Unnecessary Characters

Why this is the first one that popped into my head, I have no idea, but Max from the movie version of "The Sound of Music" seems to do nothing but give Captain von Trapp a chance to make an anti-Nazi speech. Max just hangs around, eating, drinking, and sounding cynical. I never saw the stage version of the show, but I think he has a bit more to do there.

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Many times, peripheral characters are there as understudies or covers for principal characters. For instance, during the run of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, the Greek actress Despo was cast in the small role of Malla. A significant name for a small role, but her JOB was covering Hermione Gingold.
As for the character of Max in THE SOUND OF MUSIC, he's the one who creates "The Trapp Family Singers", and assists in the family's escape. Not insignificant.

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Updated On: 7/9/13 at 10:45 PM

There's a few in TOMMY, Hawker, the gypsy(acid queen) and Sally Simpson.

More recently I would say nikola on kinky boots

BRIGADOON without Meg is OKLAHOMA! without Ado Annie or CAROUSEL without Carrie Pipperidge. Even Sondheim doesn't write shows so relentlessly humorless.

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Updated On: 7/9/13 at 11:08 PM

I think Wynbish's point is that Meg is unnecessary in the Aristotelian sense: she contributes nothing to the action or plot. And I think he's right in that sense, even though all of us would miss Meg as comic relief.

Ado Annie/Will and Carrie/Mr. Snow have fully developed subplots that mirror and also contrast with the main plots of their shows. The former are the comic Curly/Laurie and the latter are the "respectable" couple to be contrasted with Julie's love of the "bad boy".

That Meg and Jeff never achieve the same status is just one of the faults I find in the BRIGADOON book (despite the glorious score).

(ETA Wynbish obviously didn't need my help to explain his answer. But I'm leaving my post because I approach it from a slightly different direction.)

Updated On: 7/9/13 at 11:15 PM

I played Rev Dr Harper in "Arsenic & Old Lace" a few years ago, and once when the director was discussing possible cuts with our cast, several moreorless suggested the complete elimination of my character. That didn't happen, but I'm not sure it would have hurt the play at all if it had.

Without the comedy of Meg to off-set Jeff's cynicism, the show would trod slowly through the mud.

I think Jeff's cynicism is intended to be funny as well.

You're right, but a more able librettist would have made Meg both funny AND an agent in the main plot or a credible subplot (see Hammerstein). (This isn't to damn Lerner in perpetuity. BRIGADOON was an early work.)

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@Wynbish: so busy and yet so inactive. But as I said, I never get tired of the score.

Updated On: 7/9/13 at 11:23 PM

Joe from Show Boat. He has a classic song, but he does little else after scene one.

Peron's Mistress in Evita. There have been entire threads on whether or not this particular character is necessary. I've heard all the arguments but just don't see it. Let the character exist, if you have to, but to give her a song is just not warranted.

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The Fodors (or the Frommers) in Crazy for You...
I actually did a production where they were cut completely...

The nanny goat thing in WICKED. She has one line in the opening number and then she's done. I understand that it is an ensemble track played by someone who does multiple other roles, but honestly, those masks are expensive and it's just a waste. Having the Witch's father as the only one there during the birth would be just fine.

Joe from Show Boat. He has a classic song, but he does little else after scene one.

You are absolutely correct in terms of the plot. And yet I've never seen a production of SHOW BOAT that didn't lumber like an overloaded cargo plane unable to get off the runway. Until. Joe. sings. THAT SONG!

And then the show takes off and soars.

It's an example that defies all the "rules" of what is "necessary". (Great example, nonetheless.)