PictureThis
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Swinging Characters?Okay, obviously, there are certain characters that have to be a male or female. But for the smaller ones, are there any that have to be a certain gender? Because from what I know, most of the smaller roles are male. Is it possible to turn any of them into female roles?
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Luc
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Lots. There are many villager parts (specifically in "Belle" and "The Mob Song") that would make no difference if they were male of female.
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Sammy_beck
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You could do just about anything with the chorus. We had a girl in our cast that doubled as a guy. She had so much fun doing the role.
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Luc
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Quick random story:
When my school did The Pajama Game, there was one girl who played "Boy #1" and "Girl #2". It was pretty intense.
Okay, return to the topic.
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Monsieur D'Arque
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Lefou is commonly cast, if necessary as a girl. The Wardrobe, however, would be hysterical as a man, very Mary Sunshine-like.
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JeanJacobson
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I never thought about a male Wardrobe. That would be funny.
Our Chip's are both girls. That's an easy one, though. They were going to play a boy Chip, but one of them is a little busty. She's in a large cup, but you'd see her goods when she becomes human again. "looks like Chip grew up nice..."
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Beagle On Stage
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| Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | Lefou is commonly cast, if necessary as a girl. The Wardrobe, however, would be hysterical as a man, very Mary Sunshine-like. |
I really don't think that would be a good idea. Making a character into a drag role adds a slight element of sleaze, crassness. "Beauty and the Beast" would be completely brought down by adding that tone to it.
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Luc
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| Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | Lefou is commonly cast, if necessary as a girl. The Wardrobe, however, would be hysterical as a man, very Mary Sunshine-like. |
That would be f***ing hilarious!!!!! Especially the Brun Hidle (sp?) part I would laugh my ass off!
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Sammy_beck
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| JeanJacobson wrote: |
Our Chip's are both girls. That's an easy one, though. They were going to play a boy Chip, but one of them is a little busty. She's in a large cup, but you'd see her goods when she becomes human again. "looks like Chip grew up nice..." |
Our Chip was a girl too because we couldn't find a boy that could sit in a box for that long and behave.
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MademoiselleMusicals
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| Quote: | JeanJacobson
Our Chip was a girl too because we couldn't find a boy that could sit in a box for that long and behave |
Awww bless! 
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Monsieur D'Arque
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| Beagle On Stage wrote: | | Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | Lefou is commonly cast, if necessary as a girl. The Wardrobe, however, would be hysterical as a man, very Mary Sunshine-like. |
I really don't think that would be a good idea. Making a character into a drag role adds a slight element of sleaze, crassness. "Beauty and the Beast" would be completely brought down by adding that tone to it. |
Not really... in British panto theatre, the older "diva" role is commonly played by a man, and since it's not a crass role in itself, there is no real innuendo. Plus, BATB is a show for children and adults, and the innocent drag role of the Wardrobe would be a laugh that both the children and adults would enjoy equally. When the british pantomime tradition is considered, the Wardrobe seems merely an embracing of a traditional children's theatre gag.
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MademoiselleMusicals
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| Quote: | | When the british pantomime tradition is considered, the Wardrobe seems merely an embracing of a traditional children's theatre gag. |
Exactly Monsieur D'Arque. I am British and find dames so funny in the pantos every year. Where are you from by the way?
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Luc
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I don't think that it would "wreck" the show or bring it down at all, Beagle. The Wardrobe isn't a very big part, and her scenes are so funny when performed by a woman...it would be just hilarious if it was played by a man. It's not like they're having the Beast played by a woman or something like that. In fact, it's almost as if the role of the Wardrobe was MADE for a man!
Just imagine....
"I'll wear lipstick in rouge, and I won't be so huge...."
Oh, dear. Millions of laughs, I think!
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Beagle On Stage
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So because the role's lyrics are ultra-feminine, a man should do the role? I realize that drag is the tradition in British pantomime, but that doesn't mean it should be applied to any and all shows. I see where you're coming from, I do, but it just wouldn't be effective in this show.
Yes, it is funny for men to do female roles sometimes, but to throw it in here when there's no reason for it except that "it would be so funny" would be both a mistake and an immature attempt at working in a joke.
Trust me on this. I would hate to honk my own horn, but as someone who has done a serious role in drag, I am an excellent about what does and does not work in that respect.
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Monsieur D'Arque
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Well, perhaps you're right, and perhaps you're wrong. Perhaps I'm right and perhaps I'm wrong. But, with questions like these, perhaps the verdict should be left to the audience!
Any male Wardrobes out there? Any men willing to audition for Wardrobe?
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Beagle On Stage
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| Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | Well, perhaps you're right, and perhaps you're wrong. Perhaps I'm right and perhaps I'm wrong. |
If you're not sure, I could whisper the answer to you. 
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ILoveToSing2010
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yeah in my school the baker and the bookseller was a girls so yeah
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MsDivaKate
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In both of my sister's productions Chip was played by a girl the entire time he was a teacup. However after the transformation, both times, little boys ran out to "stand in" for Chip as a human boy and just moved their lips as the girls playing the roles spoke the lines into their mics backstage.
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ConverseSneaker
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| Monsieur D'Arque wrote: | | Lefou is commonly cast, if necessary as a girl. The Wardrobe, however, would be hysterical as a man, very Mary Sunshine-like. |
I wish I had that happen in my show. Our Lefou has been out sick for pratices this week and our Wardrobe has been filling in for him when ever she's not on, and she is amazing as Lefou. Much better than our's and she fits the physical requirements more(Lefou is pretty tall).
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me-shellmybelle
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I was the bookseller and I played the part as a female. We had a very traditional cast otherwise.
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kitty17794
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In the show I saw recently, the bookseller was a girl also.
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PappyCat
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I'm a girl and I played Cogsworth. I know that sounds crazy, but I played him as a male. It wasn't very noticable at all.
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