What is the most boring/not important character on Broadway?- Page 2

[Sant]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 2:23pm

Eliza's father in MY FAIR LADY. I just didn't see him to be significant to the plot or the character of Eliza. All the stuff concerning him could have been covered by dialogue for Eliza and Higgins and others. Besides, his "With a little bit of luck" is one of the most annoying songs I know.

[SeeIreallycouldn'tSING!!]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 3:06pm

I agree with elizas dad in My Fair lady... I hate this song. I can't stand unessesay characters put in the show only to allow for another song. That pisses me off. I also cant stand mary sunshine

[Plum]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 3:07pm

Eliza's father wasn't put in just to add songs to the show. He was in the play Pygmalion, upon which My Fair Lady is very closely based. And his story thread says a lot of interesting things, if you read it. :)

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 4:54pm

I've read the book and seen the show. She's important, but boring. I think she's sort of undeveloped in the show, but I liked her in the book.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 5:33pm

Madame Morrible was vital to Wicked in the novel, but completely misused in the musical. Nessa is crucial to Wicked. Without her, the house wouldn't have landed on anyone and the Dorothy would be wearing her own shoes.

Eliza's father is important to remind the audience of Eliza's roots after her transformation which are almost completely forgotten by the second act. His lecherous acts add to Eliza's desperation for a better life, making her acceptance of Higgins' proposition for believable.

Ragtime had several characters that were very important to the novel, but used more as scenery in the musical including Evelyn Nesbit, Houdini and Emma Goldman. They helped set the period of the show, but the musical cut virtually all the sections in which they interacted with the family, which was the whole point of the book. In the novel, the family were less important characters (which is why they are mostly nameless) that somehow stumbled across these major figures in American history through a remarkable chain of events.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 5:37pm

Sara Brown's father in "Guys and Dolls". I'm sorry, but they should also cut the song he sings.

[SethDaniels]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 5:51pm

The kid in the revival of Fiddler on the Rood
The kid in Dracula: The Musical

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 6:27pm

I enjoyed The Boy in "Assassins"
The Boy in "Dracula" on the other hand is pointless.
All three of Kelli O'Hara's men in "Dracula." Snore-fest.
James in "Movin' Out" is flat too.

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 6:28pm

Crap! I double posted!

Updated On: 10/22/04 at 06:28 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 8:56pm

Ali Hakim in Oklahoma! - Let me say this: he was important, but I found the character boring. He had no major musical numbers, except "It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!" which was cut (it was in the London show, but I am not sure about the Broadway version, so correct me on that).

[jmaclover]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 9:08pm

sethdaniels: The boy in Fiddler is pointless in that he has no lines, however in the end he doesn't do anything but yet he does a lot.
The boy in Dracula was in the book! The show just kind of passed him by!

I think Mme. Morrible is a little unused in the show - but Carole Shelley makes her great!

I think the phantom in the phantom of the opera is useless. Even with him, the show $uck$! (the $ represent the waste of money)



Also,

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/22/04 at 9:19pm

Hello! Without the Phantom, there would be no story...he is definitely NOT useless. Are you only saying that because you thought the show sucked?

[Radford]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 1:54am

Lily St Regis in Annie. Rooster could've gone the mansion himself and explained the mother died.

I agree about Alfie Doolittle. But, I think the least significant character of that play is Carpathy (or is it with a K?). Everything that happens in that scene is later described by Higgins at the top of Act II.

You could make an arugment for anyone in Cats outside of Grizzabella and Dueteronomy.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 2:06am

Elphabama in that thur Wicked showsadasie.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 2:09am

The guard in Frozen, hands down. :P

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 2:10am

The Pigs in the Revival of INTO THE WOODS

[LilElphaba]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 11:22am

Eh--i always fast forward her part in the wizard and i!! lol---Madame Morrible, kinda scares me a little-i know it sounds dumb but my friend bought a tape of wicked clips off ebay for $51 and It showed Kristin Chenoweth singing thank goodness and madame morrible was in the background and it was rele scary cuz she looked like a killer clown

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 3:51pm

"i always fast forward her part in the wizard and i!!..."

Me too.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 4:18pm

one good piece of advice i can offer to the "friends" everyone seems to have engaging in marginally illegal buyings and sellings- be very cautious about these compilation tapes and CD's on eBay.

Most of them manage to slip through the cracks long enough to complete, but I know more than a handful of people with a "friend" who has been contacted months later by ebay with a very strict message. those buying for the 1st time tend to get a very serious informational warning stating the copyright laws. those selling the tapes or caught buying for a 2nd or 3rd time have been threatened with legal action or to have their info submitted to the copyright owners' legal reps. some have had their accounts deactivated and home addresses banned.

i'm not saying that people shouldn't buy, sell, and trade these items. just be careful who your "friends" are and be aware of what sorts of transactions they make using a home address and credit card info that might, for some reason, be the same as yours.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 4:24pm

'Squeegee dude in Rent'

ahh! i love the squeegee man! his part is pointless though.

chistery-wicked. yeah he is the first to get transformed into a flying monkey, but..big deal.

[broadwaybound3]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 4:37pm

yes Chistery didnt have much of a part, but it did help Elphaba realize what was really going on in Oz and show what the Wizard and MM were doing. Plus i was in the second row- and he was really good! 2 minutes before the curtain call and still totally monkey! haha. not much sense in that but i liked them.

About Madame Morrible, (MM) i agree that she wasnt used correctly in the show- she played a much bigger part in everything in the book- of course, to those who have read the book- you all know many things werent the same...lol.

i love squeegee man- he is just great!

~Min

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 6:09pm

Although not central to the plot, the Squeegee Man does emphasize how crappy life is and how desperate people are in that area of NY.

[Bal]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 6:41pm

While we're on the subject of the squeegee man...

Couldn't it also be argued that the Fuzzy Bra Girl could be omitted? What about the Diva guy? Oh, oh...how about 'Gay waiter'? My point is that following your line of reasoning, no show needs an ensemble.

The ensemble gives a show life and more powerful vocals (unless they just can't overpower Edna Mendel's screeching). In RENT and like shows, especially, when everyone in the ensemble has a character with a personality and history, they really add something to the piece.

This whole thread disturbs me a little bit. Characters are in shows for a reason, or they wouldn't be there.

Even Sarah's grandfather in Guys and Dolls. His song's purpose is to give the audience a nose-picking break.

Kidding.

But other than that, I'm serious. I think that ALL characters are great-for every part you take away from Broadway, the less chance I have of landing it.

[Delphine]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 6:43pm

Bal, you are my new favorite person.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/23/04 at 6:50pm

Fiyero in Wicked. They just threw out his back story and made him just a love interest. LostWallflower, funny you should mention the kid in Assassins. Yeah, it just threw me a bit when I saw it and now when I listen to it to hear him singing "Something Just Broke". The adults made sense of course but it just seems to me that a kid that age would not be that affected. Just my thoughts!