Weight specific roles?- Page 2

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 4:58pm

Nicely Nicely Johnson is called fat in Guys in Dolls, but alot of skinny guys have played it with the lines cut.

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 5:00pm

Effie isn't supposed to be "fat" or "overweight"...she's just supposed to be curvier...more robust or heavyset than the other two girls. It should be a big enough difference between her and Deena and Lorrell that you notice it.

[Jon]

Posted: 2/13/06 at 5:49pm

I've done GUYS AND DOLLS, and I certainly do not recall any lines about Nicely-Nicely being fat.

There are no lines in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM about Pseudolus being fat, yet the role is frequently cast that way becasue Zero Mostel was fat.

Some directors have no imagination and think you have to cast someone who likes like the person who originated the role.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 2/14/06 at 12:45am

I feel for the chubby girls, but what fat roles are they too skinny for? What fat roles ARE there in theater? Most of the larger women roles aren't played by really fat actors, just chubby ones.

True, it's a bit difference in film/tv.

Cameryn Manheim (before her weight loss) went into audition for a 200 lb woman. They told her (at I think somewhat over 200 lbs)that she was much too skinny for the role.

But it isn't often in either medium there is truly a role for a fat women...it's a little easier for men, but not much.

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 3:15pm

I have done guys and dolls too. Big Julie calls him a fat water buffalo right before sit down your rocking the boat. In the script he is suppose to always be eating.

[lavieboheme04]

Posted: 2/15/06 at 3:17pm

Doesn't, or should'nt Mimi be skinny, because she's dying and whatnot, they even mention it, ("Mimi's gotten thin, Mimi's running...)?