what constitutes a lead?

[thetheatrekook]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 6:29pm

How would you categorize a "lead" role in a musical? Like, I wouldn't consider Bill Sikes in Oliver to be a lead (like a main character...he doens't even come on until act 2!)...or another question to ask would be, what is the difference between a leading actor and a featured actor? Lines? Songs? Stage time?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 6:37pm

Do you mean Tony-wise?

Well, I know for Tonys:
Over-the-title billing = Leading Actor/Actress
Under-the-title billing = Featured Actor/Actress

There are always exceptions.
Examples:
Victoria Clark, who was deemed Leading Actress
Joanna Gleason, who was deemed Featured Actress
etc.

~Steven
Updated On: 6/2/05 at 06:37 PM

[thetheatrekook]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 6:44pm

well, yes, for the tonys...but also...my friends were having a debate on which musicals didn't have any kind of love plot between the "main" characters...and i said oliver (then i mentioned something about bill sikes) and someone said that he was a main character...so i just thought what would the difference be? but for the tonys if it's just billing then that doesn't help me too much...

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 6:52pm

I was thinking about this recently in relation to the Tonys. I was wondering why Kelli O'Hara is considered as a featured actress in The Light in the Piazza; I would have thought of both her and Victoria Clark as leads. O'Hara has more solos than Clark and just as much, if not more, stage time. Who makes the decision, regarding the Tonys and other awards shows, regarding the categorization?

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:01pm

Ultimately, the nominating committee. But producers have to option of submitting paperwork to have particular performances recategorized. Sometimes they do this to even out when a famous person is in a featured role but got top billing because of their status (like Joanna Gleason) or a leading actor got throw in with the rest of the cast as far as billing goes (like Victoria Clark). There have been some bizarre exceptions (like Dee Hoty as a leading actress for Footloose), and these are sometimes motivated by producers' desires to get a performer into a category they have a better chance of winning.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:07pm

Victoria Clark is a lead and not Kelli O'Hara because the show is really Margaret Johnson's story, and not Clara's. She has the important character arc and the focus is on her. That's a rule that could be applied to many shows.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:09pm

yeah I always thought of Bill Sikes as a featured part.. since he's only in the second part...but the thing is he does have a very very important part...

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:20pm

it depends on the show, i had a huge arguement with the director i did sorry, wrong number with over my character, george's billing. I, as well as the girl who played mrs stevenson felt i should be credited as a lead although i had about 4 lines due to the fact that my character was crucial to the storyline. I ended up sharing the second to last bow but at least i wasn't in the first group of chorus anymore

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:21pm

Sikes is integral to the plots climax... but he isn't really needed in the first half. He would definately be a featured Actor.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 9:40pm

I'm not sure how much the Tony committee takes this into account, but the perception of who is the lead can shift depending on the production. Adelaide is really a secondary part to Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, but she often comes across as a lead, and is much more apt to be the female character you remember (especially if the actress playing Sarah doesn't make much of an impression, which often happens). Sometimes a particularly vivid supporting character or performance can seem much more like a lead than lines and stage time would suggest, especially if one of the true leads isn't very interesting.