Donkey in Shrek Princeton in Avenue Q Pinnocchio in Shrek Lumiere, Cogsworth, Lefou in Beauty and the Beast
Those are just a few off the top of my head. I totally agree with you. It's so hard to find male character roles. I recently had an audition where I needed a character song, and I had the hardest time thinking of one.
Rather than listing some, which google could do for us better anyway, why don't you name a show and I'll tell you which part would be considered the male character role.
Are you asking because you're trying to find roles you might be able to play? There are so many "character" roles out there, but of different types. If you can be more specific, I'm sure we can be more helpful.
Finding Namo hahaha! and yess i am looking for me! Its really hard because I'm trained in opera, but do a ton of musical theatre but don't really pull off ingenue cause I'm kinda fem haha so that pretty much eliminates all the R&H roles even though vocally they are perfect. I mostly do chorus stuff now that I'm starting out in the biz but I played Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in high school and that was perfect for me!! Im just trying to find other character parts I can potentially play in the future!
You should look at Gilbert and Sullivan. Also, how versatile is your voice? Do you only sing legit, or can you do other stuff? What's your vocal range? Have you taken any acting classes? Plenty of effeminate actors play leading men. You just have to figure out how to be believable in the role you're playing. Without knowing you, my gut tells me that there may be more for you when you're older.
Fiddler: Tevye, Motel, Lazar My Fair Lady: Doolittle, Pickering The Most Happy Fella: Tony, Herman She Loves me: Marachek, Sipos, Arpad and even Georg can be played by a character man (recently extremely well by Josh Radnor, not a typical leading man, in concert) as opposed to a typical leading man Forum: Pseudolus, Lycus, Senex, Hysterium Gypsy: Herbie Book of Mormon: Cunningham South Pacific: Luther Oliver: Fagin, Bumble La Mancha: Sancho, The Barber Damn Yankees: Applegate Kismet: Wazir, Hajj is usually played by a more typical leading man but could be played by a character man (I always thought Robin Williams would have been terrific if he could have sung it - which he could not) Anything Goes: Moonface, Evelyn (Evelyn might be particularly right for you given what you've said!) Les Miserables: Thenadier Cabaret: Emcee, Schultz Chicago: Amos Oklahoma: Will, Ali Carousel: Enoch, Jigger Merrily: Charley Priscilla: Bernadette, Felicia Guys and Dolls: Nathan, Nicely Pippin: Leading Player How to Suceed: Finch and every other guy in it! Falsettos: Marvin, Mendel Follies: Buddy Porgy and Bess: Sporting Life Into the Woods: The Baker, Jack Stop the World: Little Chap The Roar of the Greasepaint: Sir, Cocky Peter Pan: all the men usually played by men Me and My Girl: Phantom: Phantom Promises, Promises: Chuck 1776: John and just about every other guy with the exception of Jefferson
and, lastly (but by no means the last, just about any musical you can name you will find at least one good male character role, surely some must be right for you!), the laterorratherlater me, Henrik Egerman, ALNM
(Some of the biggest and most belovedmale stars of musical theater have been character men even when they were leading men: e.g., Nathan Lane, Joel Grey, Bert Lahr, Ben Vereen, Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford, Herschel Bernardi, Michael Crawford, Danny Burstein, Jim Dale, Anthony Newley)
I agree, nearly every musical comedy show has them, but here's some more:
Every role in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson the lead role in 9 to 5 Jefferson Mays roles in Gentleman's Guide Nearly every male part in Drood Most of the roles in Grease Most roles in Legally Blonde Most roles in Matilda Pirelli in Sweeney Todd both leading roles in Title of Show Many of the roles in Company Birdie, in Birdie The director in Curtains Nearly every part except Sir Harry in Mattress Aldolpho in Chaperone Both roles in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
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