Casting actors in roles of the opposite sex

[backwoodsbarbie]

I'd love to see Sherie Rene Scott as Emcee in Cabaret...imagine the facial expressions!

[Mister Matt]

I'd love to play The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

I've always wanted to play Elphaba.

[henrikegerman]

And I shall marry the miller's son!

[Visceral_Fella]

I will play the Witch in Into the Woods one day.

[ComingUpRoses2]

And I always wanted to be Madame Rose in Gypsy, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, and the Witch from Into the Woods...and Sally and Phyllis in Follies, Desiree in A Little Night Music...

I don't know if it's true, but there's a rumor that they were considering a male witch for the 2002 revival of Into the Woods. I could actually see that one working the easiest in terms of switching genders. Wouldn't change the story that much at all.

I don't think a Mr. Lovett would really change the story that much either if it was done that way.

[christhefish]

I really think a version of Company where Joanne and Larry are a gay couple could be astonishing.

[Visceral_Fella]

A guy would be great I think. Imagine a RuPaul esque transformation. That would be everything!

[ComingUpRoses2]

Didn't they do an all gay male version of Company a few years ago at some college or something? I remember heard that Sondheim actually signed off on it, too. I would have to have seen it. It sounds like a neat idea.

[AEA AGMA SM]

No, Sondheim did not sign off on the all-male at NYU a few years back. He and his lawyers sent a cease and desist letter.

[EgermanArmfelt]

If only Anne Egerman had a certain body part.... Oh well. Bernadette Peters as Bobby in Company

[ComingUpRoses2]

I thought he signed off on it. Hmm...oh well.

[little_sally]

I've always wanted to see a female Judas in JCS.

[Jon]

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

The current Pippin has a female Leading Player, and there have been many female Emcees in Cabaret.

I've seen men in drag play Mother Burnside in Mame, Miss lynch in Grease, and of course there are the shows written to have men play women, like Hairspray and Ruthless.

There was a production of Into the Woods in Philadelphia years ago which was done in the style of a British "panto" - with Jack played by a girl, and Jack's Mother and Cindererella's sepmother played by men.

Many productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella have cast men as the two stepsisters.

[henrikegerman]

Yes but the leading player in Pippin is one of those roles that exists outside time, place and gender, no?

[ghostlight2]

Ally Sheedy played Hedwig.

[wicked1492]

I've seen a man in drag play Mark's Mom in RENT. Really added like 7 layers to the already complex character.

[michellek45]

So far people are talking about making clear changes to both libretto and music to fit someone playing the opposite gender. I wonder if anyone has seen a contralto or countertenor playing a male or female role (respectively) without the music being transposed, with the audience supposed to be believing that the character is a boy, not a boy being played by a girl, done so that if you didn't look at the name in the program you wouldn't realize the actor was of the opposite sex. Do you think this could work?

[BroomstickBoy]

I will play Sally Bowles one day. I think a man can play her without changing a thing in the script. Except I'd be cutting Cliff's solo and adding "Maybe This Time".

[ComingUpRoses2]

Sally would be another good one. There could always be a Sal Bowles.

[JoeKv99]

Would Sal still get an abortion?

[Wynbish]

I wonder if anyone has seen a contralto or countertenor playing a male or female role (respectively) without the music being transposed


Fruma-Sarah, played by countertenor Sean Patrick Doyle

[ComingUpRoses2]

Probably no abortion for Sal. LOL! They'd have to work that out.

[michellek45]

Cool! Thanks for the link, Wynbish.

[BroomstickBoy]

I'd play it as a man playing a woman. Sally isn't supposed to be a good singer, and she was said to have a low, husky voice, so the singing wouldn't be an issue, and nothing would have to change in the script, so no unintentional hilarity would ensue.

[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.