Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
BDrischBDemented
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/05
#1Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:17pmMy roommate asked me tonight if there are any musicals where the lead (or one of the leads) either does not sing or rarely sings. The only one I could muster up was "The Magic Show" but something keeps telling me there's at least one more that I'm blanking on. Does anyone else know of any?
"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"
#2Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:19pmDesiree in NIGHT MUSIC doesn't have much to sing.
#2Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:21pmDrowsy Chapeone. Man in Chair is the lead.
BDrischBDemented
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/05
#3Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:25pm
I was kicking around ALNM, but Desiree still gets a whole song, part of "Glamorous Life," responses in "You Must Meet My Wife" and probably the best-known song in the show, so I counted her out.
But the Man in the Chair... I didn't think of that. Thanks!
"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"
#4Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:29pmDoesn't Fiorello LaGuardia only sing two songs in Fiorello! ?
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#5Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/12/11 at 11:39pmHorace in Hello, Dolly barely sings. Amos only sings "Mr. Cellophane" in Chicago.
#6Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 12:07am
Jeff in Brigadoon doesn't sing at all.
chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
theatreguy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/31/03
#8Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:29amHenry Higgins has 4 large solos plus parts in 3 other songs.
#9Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:47am
If you consider him a lead, Cliff in Cabaret doesn't sing that much.
The Reciter in Pacific Overtures doesn't sing a whole lot either.
I would not consider Amos a lead. He's a featured role.
Sondheim in Sondheim on Sondheim.
#10Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:50amThe one that sprung to my mind was Fiorello! He's the title character and barely appears in the score.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
BDrischBDemented
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/05
#11Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 3:17am
"Sondheim in Sondheim on Sondheim."
Well played, sir.
"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"
Drew Fitzsimmons
Swing Joined: 11/13/11
#12Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 3:57amTony in "The Boyfriend" Sings twice but the songs are dead easy. You do have a quick tap solo but it's all simple stuff.
chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
#13Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 4:13am
Henry Higgins has 4 large solos plus parts in 3 other songs.
Not as Rex Harrison played it...
#14Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 7:59am
It's an older show, but Thomas Mitchell won Best Actor in a Musical for his role in "Hazel Flagg," and it's a non-singing role.
I would say this, plus Man In Chair in Drowsy and Jeff in Brigadoon are the largest non-singing roles I know of.
EDIT: One more -- Natalia Makarova won Best Actress in a Musical for the 1983 revival of "On Your Toes." (She was terrific, too!) It's a ballet (leading) role with a lot of comedy, but she has no songs. Doesn't sing a note.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 11/13/11 at 07:59 AM
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#15Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:13am
best12bars-the Thomas Mitchell one is the best, always wondered how he won an award but never sang.
One more, although it's a supporting role: Carrie Nye (the late Mrs. Dick Cavett) got a Tony nom in HALF A SIXPENCE, but never sang or danced.
#16Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:34amBuddy Hackett also barely sang in "I Had a Ball." You would think Karen Morrow and Richard Kiley were the stars judging from the cast recording.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#17Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:35amI was under the impression with regards to Man In Chair in Drowsy, that there was a minimum amount of singing that one had to do to be considered for best actor or actress in a musical. And, Bob Martin did that minimum amount which was what got him his nomination for the Tony. Could I be totally off base here, or was that a rule that was changed between now and when the other people mentioned were nominated for their Tony despite doing little to no singing?
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
#18Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:39am
Man in Chair sings about two lines in the reprise of As We Stumble Along, that's it.
Doug Panch in Spelling Bee?
Updated On: 11/13/11 at 10:39 AM
rorschach37
Broadway Star Joined: 4/3/10
#19Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:05amProf. Harold Hill doesn't actually sing much. Most of his songs are just speaking, much like Henry Higgins as previously stated.
dreaming
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/09
#20Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:22amThe King in The King and I doesn't sing very much-he has "A Puzzlement" but most of his songs are spoken rather than sung.
#21Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:25amEveryone in the "musical" CONTACT.
#22Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 11:34amHe's not THE lead, but Bernardo doesn't really sing in West Side Story.
#23Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:17pm
"Prof. Harold Hill doesn't actually sing much. Most of his songs are just speaking, much like Henry Higgins as previously stated."
Wrong! The range may not be that great but most of his songs are sung.
wicked4l
Broadway Star Joined: 5/19/06
#24Musicals where the lead doesn't or rarely sings
Posted: 11/13/11 at 1:24pmYou could argue at that Usnavi from "In The Heights" doesn't "sing" very much, just a lot of rapping.
