Casting actors in roles of the opposite sex

[Mister Matt]

Billy Porter was strongly considered for The Witch in the ITW revival around ten years ago.

Having seen him in Kinky Boots, it's a blessing that didn't happen.

[JoeKv99]

OK seriously DO YOU understand that Sally being pregnant and having an abortion are two serious, pivotal moments in the show? And don't you think trying to make Sally a man in drag might not undercut the power of the Emcee donning drag for the goosestep number?

[Mister Matt]

But putting a man in drag is so EDGY! It makes every show so much deeper and darker and modern and hip and unique and innovative and EDGY! Even the edges have edges! It's edgier than dice in a game of Dungeons and Dragons!

It's like when you add "The Musical" to dramatic or horror movie title to turn it into a satirical comedy. That automatically makes it HILARIOUS! And EDGY!

[Dave19]

I would love to see a man playing Ursula in the Little Mermaid.

There are many roles where gender doesn't matter. Teen Angel in Grease is one of them. Even Jennifer Holliday played that.

I also think there are a lot of productions, such as Peter Pan, where a woman plays the role of a boy.

[JoeKv99]

Divine was the inspiration for Ursula so I could see that.

[nasty_khakis]

I want to say at some point they offered the role to Harvey Fierstein to replace on broadawy. Could be wrong though.

I know a man in drag played Ursula at the Muny last year. Just can't remember who.

[christhefish]

Paul Vogt played Ursula and the Muny two summer ago...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/152514-PHOTO-CALL-The-Little-Mermaid-With-Patti-Murin-Paul-Vogt-and-Francis-Jue-at-the-Muny

[BroomstickBoy]

Um, I'm edgy. I eat raw cookie dough.


PS - I would've liked to have seen Brian Charles Rooney play the witch. He makes a pretty lady and no transposition necessary.

[suestorm]

i dont know, reminds me too much of Tyler Perry

[ghostlight2]

"Divine was the inspiration for Ursula so I could see that."

Is that true, Joe, or are you joshing? I mean, I can see it (I mean that literally), but it just seems so unlikely.

[AEA AGMA SM]

It is true, ghostlight. Disney animators are great at finding inspiration for their characters, especially physical traits, from real-life sources. I have also heard that Joan Collins was also credited as having a hand in the inspiration, and if you watch the two close enough together you'll also find a good amount of inspiration drawn from Madame Medusa in The Rescuers. (It's also not uncommon for the animators to borrow from themselves and other animators. Look at Little John in Robin Hood, after all, he was just Baloo recolored brown.)

[darquegk]

Robin Hood was constructed almost completely from recycled animations.

Nathan Lane as Mama Rose would be great, I think, no irony intended.

[JoeKv99]

Would I lie to you?
Ursula is simply Divine

[ComingUpRoses2]

I could see Nathan Lane rocking Madame Rose, too. Actually, he did a rather smashing "Worst Pies in London" for an Angela Lansbury tribute, too.

[ghostlight2]

"Disney animators are great at finding inspiration for their characters, especially physical traits, from real-life sources."

I knew that, but you get my confusion concerning the dichotomy of the innocence of Disney, and the...Diviness of Divine, yes?

"Would I lie to you?"

Well...

...but seriously folks - I did not know that. Thank you.

[taylor_kras]

I think Eponine should be played by a male. It makes sense why Marius never realizes the affection from his best friend and also why ValJean calls him "boy".