Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
so i didn't quite know how to phrase that subject... but anyways... unless i shed quite a few more pounds and bulk up... then i would never be cast as a leading dashing handsome romantic man or whatever like let's say Matthew Morrison... so are there any good leading roles out there in theater where you don't have to be insanely good looking?? and hopefully there are roles that don't require makeup (like let's say the lion in the WIZ although that's hardly leading but you get the gist)
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
Updated On: 7/28/05 at 02:21 AM
How about Stine in City of Angels? The role is for a nebbish kind of writer in 1940's Hollywood. Lead role, too!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
Max Bialystock from The Producers
I'll think of more
Zoneface, that's what I was thinking. Tevye doesn't have to be attractive, nor does Edna in Hairspray or Leigh Bowery in Taboo, these are all Leads. Basically, you want to look at becoming a character actor. Not that this is anything to frown upon. I think I'm a character actor, but I'm not quite sure, because I always get stuck doing the sappy romantic lead, which I hate. I'm somewhere in between, because I seem to impress at first the romantic lead, but really I think I make a better character actor... whatever :P
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
exactly Phan, those are other great roles that definately don't require dashingness. umm Id throw Valjean in there as well as everyone I have then has been thick (i love that descriptive word). Amos in Chicago (though not really leading, but substantial). I think maybe the engineer in Miss Saigon, I wouldn't call jonathan pryce dashing. Sam Byck in Assassins.
and just FYI its not zoneface. there is no F.
How about Nicely Nicley or Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls? Both meaty roles and not the "dashing, romantic type.
and..the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls proved you don't have to have a large actor portraying Nicely Nicely!
Just out of curiosity, why no makeup?
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
by no makeup i meant that it hides your face... so let's take another example... maybe phantom of the opera... you don't necessarily have to be good looking because the makeup and mask hide the face... i was wanting roles that didn't create another person makeup wise... does that still make sense?
Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors
or the plant for that matter
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/05
Falstaff!
(You guys make me smile).
Julian Marsh and Henry Higgins
It's funny-- Pseudolous, Max Bialystock, Nathan Detroit: all roles played by Nathan Lane!
Nathan Lane is the role model for non-dashing leading men. He must be so proud....
You don't have to be good looking or skinny to get a role. You just really should be confident in yourself. Yeah I'm a "bigger" sized person and not all really that hot, but If I were to play Roul or some other type, you should just be confident and do the role.
Hoped this helped!
Understudy Joined: 1/6/05
the baker in ITW doesn't have to be stunningly beautiful
Sweeney Todd and Horton (Seussical).
:)
Promises, Promises doesn't need a great looker for the lead.
oscar in sweet charity
Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
"Nathan Lane is the role model for non-dashing leading men. He must be so proud...."
What about Harvey?
Perhaps I'm being captain obvious, but Jud in Oklahoma, Edna in hairspray, Amos in Chicago, that clock in Beauty and the beast(the name escapse me at the moment) Valjean in Les Miz, Max Bialystock (Come to think of it, Leo doesn't have to look all that great, except for the song "that face," so you'd want to have a somewhat nice face). AAAAAAnd......I haven't seen too many shows so that's all I know.
Oscar in Sweet Charity.
Tons of them.
Camelot. Man of La Mancha. Toddy in Victor/Victoria. Crazy for You (although that requires excellent dancing skills). Ragtime (Father and Tateh come to mind).
For women, however, it's tougher to think of such roles. Anyone? Besides Hairspray?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
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