A Broadway Musical’s Leading Man: Forgiveness, Benefits, and Ease
Open Access
- Author:
- Cole, Aidan
- Area of Honors:
- Theatre
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Gwendolyn E Walker, Thesis Supervisor
Raymond Sage, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Leading Male
Musical Theater
Broadway - Abstract:
- Mirroring much of American culture, the male protagonist of a Broadway musical, usually coined “The Leading Man,” is granted many privileges over his female counterpart. Historically, the leading male in a Broadway Musical can vary greatly depending on the piece. Men are depicted as sweet and charismatic in one show, while in a theatre nearby the leading male is vengeful and vicious, much like the titular character in Sweeney Todd. Society allows for this duality in portrayal and reception, whereas female counterparts are often not granted differing portrayals. Historically, female characters are often depicted as sexual objects, dependent on their male counterparts, or as a means to be poked fun at by other characters. It took decades for female characters in Broadway musicals to have representation outside of these archetypal portrayals. As seen in society, critics are quick to berate women for not complying with societal standards, whereas men are often given free rein with little backlash. These archetypal portrayals then prohibit the female characters to be granted the forgiveness awarded to men when they fall out of line. The leading man’s actions in a Broadway musical are much more easily forgiven than that of the leading woman. Only with continued depth and an understanding of cultural context can the differences in portrayal between these two genders be acknowledged, and then used to create female characters of equal standing to “The Leading Man.”