# Assembling a Doper musical-theatre troupe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724 "2007-05-11T17:09:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/1 "2007-05-11T17:09:02Z")
OK, similar to the [Shakespeare thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=420451): If you’ve ever performed in a musical on stage (preferably plot-oriented, not revue style) list the musical and the role(s). Amateur or pro, high school/community theater/Broadway, whereever–go ahead and list it. Then, we’ll see what musicals (Rodgers & Hammerstein? Lerner & Loewe? Sondheim?) we’re closest to having a full cast of. Me? I was in the orchestra pit in HS, but never had the guts (or talent) to step up amongst the footlights. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/2 "2007-05-11T17:12:45Z")
I was a techie, but our teacher always made us get on stage at some point. I was usually “Third Man in Crowd” or “Spear-Carrier #2.” ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/3 "2007-05-11T17:15:20Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I was a techie [/QUOTE] Heh, me too. 🙂 I’d be working the lights and music in the back or handing out programs to the audience. Maybe there should be a thread: “Assembling a Doper techie crew”… ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/4 "2007-05-11T18:04:16Z")
_Marat/Sade_–Kokol ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/5 "2007-05-11T18:06:19Z")
**1776** – Charles Thompson (Congressional Secretary) **Man of la Mancha** – Guard ---
**Author:** ![Meros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Meros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meros)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/6 "2007-05-11T18:19:03Z")
Little Shop of Horrors - Voice of Audrey II Grease - Kenickie Fiddler on the Roof - Tevye Been a techie and orchestra guy too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/7 "2007-05-11T18:50:07Z")
Musicals: The Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon in _1776_ Royal Marine in _HMS Pinafore_ Standard-bearer in _The Mikado_ Assistant director of _A Grand Night for Singing_ Non-musicals, FWIW: Trigorin in _The Seagull_ Reuters reporter in _Inherit the Wind_ Lord Fancourt Babberley in _Charlie’s Aunt_ The eeeeeeeeeeeevil Stephen Girard in _The Insanity of Mary Girard_ Oberon in _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_ Stage Manager (onstage) in _The Skin of Our Teeth_ Director of a class excerpt from _Death of a Salesman_ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/8 "2007-05-11T18:53:15Z")
This sucks! I have performed live, both in plays, musicals, and dance troups…but never any English/American ones! Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/9 "2007-05-11T19:07:55Z")
For Broadway-type shows, my “resume” of sorts is as follows: On Stage: **Mendel** - _Fiddler on the Roof_ **Rehearsal Accompanist/Pit Pianist:** _Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (x3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (x2) Fiddler on the Roof Dracula! The Musical Kismet Grease (x3) Into The Woods_ **Music Director/Pit Pianist:** _Tommy Chicago (x2) Once On This Island (x2) Little Shop of Horrors (x2) Bat Boy Rocky Horror Picture Show Sweet Charity Once Upon a Mattress_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/10 "2007-05-11T19:16:49Z")
Oh, yeah – I’ve also played cornet parts in the orchestra pit for **Camelot** ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/11 "2007-05-11T19:28:41Z")
\*A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum \* - **Domina** Does classical count? If so, I volunteer for the road shows of Handel’s \*Messiah \*, Vivaldi’s _Gloria_, Brahms’ _Requiem_, and Beethoven’s _9th_. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/12 "2007-05-11T20:57:40Z")
I would have had a minor role in a school production of _Guys and Dolls_ but it turned out we didn’t have the funds to pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/13 "2007-05-11T21:02:23Z")
> [@](#): > > I would have had a minor role in a school production of Guys and Dolls but it turned out we didn’t have the funds to pull it off. I’m sure they’ll keep you in mind in case they don’t have the money for this one, either. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/14 "2007-05-11T21:10:05Z")
Very funny. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/15 "2007-05-11T21:52:24Z")
Og - **Finnian’s Rainbow** Ernst - **Cabaret** - (One of the only villians I have ever played). Lazar Wolf - \*\*Fiddler on the Roof \*\*(during this, I was the understudy for Tevye on a 10 week tour and the guy never missed a performance). Luther Billis - **South Pacific** (Actually started this show as an islander and “sailor #5”, but they saw something they liked and was jumped to Billis before the run ended). Freddy - **My Fair Lady** (thirty years later) Doolittle - **My Fair Lady** Molly’s Father - **Unsinkable Molly Brown** (Started as little more than a walk on, but we kept expanding the role until I was a featured player). Beaver Smith - **Billy the Kid** Chairman of the Board and head of the Ad Department (doubled) - **How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying**. Riff or was it Biff? (Jeez, it’s been a long time) - **West Side Story** I was tapped to tour with **Man of La Mancha** , as Sancho Panza, but we lost our name lead (it turned out he couldn’t pull off the songs. I contended that most people only knew the Peter O’Toole version, and he had to sing better than that. Even with logic like that, he pulled out.) Anyway, the show folded. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/16 "2007-05-11T23:02:43Z")
Mayor Shinn- **The Music Man** Horace Vandergelder- **Hello Dolly** Ghost of Christmas Present & other roles **Christmas Carol** Pilate **Jesus Christ Superstar** (one performance only) Ol’ Cap’n Kotchipee **Purlie** (one scene from a revue) I’m always the corrupt and or unhappy authoritarian onstage for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/17 "2007-05-11T23:04:43Z")
[QUOTE=TV time] I was tapped to tour with **Man of La Mancha** , as Sancho Panza, but we lost our name lead (it turned out he couldn’t pull off the songs. I contended that most people only knew the Peter O’Toole version, and he had to sing better than that. Even with logic like that, he pulled out.) Anyway, the show folded. [/QUOTE] Well, in fairness he made a lot more money by reprising his [most famous role](http://www.familyevents.com/images/hotnews/vernetroyer.jpg) in a sequel than he would have from the tour. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/18 "2007-05-11T23:24:08Z")
Girl #5 (or something), **Grease** (closest I ever came to being a cheerleader) Girl #5 (or something), \*\*Hair \*\*(I did do “Black Boys,” but I don’t think I had a name.) Girl #5 (or something), **South Pacific** (I had two solo lines and was told to belt 'em line Ethel Merman. How embarrassing.) Girl #5 (or something), **Bye, Bye, Birdie** (“We love you, Conrad! Oh yes we doo-oooo!”) Girl #5 (or something), **Jesus Christ Superstar** (I did a mean pole dance in the temple scene) Aunt Em (and Girl #5), **The Wiz** (Yes. Yes I \*am \*white. Ouch.) If we need a Girl #5 with two solo lines and lots of good reaction who doesn’t pull focus unless you want her to, I’m your gal. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/19 "2007-05-11T23:45:44Z")
Peter Pan: Lost Boy (one of the twins) Hans Christian Andersen: Town kid Joseph and the Amazing blah blah blah: Ishmaelite/Baker A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Guard/Citizen/Eunuch Guys and Dolls: Sky Masterson The Most Happy Fella: Pasquale I’ll refrain from listing opera roles, but I’ll mention Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, 'cause it’s often done as a musical. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724/20 "2007-05-11T23:54:13Z")
I painted some scenery for our hs production of MacBeth (think blood, lotsa blood). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assembling-a-doper-musical-theatre-troupe/403724.md?page=2)