Lesbian Characters in Broadway Shows?- Page 4

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 2:03pm

Sorry, my stupid account here won't let me edit past posts--so I will add that you are very right that the gay best friend or secondary character sidekick has, at least in the past 20 years, become a constant whereas I can't think of a "comparable" lesbian cliche popping up in mainstream romantic comedies, etc.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 2:03pm

However, the all important musical--probably simply because producers have to come up with such a high budget for them--still hasn't done well at portraying either. Major mainstream Broadway musicals honestly haven't done much more with gay characters than La Cage did back in 1983 (84?)

I completely agree. I have a hard time not getting angry any time I hear Billy Porter and Harvey Fierstein talk about how important “Kinky Boots” is when it comes to furthering the acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community, because, to me, it’s nothing but pandering to the mainstream and playing into stereotypes. I actually found some characters in “Priscilla” to be more well-rounded and taken “more seriously” (by their creators) as characters, if that makes sense.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 3:26pm

But plays like Angels in America, The Normal Heart, Torch Song Trilogy, even The Boys in the Band all offer rich gay characters. All are well-known.

Lesbians have nothing comparable.

[MadAboutTheBoy]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 4:04pm

"As far as lesbian characters - can we asume that "Anybodys" in West Side Story might at least be a little ambivalent?"

Jon, I watched the film version of WWS about a year ago, and it struck me that Anybodys really is a transgender character. I'm so sorry that my memory isn't better, but she really rallys not just to be seen as tough, but to become validated as one of the guys. At the end, after she comes to one of the other Jets with intel and leads him to safety (his name escapes me), he turns to her and says something along the lines of, "You did a great job...man." I'm paraphrasing here, but she finally receives the validation she seeks of her performance in the male gender. I may be reaching here, but it definitely impressed me that way.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 4:16pm

Exactly, Kad. Great examples.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/19/14 at 5:38pm

Kad, you are right (although I am not sure how well known they are to the mainstream--even with the HBO Angels, but that's not really the point.)

In several pieces on gay theatre I've read, written in the '80s, the assumption seems to be that Jane Chambers' Last Summer at Bluefish Cove would be that kind of play for lesbians. I know it had several major productions (off-Broadway, a future star filled one in LA) but it also seems to have been somewhat forgotten now--at least I don't hear it come up.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 11:47pm

I think "If/Then" will go a long way towards remedying the dearth of lesbian characters on Broadway. The only thing that sticks in my craw about that relationship is that I can't understand why it would succeed in one timeline and not the other -- unless Elizabeth was able to help it along in one and not the other.

Speaking as a straight woman, I suspect that the greater number of gay male characters on Broadway comes from the greater visibility of gay men in the performing arts. For whatever reasons, gay men seem to be heavily represented -- probably overrepresented -- among performers. However, there was never a stereotype regarding lesbians' being artistic. Also, many lesbians fly below the radar because society always has given women more leeway to have roommates and best friends than it has men. Additionally, Leviticus, which is responsible for the religious right's knee-jerk reaction against gay people, does NOT say one word against lesbianism. All of these factors may have contributed to the greater likelihood of finding gay male characters in plays.