faliah_dahn
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Bigger Role: Babette or Madame?I apologize if this seems egotistic, but I was just cast as Babette today in my high school's production and I'm wondering about the size of the role.
I was passed over for Belle because the boy they wanted for Beast is a junior and only an inch or so taller than I am. So the director threw me a bone and gave me Babette. (The worst part is ... Lumiere is an even shorter FRESHMAN!)
I've been perusing the posts about Babette here on the BATB forum, and everyone refers to her as being a "small" part. Is she ... insignificant? I mean, I feel so crushed right now. Compared to the other female roles (besides Belle), how good of a part is it?
I'll die of shame if it's a smaller part than the wardrobe!
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ConverseSneaker
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Babette and Madame have about the same sized part. What is more important is how big you make your character. You have lines, some solos, a tango in Be Our Guest with Lumiere, and if played well, one of the audience's favorite characters.
Now, go and pm LumBabsFan for advice on Babette and tell her I sent you
P.S. Madame is also a good role.
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LumBabsFan
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*nods* Babette and Madame have about, ABOUT the same size role, but neither are insignificant. Both can be major scene/show stealers if played right.
So never, EVER feel bad about getting Babette after being passed over for Belle. (*whispers* Do you know how many Belles say they really want to be Babs, and yet no Babs has said she wants to be Belle? Think about it, LOL)
ETA: Converse, m'dear, I thank you always!! I'm thinking of an agent's/publicist's pay for ya, LOL 
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faliah_dahn
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Thanks for the replies!Thanks to you both.
If you have any good insights regarding the character, I'd be grateful to you!
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ConverseSneaker
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I'll be checking the mail for my check from now on.
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BroadwayBaby0202
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I'm not sure if this really helps you but on our cast list, Babette is listed right above Madame so I'm assuming that Babette is a little bigger of a part or they are about equal.
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ConverseSneaker
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Re: Thanks for the replies! | faliah_dahn wrote: | Thanks to you both.
If you have any good insights regarding the character, I'd be grateful to you! |
| conversesneaker wrote: | I'll try to explain this the best that I can, so bear with me here.
Babette is passionate, fiery and strong. She's not someone to insult or hurt lightly, she proves this in her first scene. The first time you see her, when Maurice comes to the castle, she and Lumiere have thier little fight over who's making who jealous. She tries to hurt and show Lumiere how she feels over his flirting with the other girls by flirting with Maurice. Then when Lumiere reflects on Veronique and how great she was, she is futher insulted and stomps off. Babette is insulted at the idea that Lumiere could think that she could be better than herself and that he wouldn't fully commit himself to her. Who does she come crying to when her hands turn to feathers? Lumiere. She truly loves him, but it is his nature to wander and so she uses her nature to keep a hold of him and to flirt in rebuttal when needed.
You see, she's just not some flirty featherduster. There's a why for everything anyone would do in a show. You just have to dig deep enough to find out that why. Even the smallest most boring character has a life. |
| LumBabsFan wrote: | I may not have played her before, but I write fics for Babs so much (practically every single one) that you might as well call me an actress at the keyboard. =) So with that under my belt as well as just being a fan since I was 10, here's my two cents:
LumBabsFan's Guide to Babette
1) Babs is meant to be a very fun character, so that's one important thing. The actress has to be able to go out there and have some shameless fun with her. She may not be a huge role (to some), but she could easily steal a scene or be an audience favorite.
2) Personality wise, she is definitely the household...flirt, yeah we'll stick with that word since this isn't the boudoir. Seriously though, yeah, there really seems to be no man in the castle who doesn't know her well. I think it was Heather Lee (LA '95) who said "I'm for all the dads in the audience who feel dragged by their daughters!" And it's pretty true. Here on Broadway, I'm not kidding you, my loverly Meredith has had some nights where some teenage boys find out that "she was the maid!" and they make a bee line for her. So that's her big defining trait. She is the sexy, coquettish flirt, so take that and just run with it.
2b) To add to that, some people may think "Oh she's like the Silly Girls!" Not really so, IMO. The Silly Girls are fangirly and constantly swooning and squealing. Babette KNOWS how to catch a man's attention, hold onto it, and flirt like a real woman. She's much more experienced in that area.
3) She's French, so please, never ignore the accent! I can't tell you how annoying it is when either she or Lumiere sound American.
4) And speaking of Lumi, as Babs, the actress is half of the most romantic sidekick couple on the planet. Lumiere and Babette have three aspects of their characters that are important for me as an audience member and fan to see and believe that these are them: a) Comedic, b) Showmanship (both are entertainers), and c) Romantic. Together, they rely on one another to score big in the Romantic aspect of the couple. Take it from someone who's seen it: if one or the other is off with this, the other will look the same. They have to have good chemistry, and work well together.
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this was shamelessly taken from another post, and is the best advice I've ever found for Lumieres and Babettes
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what_the_heck013
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^Would somebody happen to have a similar guide for Lumiere?
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iheartbway
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I played Babette in my production of Beauty and the Beast and originally I was all gung-ho for Belle. It came down to me and another girl, and she got it. But man, I totally don't regret it!
Babette is EASILY one of the most fun parts for girls! You can steal the show if you really play it up, and also, you will be the favorite character of most all of the guys in the audience. 
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Bookworm
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It makes me sad to see Babette gets so much more attention than Madame here.
Madame has a bit more singing, and a lot of stage time even when she doesn't have lines considering she's a wardrobe and wardrobe's can't move, but basically, they're the same size part and can both be such show-stealers.
But bear in mind: Babette and Lumiere have to work together.
P.S.
Our Babette was way taller than our Lumiere. Everyone clapped for them louder than Belle and The Beast together.
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LumBabsFan
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what_the_heck, I just sent you one. =) Check your PMs.
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AnnieER25
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When I saw a production earlier this year Belle and Beast were terrible. Nice voices, but not much in the way of acting. Madame, Babette, Lumiere and Cogsworth stole the show. My favorite was Madame, but I'm a little biased since she was the one that I was there to see
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Tenalto
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Agreed. I saw my first live production this fall at a tiny little school -- not the best introduction to the stage version. However, I found the Babette to be the best actress of the bunch -- the Belle was quite bland and dreadful, but Babette was quite good. She and Lumiere were easily the only bearable part of the entire thing. Besides, I've found supporting roles can be more fun than leads -- you don't have all of the stress of "carrying" the show, and you often get to create the most memorable characters.
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babette07
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I totallyunderstand. I'm playing Babette too and she has PLENTY of lines. They are easy to memorize but what really matters is what you bring to the part. She is a stage-stealer if you make her one.
good luck :]
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