Too Buff for the Role?

[sondheimboy2]

In a similar vein to the "Too Cute for the Role" thread, does the perfectly shaped body of someone in a show set in a different time period ever distract you?

I look at the bodies of the male dancers in the current revival of "West Side Story" and the recent revival of "A Chorus Line" and the gym buffed perfection of them keeps me being able to suspend my disbelief needed for theater.

I think "No street punk in the 1950's ever had abs like that." Or "Not that many dancers in the 1970's had arms and shoulders like that."

Does this bother anyone else out there, or is it just me?

From the pictures I've seen of the revival of "Hair" the casting director got it right and cast people whose bodies looked like you could have seen them back in the late '60's.

[dramamama611]

The problem is that the dancers bodies have changed. Instead of simply thin and lithe, they are all muscular. Dance is much more demanding than it was then as well as the need to look good. It didn't bother me at all in either show. Maybe because both shows had so many other problems to keep my picky mind occupied.

[PalJoey]

As they say on another site, this thread is completely useless without pictures. ;-}

[tazber]

Michael Jeter in Grand Hotel

[dramamama611]

LOL, PalJoey. I'll second that!

[RentBoy86]

Wasn't so much the "buffness" of the actors in WSS but rather the bland acting choices, horrible set, and disappointing direction that left me confused.

[Play Esq.]

PalJoey: At least we have sondheimboy2's avatar to ogle at.


And if I may offer another question: who WAS NOT buff enought for the role? My candidate: John C Riley in Street Car (but damn, wasn't Natasha great?).

[CurtainPullDowner]

I have not seen all the boys of WEST SIDE STORY naked (yet) but no one, except Tony (at least he's good to look at if not listen to)and Action (who should be buff because he is the fighter of the group),are that muscular. There have always been guys who lifted weights before Gyms became so popular. And to the comment that dancers bodies are different today, go to a dance class in Manhattan, there is every body type there.
Think LIL' ABNER, THE BODY BEAUTIFUL, Buff bods are nothing new.

[Roscoe]

This isn't a Broadway example, but I remember seeing SWEET AND LOWDOWN and thinking that Sean Penn was just too buff. There's just no way that character, the hard-drinking jazz guitarist who never sets foot in anything as health conscious as a gym, would be as muscular as Penn was/is.

[Princeton2]

tazber's profile pic is a pretty hot guy, no idea if thats tazber or someone famous I should know, either way.. great pic lol

[blaxx]

As they say on another site, this thread is completely useless without pictures. ;-}

MARIO LOPEZ


NICK ADAMS


SPENCER LIFF


MATT CAVENAUGH


CHEYENNE JACKSON


SEBASTIAN LACAUSE


MOST CHICAGO MEN


HUGH JACKMAN

[TheatreDiva90016]

They all look fine to me.

[KingKong]

Nick Adams has a face that makes the baby jesus weep.

[LizzieCurry]

Sharon Brown as Lucy in the Jekyll & Hyde tour.

[blaxx]

Elizabeth Stanley in Xanadu.

[DayDreamer]

Let me get this straight - in WSS you are able to suspend disbelief that gang members break into song and dance, A LOT of dance, but not they might have buff bodies?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Elizabeth Stanley in Xanadu.

Shut up!

[KingKong]

lol

[blaxx]

Elizabeth Stanley in Xanadu.

Shut up!

No way, sister, I want her delts and biceps!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Well, are you saying that muses have to be skinny and have pointy chins?

[KingKong]

Muses are either Wood Nymphs or Jabba the Hutt

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Careful what you say about Mary Testa. You'll piss some mofos off!

[blaxx]

Well, are you saying that muses have to be skinny and have pointy chins?

No, but compared to Kerry butler she does look like she could tackle a whole football team.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Lol. She is a solid gal. I think she's beautiful. (Stanley, not Butler)

[blaxx]

Very much so.