The Moms of Broadway- Spotlight on the the 10 Most Motherly Characters of the Stage

Mother's Day at last is here and we've got matriarchs on our mind. Some of Broadway's most iconic characters are moms- bold and brave, loving and nurturing- and we think they deserve an ovation. We're celebrating Broadway's most beloved maternal figures. Check out ten of them below!

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Fantine from Les Misérables

Remembered for her heartbreaking storyline in Act 1 of Les Misérables, Fantine is a mother on a mission. Brought to life originally in the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, Fantine's tragic demise is a result of a series of desperate attempts to save her child. Abandoned, penniless, and dying, Fantine stops at nothing to give Cosette a fighting chance, and in the end, makes the ultimate sacrifice.

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Heidi from Dear Evan Hansen

In Dear Evan Hansen, while Evan is being weighed down by his own complicated deception, Heidi is always there to lift him up. As a single, working mom, Heidi recognizes that she doesn't have all the answers, but she does her best to help her son to navigate his social anxieties nonetheless.

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Edna from Hairspray

The times are changing in 1960s Baltimore and Edna Turnblad is reluctant to change with them. At the start of Hairspray, Edna is shy housewife and shut-in who, out of love, preaches caution to her dream-filled daughter. By the end, and with Tracy's help, she is able to let go (go, go) of the past and open her mind and her heart to the beauty of the world around her.

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The Witch from Into the Woods

Is the Witch the picture of motherly perfection? Certainly not- but you can't knock her for putting in the effort. While her parenting style could be considered obsessively protective, it's born out of her need to create a safe environment for her child. And when she feels betrayed by Rapunzel, everyone in the woods is effected by this mother's wrath.

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Kim from Miss Saigon

Kim, an innocent and naive Vietnamese girl, turns fierce and protective mother by Act 2 of Miss Saigon. Despite its end, Kim's story is one of survival. She suffers the brutalities of war and being abandoned in its aftermath, but she'll give literally anything to ensure Tam a better life on the other side of the world.

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Jenna from Waitress

Jenna's life isn't in a great place at the start of Waitress, and it's only made more complicated by news that she is expecting. Throughout the musical, Jenna is faced with a series of difficult decisions that will alter the course of her unhappy life, but she eventually finds solace and purpose in motherhood.... and pies.

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Mother/Sarah from Ragtime:

The house on the hill in New Rochelle is Mother's domain, and her life is turned upside-down when she finds a baby belonging to another young mother, Sarah. While Sarah dreams of a better future for her child, Mother must come to terms with the part she wants to play within her own family, and in a larger sense, in the her changing world.

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Anna from The King and I

Outspoken and fiercely independent, Anna spreads her motherly love not only to her own child but the little royals of Siam- children of the titular king. It's not just his kids that she teaches, however. Anna uses her wit and tenacity to open his mind and enlighten him on ways to strengthen Siam's position in the modern world.

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Abuela Claudia from In the Heights

The matriarch of Washington Heights, Abuela practically raised Usnavi and is regarded as one of the most beloved elders of the barrio. If it happened on her block, Abuela was there. Loving, caring, and full of grandmotherly wisdom, Abuela preaches from her stoop the value of hard work and a little bit of paciencia y fe.

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Mama Rose from Gypsy

Whether you see her as the stage mother from hell or just a determined parent with her eye on the prize, there is no more iconic a Broadway mom than Gypsy's Rose. Based on the real stories of Gypsy Rose Lee, this mama is central to the musical's main conflict, and though her behavior can be seen as aggressive and domineering, her intentions, while misguided, are pure. And in the end, she does indeed see her daughter's name in lights.

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