Tour de Force Roles for Men- HELP!

[DRG8152]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 4:53pm

Hello out there Broadwayworld:

Any help you can lend with the following would be greatly appreciated:

I am trying to compile a list of the greatest tour de force roles for men in the theater. Rich plays with FANTASTIC roles. Think Cyrano, RIchard III, Willy Loman, Eddie (View From The Bridge)...those kind of roles!

Any help would be much appreciated.

-The Golden One

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 5:05pm

Salieri in Amadeus

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 5:14pm

Hickey in THE ICEMAN COMETH.
Hamlet

[James885]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 5:40pm

John Proctor in The Crucible.
Othello

[Weez]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 5:57pm

I would guess it's safe enough to not bother listing the Shakespearean ones; if you can't work *those* out, you're in trouble (or perhaps they're just irrelevant)! Although if you want his chattiest bitches, you've GOT to remember Henry V. Three plays, and he doesn't shut up for any of them! He even beats Falstaff, who also has a chatty triumvirate of plays but does shut up eventually.

I want to say Drummond in Inherit the Wind, but I could just be overexcited from having read the play again this afternoon. I do love it so and can't wait for it to open in the West End. :3

[singtopher]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 9:34pm

Musical wise Harold Hill

[bway boy]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 10:34pm

king berenger in exit the king (geoff rush)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/10/09 at 10:42pm

Is Harold Hill really considered the musical equivalent of like Rose in "Gypsy?" Doesn't seem fair!

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:15am

Fred Graham/ Petrucchio in Kiss Me, Kate
J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 5:38am

Mr. Lockhart in THE SEAFARER. It's not the hugest role, but it's a goldmine.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 8:13am

For singing roles, I agree with Finch in H2$, and I'd add Sweeney Todd and Jean Valjean. I don't think Harold Hill is in the same league.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 9:53am

Archie Rice in John Osbourne's THE ENTERTAINER (originated by Laurence Olivier)

James Tyrone in MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN

Troy Maxson in FENCES (pretty much the black Willie Loman)

For musicals, how about Tevye and Don Quixote?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 10:28am

I don't think Harold Hill is in the same league.

I agree, but I think very good/excellent Harold Hills can really elevate the role.

[AlgonquinProd2]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 10:37am

Stanley Kowalski
Henry Higgins

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 1:58pm

Stanley Kowalski
Thomas More

[ALittlePriest]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:27pm

Atticus, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Jekyll and Hyde, Jekyll & Hyde.

[D2]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:46pm

Valmont, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:53pm

Harold Hill is a mammoth part. Harold Hill is onstage in The Music Man as often as Mama Rose is in Gypsy. It is considered one of the ultimate male roles in musical theatre. Not to mention one of the most difficult. Not only do you have to get the audience to root for this con artist, and convincingly show his character arc, you have to do so while breaking free of Robert Preston's eternal hold on the part (which is almost impossible to do).

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:53pm

I'll second John Proctor.

Or really any male lead in a Arthur Miller play.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 3:57pm

Tevye is most certainly the musical equivalent to Mama Rose, not Harold Hill. Harold Hill is probably more the equivalent to Charity.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 4:03pm

Charlotte von Mahlsdorf- I Am My Own Wife by Doug Wright

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 4:07pm

Charlie Anderson in Shenandoah.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 4:40pm

Not really many in American musicals...we get the edge in plays, though.

[peerrjb]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 5:50pm

Lenny Bruce in "Lenny" (Originally Cliff Gorman)
Jelly Roll Morton in "Jelly's Last Jam" (Gregory Hines)
Oscar in "On the Twentieth Century" (musical, John Cullum)
Finch in "How to Succeed...." (Bobby Morse)
George in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (Arthur Hlll)
Lear
The male role (George C. Scott) in "Plaza Suite"
Murray in "A Thousand Clowns) (Jason Robards)
Dylan Thomas in "Dylan" (Alec Guinness)
Nicholas Nickleby in "The Life and Adventures of N.N." (Roger Rees)
Bill Maitland in "Inadmissible Evidence" (Nicol Williamson)

[broadwayworldreader]

Posted: 8/11/09 at 5:50pm

as far as musicals it's definitely Jean valjean over harold hill any day!