The male equivalent of Mama Rose? — Page 2

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#26

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 12:46am

Search for my thread "Men in Musical Theater" - I started it because basically there is no male equivalent to any of the large female roles: Evita, Mamma Rose, etc. I wish some composers would write a great male-lead musical, but i doubt it will happen. Women have always been considered the "divas" in musical theater. And I doubt that will change. For now, men will have to settle with the lead in The Wedding Singer or Spring Awakening.

#27

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 12:49am

I don't know if I agree about Melchior. I mean, yes, definitely a difficult role to play, and lots of emotion and journeying involved, but I don't think to the extent that characters like Rose and Sweeney have it.

And I do agree about Rose being the best theatre role. Why did I have to be born a man?

...... Um. TMI ...... Anyway. ::runs away::

Gangway, world, get off of my runway.
- Mama Rose, Gypsy

A bird cage I plan to hang,
I'll get to that someday...
A bird cage for a bird who flew away
Around the world.
- Edie, Grey Gardens

#28

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 12:53am

Screaming does not equal epic.

What a silly comment.

Personally, I think I have too much bloom.

#29

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 12:58am

I disagree that there's no male equivalent.
Guido Contini, Sweeney Todd, Tevye (the first one that came to mind, actually), Javert are some of them and to a lesser degree Joseph Taylor Jr, Mack Sennett, Henry Higgins, Giorgio, George Seurat, and Will Rogers.
I don't get the complain that there are no larger-than-life male roles.

"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"

#30

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 12:59am

uhkthxbye2 - that was sarcasm. You missed my point. My point was that men in musical theater are given the "crap" roles while the women get the big/superstar/epic/tour-de-force roles.

#31

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:02am

The role of Melchior may be emotionally intense, but it's not quite as complex as that of Sweeney or Rose. The reason people keep coming back to these roles is because they offer so much for interpretation. I'd also add the role of Judas from JCSS, and I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet--Billy Bigelow from Carousel! A male diva role if there ever was one.

Not to mention the main guy in The Most Happy Fella, who's name I can't remember. If we're counting comedic roles, J. Pierpont Fitch and Max Bialystock are two enormous roles.

Harold Hill from The Music Man certainly counts. Floyd Collins from the show of the same title.

It is hard to think of male parts that are as vocally demanding though... Sweeney, Floyd, Jesus & Judas, Che Guevara...

I've never really understood why Mama Rose is considered such an enormously demanding role. She has a lot of charm songs and two big numbers and not everyone has to sell them Merman style.

yr ronin,
joey

#32

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:03am

I was thinking LEAR when I saw this thread, but it's not a musical.
Yet, Shakespeare can be very Musical and difficult on the voice.
Sweeney comes close.

#33

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:04am

Rentboy, don't worry, I know - I was replying to overthemoonboy.

Gangway, world, get off of my runway.
- Mama Rose, Gypsy

A bird cage I plan to hang,
I'll get to that someday...
A bird cage for a bird who flew away
Around the world.
- Edie, Grey Gardens

#34

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:05am

Did anyone say Bobby in Urinetown yet?

#35

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:07am

What about Fabrizio from Light in the Piazza. Any actor playing that role has a huge challenge. It's vocally demanding and the actor has to convey a ton with very little english. I suppose not at much of a leading role as Momma Rose, but I feel as though it takes a tour de force to pull it off.

Personal note : Italian makes you more sexy.

Going to a musical late in its run is like going to a prostitute late in her shift.

#36

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:23am

Bobby in Urinetown? Ummmm.

The first role that came to my mind was Tevye.

I shave me Xanadu every morning!

#37

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 1:25am

A comedic turn,Herbie Cram in Do Re Mi. He has a huge role,is as Ferocious as Rose and it culminates in a very dramatic "Rose's Turn-esque" All of My Life at the end of act 2.

Updated On: 7/29/07 at 01:25 AM

#38

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:05am

I'd say men get the comedic lead roles, while women get the more dramatic roles. For example, Christine Ebesrole in Grey Gardens and Norbert Leo Butz in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

#39

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:07am

^ Sweeney Todd and George Seurat don't strike me as comedic roles. And they can be equivalent to Mama Rose.

#40

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:08am

Exactly! RentBoy your argument has no basis.

#41

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:10am

How about John Adamsin 1776? That's a very emotional show, and that dude rarely ever leaves the stage.

#42

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:22am

I agree!

Can it be for an 18-yr-old, very short, slightly chubby bass-baritone who reads younger?

#43

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:24am

Floyd Collins has to sing tenor Guettel stuff, while basically lying down throughout the entire show. Yikes.

Fabrizio's tough vocally, but I wouldn't say that emotionally it'd be a huge challenge.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

#44

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:36am

I would definitely agree with Albin from La Cage, Sweeney is pretty challenging (although as a tenor, there's really no hope for me to ever play him...just a personal note, not saying that that doesn't mean it's not an amazing role).

I definitely do NOT agree with Harold Hill and ESPECIALLY not Billy Bigelow. Iconic characters, yes. Difficult? Not particularly. I know I'll get attacked for this one, but I recently saw Carousel live for the first time, and when I was coming in from intermission I looked at the sign that said there would be gunshots in the show and hoped they would be directed at me...

I think it's very difficult to name a male character that goes on the same journey as Rose. I think the main problem is that the emotions that Rose goes through are very much related to her maternal relationship with her daughter, so it's difficult to match that. It's a little disappointing as a male actor that there really isn't a part to play "before you're gone", but who knows what the future holds?

I should also mention that while a beefy dramatic part is to be envied, comedic roles are nothing to be scoffed at... as a matter of fact, I rather prefer them.

I hold a degree in Musical Theatre from Montclair State University. It is useless. Now I'm funny for money. Oh, and I sing.

#45

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 3:35am

Definetly NOT fiyero

"The only way we live beyond our lives is to connect and carve ourselves into the souls of those we love." -Little Fish

#46

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 3:49am

Of course Fiyero, since Elphaba is the present-day Momma Rose, Fiyero is the male equivalent, right? right? ....

#47

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 4:44am

In my opinon, Sweeney Todd is very, very similer to Mama Rose. Both are dynamic, driven charecters that have a passion that far expands their physical selves. Rose has the passion to be a star, but due to her situation, needs to live vicariously through her daughters and ultimatly shuts out Herbie because she cannot let go of her past desire to be a star. Sweeney is driven by his passion for revenge on the man who wronged him and his family, and that passion manifests itself. He even kills Lovett because he also cannot let go of his past. Both have emotional breakdowns (Roses Turn and Epiphany) but in the end, neither are really changed.

"I wouldn't let Esparza's Bobby take my kids to the zoo...I'd be afraid he'd steal their ice cream and laugh."- YankeeFan
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee

#48

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 6:32am

I've been thinking about this since RentBoy's thread and come to the conclusion that Tevye is probably the closest we have. Although Phantom and Valjean are surely close as well. And there are plenty of other possibilities mentioned in this thread!

I also stand by my statement from that thread that it is silly to reckon there are no male roles of real import, because there are TONS out there. I guess diva behaviour is the only thing that impacts on young minds and not amazing roles and incredible performances. Sad, really.

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

Updated On: 7/29/07 at 06:32 AM

#49

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 8:42am

There's alrady been at least one male Momma Rose - genetically male, that is.

Transsexual performer Alexandra Billings played the role around three years ago in Chicago.

#50

re: The male equivalent of Mama Rose?

Posted: 7/29/07 at 8:57am

Max Bialystock had to have been a killer role. Lots of singing and outsized energy, and then to have to sing "Betrayed" so late in the show?

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

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