tortallcit
|
Gender BendingSo our school finally decided on Oliver! But I'm curious to see if anybody's ever been in/ seen a play where Oliver was played by a girl. I think it could work, especially considering the vocal ranges, but I'm really iffy on the effect. Especially since the little brat that will probably get the part will refuse to cut her hair.
|
Fantine
|
Re: Gender Bending | tortallcit wrote: | | Especially since the little brat that will probably get the part will refuse to cut her hair. |
You do have wigs for that kind of thing.
I think it would be interesting.
|
Tumnus1031
|
In our production of Oliver! this year, Oliver and the Artful Dodger were both played by girls. So were about five of the ten workhouse orphans, and two of Fagin's Gang.
Girls usually work fine. Dodger's got a hat to cover the hair, and our Oliver had her hair rolled up by her mom, and they just played it like Oliver's hair was a bit longer than usual. After all, haircuts weren't as common back then, especially for poor children. 
|
musical4eva
|
In ours a few years ago both Dodgers were girls and one Oliver was a girl (We double cast.) The Oliver cut her hair and so did one of the Dodgers, The other one had resonably short hair anyway and just tucked it into their hat.
|
lonewriter
|
I have seen a girl play Oliver and to be honest, I didn't think it worked. She just looked like a girl with her hair tied up under a hat. I think it should only be played by a boy if possible.
|
highkick49
|
It is one of the greatest true younger boy roles, please do whatever you can to cast a boy, just because it's such a great oppritunity to allow a young boy to grow so much artistically. I'm sorry but it's such a cop out to cast a girl.
plus you've already taken peter pan away from us guys at least let us keep oliver!
|
Salome
|
uhm.. Peter Pan was played by a woman from day one. JM Barrie wrote the play for an actress to play the role. no one took the role away from boys.
|
fjays
|
yeah i always thought peter pan on stage was played by a female..
well im auditioning for oliver soon, and im a girl,
and i dont think its a bad thing to have a girl play oliver... you whack on a wig, whats the difference?
|
highkick49
|
| Salome wrote: | | uhm.. Peter Pan was played by a woman from day one. JM Barrie wrote the play for an actress to play the role. no one took the role away from boys. |
I was just being sarcastic, i'm not a complete idiot.
I'm just saying I don't understand if the role is meant for a boy to play why you can't just find a little a boy - yah they may not be the best at the inital audition but what little boy is going to be absoutely amazing at this stage in their life, I'm just saying if the directer really wanted to they could take this oppritunity to really mold and shape a young boys career, and I think that's something to take advantage of, rather than just casting a girl because she can sing it easier.
|
jax1491
|
I think that if a suitable boy who can pull off the part can be found than they should definitely be used over a girl, but if the young boys show no potential at all, I don't see a problem with Oliver being portrayed by a girl....as long as she's convincing.
|
sopranodespair
|
^
I agree
|
dramadorkette
|
My theatre's production of Oliver! was cast with both the Artful Dodger AND Oliver as girls both were amazing and the Oliver had a thoroughly convincing wig on.......which was good b/c she had REALLY long hair!
|
lilgavroche
|
Back when I was in public school we did Oliver! once, I really wished I would have tried out  but I was in Grade 5 and very shy. Both Olivers and Dodger were all girls but had shorter hair so it was okay. I think they would be better than any of the boys at my school, we really didn't have that many boys who were good singers/actors or any that committed even.
|
ActingDude17
|
| lilgavroche wrote: | | Back when I was in public school we did Oliver! once, I really wished I would have tried out but I was in Grade 5 and very shy. Both Olivers and Dodger were all girls but had shorter hair so it was okay. I think they would be better than any of the boys at my school, we really didn't have that many boys who were good singers/actors or any that committed even. |
Oh yes. I'm sure they had masculine facial features too.  Because short hair automatically makes it okay. A male can grow out longer hair but he won't have feminine facial features. Does that make it okay?
|
sten09
|
Definitely. The version I did, Oliver was double cast, one boy and one girl. It works if she's young enough and doesn't look overly feminine. I actually had a bunch of people say they thought she was a boy. And she only had to cut her hair a bit, just chin length. In addition, all of our orphans/pickpockets were girls except one.
|
ActingDude17
|
| sten09 wrote: | | Definitely. The version I did, Oliver was double cast, one boy and one girl. It works if she's young enough and doesn't look overly feminine. I actually had a bunch of people say they thought she was a boy. And she only had to cut her hair a bit, just chin length. In addition, all of our orphans/pickpockets were girls except one. |
As a director I would only cast young girls into the ensemble. Surely, talented ones would try out. But it's not historically correct to say that boys and girls were in English workhouses together. The time period the show takes place in is so blatant and Dickensian I can't see any way I could tarnish that.
If some people honestly mistook your female Oliver for a girl I applaud.  The thing is, so often that doesn't happen and "gender bending" is not taken seriously and is instead made a joke. I've seen instances were an actress didn't even try to come across convincingly male.
|
~Masquerade Dancer~
|
[quote="ActingDude17"] | sten09 wrote: |
The thing is, so often that doesn't happen and "gender bending" is not taken seriously and is instead made a joke. I've seen instances were an actress didn't even try to come across convincingly male. |
I heard of a performance once where they were going to rename it 'Olivia'  I don't think they're even allowed to do that! I'm pretty sure it didn't go ahead, thank goodness 
|
ActingDude17
|
Yeah, changing the script at all is a breach of contract, in addition to just being extremely tacky.
|
