 8:46am

I had to reread the OP a few times because for the life of me, i cannot understand why Tony or Maria would be thankless roles. 

[greensgreens]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 10:15am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "I think Carrie in Carousel is pretty thankless. She has "When I Marry Mr. Snow" but...why do we care? Honestly? Carrie's story is so vanilla and simple compared to the complexity of Julie Jordan's. And perhaps that's the point"

Clearly, you didn't see Audra perform this role. She ate up the stage, scenery, and any actors that were in her way with a powerhouse performance that truly works against your argument. It created some imbalances with Sally Murphy's bland Julie Jordan, but I think that was intentional.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 10:26am

Two of the roles mentioned thus far have won Tony's for actors portraying them, Carrie Piperidge (sic) and Herby.  I really don't think that they could be classified as thankless. It is probably more about what the actor makes of the role (although I imagine they could be constrained by the directors vision).

I think Amos Hart is a terrific role...it is just not a large one.  I have never been in an audience that hasn't loved Mr. Cellophane and his story actually makes him very sympathetic character.

Re Christine Daae, I listed her previously.  The reason I listed her, which may be wrong since she is the lead in a classic musical, is because she does all the heavy lifting in Phantom and yet the person who always gets the audience roars at the end is the Phantom.  

[Demitri2]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 2:36pm

The Mute in THE FANTASTICKS. There's just so many ways you can play "the wall" standing on a ladder.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:43pm

I would personally call a "thankless" role those roles that are very integral to the show but that you rarely, if ever, hear people list them as their dream roles. In that regard, I would agree others who have put Cliff in Cabaret into this designation. When you talk about the show with younger actors they all want to play the Emcee, and then of course you have many older character actors who would love to play Schultz, but nobody says "I can't wait to play Cliff."