Straight Guys who love Musical Theatre.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 12:47pm

I'm not one of them... but I have the utmost respect for them.

I once worked for a raging hetero-sexual cast album producer. He would talk about Showtunes and Musical Theatre with the same passion and detail an ESPN commentator would use for discussing sports.

Clearly musical theatre and theatre in general is not an interest decided upon by sexual preference; and the Musical theatre has had many heterosexual artists...but

Do heterosexual men ever have the fear of being labeled as gay for loving shows so much?

Have others ever overtly or covertly judged you or belittled you for having an interest that is so associated with gay culture?

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 12:47 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 12:51pm

I just hate how Musical Theatre has to have a sexuality.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 12:53pm

I'm a straight man who loves musical theatre and I'm currently majoring in Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (I'll be in the first regional production of Urinetown in the spring!) and I have to say it's really just part of the territory.

People may think I'm gay but they aren't vocal about it, I think, especially in Madison, people are more accepting of other people. I am not particularly effeminate but I do have a six foot tall Dreamgirls poster in my room.

The strangest thing about it is getting hit on by gay men and then breaking the news to them. I usually pull an "I'm flattered, but no thanks." However, if Stephen Sondheim started hitting on me I could suspend my heterosexuality for a little bit.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 12:53pm

Has that stereotype always been there though? It seems that in the early days of MT is was perfectly acceptable for Str8 men to like MT.

When did that change?

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 12:56pm

Clearly it doesn't a "sexuality". I assume that most people who go to the theatre are heterosexual.

However, today, Musical theatre as an hobby or interest is often associated with gay culture. That wasn't the case so much when show music was the source of most popular music.

But today it is a different story.

I remember once seeing an episode of DESIGNING WOMEN when the lead character was dating a man with musical theatre posters on his wall. She made the assumption that he was gay or potentially gay. As it turned out, he wasn't.

I'm just curious as to whether situations like that have actually happend to fellow theatre enthusiasts.

sumofallthings: "I am not particularly effeminate but I do have a six foot tall Dreamgirls poster in my room."

...that comment is priceless! You gave me my smile for the day!

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 12:56 PM

[MotorTink]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:04pm

I do agree that that stereotype does exist. From the people I've come across so far, it seems it is stronger for 20 and under males who like theater. Once you hit 30 it seems that it's more acceptable because it is being "mature" & "cultured".

My one friend (Friend A) started "seeing" a mid 20's gentleman that liked broadway and performed in plays on occasion. Friend B was all "he's gay, etc. etc.". Meanwhile, a week or so later she meets an older gentleman in his early 30's. He has a successful career, but makes a point to go to the theater at least once a month, etc. But in her mind that was ok becuase he was "mature" & "cultured". I excused myself from their argument very quickly because I just wanted to hit them!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:04pm

I grew up in a household of straight theater-going men, in a world where I knew nothing about the association of musical theater with gay men. In fact, I don't recall it being associated with gay men, exclusively. Musical theater was part of the popular culture, and everyone I knew either went to the theater, or owned LPs of Broadway musicals. My grandfather took me to see MY FAIR LADY in London, in 1959! I think as it became less and less part of the pop culture, it became more and more associated with gay men. Even today, I find it just another of the gay stereotypes (I know gay men who hate musical theater), just like loving football is part of the straight stereotype (I know straight guys who hate sports). I fall somewhere in-between. I don't "love" musical theater, but I do love some musicals; and I don't love all sports, just some. I did theater, for many years (no longer), and worked with many straight as well as gay men and women; just as I don now, in the world of business.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:07pm

I was talking to this boy the other day at rehearsal for Pippin. In one of the scenes he's going to be in full drag trying to seduce Pippin, but he's afraid to let other people know that he has Rent and Chicago on his iPod because he thinks that people will think he's gay.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:08pm

Hmmm... Maturity and being "Culutured" That is a very interesting point. I hadn't thought of it before.

It is OK have an interest in the arts when you are cultivating a type of refinement and that gets easier as you age. Don't know why that is, but I can see it.

MandiMoo, How awful for your friend.

Updated On: 1/25/07 at 01:08 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:26pm

I've slept with a few straight men who love musical theatre.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:27pm

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:28pm

LOL...

sumofallthings gave me my smile for the day and Michael Bennett my laugh!

[gumbo2]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:34pm

Well I am straight and I pretty much only have theatre songs on my itunes, and I don't care who knows it or what people think of me. I mean, I like watching football but I couldn't ever talk about it. I talk for hours about shows and performing and theatre with my friends. Plenty of my friends who do theatre are straight as well. I think it's just a dumb stereotype.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:42pm

They don't exist

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 1:48pm

I would imagine the shift came in the late 60s and early 70s when the gay rights movement started and people began to notice this thing called "gay culture." It started with clubbing and disco and expanded to include the rising nostalgia craze.

Once the old film stars like Davis and Crawford began to make the lecture tour and attending retrospectives, it became clear that these divas had a large gay following and essays were published about this connection.

I think once people began to equate rabid musical fans with campy queens, the association stuck.

I have also read that almost all successful Bway shows have either gay or Jewish appeal because that's the core NYC audience. It does kinda make sense, though not 100% true.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 2:31pm

Well, it's nice to know I can blame the Jews and Gays for keeping CATS running for so damned long! You'd think they have some taste; but, apparently not.

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 2:39pm

oy fey.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:01pm

When people ask me why I used to do so many musicals and know so much about them, I tell them that I paid my way through college doing them, they understand that people actually do this for a living and it is a legitimate business. Not only that but its a perfect combinationg of all my passions: music, art, movement, acting, writing. I mean...it's BARELY a step up from stripping, but I gots ta pay da bills.

Akiva

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:03pm

Yeah, Akiva, and if you're getting paid to be onstage, chances are it's a musical or a kid's show (also generally a musical).

So it does pay the bills MUCH better than a straight play (tee hee).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:17pm

I feel like this is the Christmas M&Ms commercial.

They (myself included) DO exist. They're called Jewish doctors (myself excluded).

[Malice]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:29pm

Now if there was only an equal ration between the women and the straight men who love musicals *sigh*

[lildogs]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:34pm

You don't think women find that a turn-off?

[wexy]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:41pm

I think that I was the only straight guy at the Vineyard when I saw "Miracle Brothers" but that's how I found this website. Googling "homoerotic dolphins."

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:49pm

If I were straight I would soooooo want to be involved in musical theatre...all those beautiful women and little competition!

[worrell4077]

Posted: 1/25/07 at 3:59pm

I'm straight and I love musicals, and there was only one person who used the stereotype on me. He was a real jack***, he called me the "Broadway F**". No one else was that mean, I mean sure I got the nickname "Broadway" from a friend, but I don't consider "Broadway" to be as mean and hateful as "Broadway F**".

There are straight guys out there who love musical theatre, a good amount of them work in musical theatre, it's not like they don't exist or anything.