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 Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:45 pm
I feel that (especially in high school) if there is no boy available to play the part or a girl can do a better job, sure let a girl play a boy. I've seen a female Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Antonio in Twelfth Night and even a female Sylvester in Moliere's Scapin. I think it can work quite well especially if the character is comic. Since Mercution is comic, I think you'll be great.
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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:37 pm
I fully agree that females should be allowed to play male roles not only because I am female, but because I have seen the disastrous effects of gender specific casting first-hand. The theatre program I used to go to would occasionally bend the gender rule for small male roles, but never with main ones. But we never got more than 6-10 boys out of a cast of 60-80. And as a result, when we put on "Aladdin" one year, we had a 9-year-old playing Aladdin! He was absolutely horrible, he couldn't act or sing for s**t. By opening night, the girls that held the fancy door that Jasmin came in and out of were 3 times more interesting to watch than he was. If a girl had been allowed to play Aladdin instead of him, the show probably would have been a lot better. So if, say, you're putting on "Macbeth" and there aren't any talented males to play Macbeth or Macduff or Banquo, I believe that the part should go to a female who will do a good job of it rather than have it go to a male who either won't take it seriously or who isn't a good actor.
Congrads on playing Mercutio! biggrin
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:16 am
I'm all for getting the male roles (and a belated congrats-- Mercutio steals the heck out of that show!). I played a lord in the Scottish play-- I didn't have a name, but I did have a little speech. I enjoy doing mens' monologues for acting classes, too. A friend of mine has done small male parts for Shakespeare in the Park as well, and it seemed to work for everyone in the audience. The important thing is acting ability, not gender.
And as for me, I'd rather do a fake beard and some binding than re-work the character to be female. It's kind of fun-- well, not the binding, but playing a man instead of changing the character's gender.
=^__^=
Anneko
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 9:28 am
Defintely congrats on Mercutio, he's my delightfully perverted favorite!
I have had the same problem with Shakespeare casting, because I'm in an all-girls prep school. At our last production of Midsummer, we didn't even bother with tape or male characterization, we just had the guys wear pants and the girls wear dresses. I think it could have been better, but the romance scenes were good BECAUSE we're a bunch of crazy girls: we weren't afraid to get up close and personal because we weren't worrying about the whole male/female thing. We were just girls acting like we normally do, with hugs and arms around shoulders and linked arms for EVERYTHING. As I said, it could have been better, but we had a really great time, and I wish the same for you as Mercutio!
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:39 pm
I really have no issue with this (since I'm hoping to get a male roll in my school production of R+J some time this upcoming year so I can have the chance to do some stage combat)
Congrats, I love Mercutio!!
I guess depending on the production would kind of change how you play the character and also what kind of costume you have...
I think that if it's a more traditional production then a guy character should be played as a guy, but if it's more modern a guy character could be played more as a girl...I guess it also depends on the character the actress is to play, since some male roles need to stay manly(like if the text refers to um...well...man-ish things)...
Sorry if this post seemed kind of random in it's thoughts...my mind isn't quite all with me at the moment
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:20 pm
Congrats on getting the role of Mercutio!
In my opinion, I think women can play in any role
whether the character be male of female.
It's all the same either way.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:10 pm
Congrats!!
And at my school, we're doing a version of the Tempest with Prospero not only played by a female, but as a female character. Same with her brother/sister Antonio(a) and the queen/king of Naples Alonso(a).
This might be because mainly only girls are in theater, but I much prefer Prospero as a girl. It makes him/her more likable, and her actions towards everyone more justifiable.
Like in her reaction to Ferdinand, she's just like an overprotective mother...
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:06 am
I say brilliant - Mercutio really gives the play the kick in the pants to make things interesting. Congrats, even though it's overdue.
Most of Shakespeare's plays have male parts as leading roles. I suppose it makes sense for both genders to have a chance to play whatever gender they want - provided that the actual actors/actresses can really pull of their characters.
I remember playing Benvolio in R&J and Puck in MSND a few years back. It was great. wink
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:06 pm
I agree with first poster.
Since I go to a college that is about 2/3 women, our Shakespeare group really doesn't have a choice. This semester a friend and I are directing 'King Lear', and we only had three guys audition. SO the lead role is played by a girl (who whipped all the guys butts at reading the part of Lear during auditions). We also have some brilliant girls playing roles like Kent and Edgar.
Over the course of the 4 Shakespeare plays I've been involved with in the past, I've become convinced that, even though girls may have to work a little harder to manage a male role than a female one, it's the talent that matters and not the gender.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 6:08 pm
Nightfall Dragon Congrats!! And at my school, we're doing a version of the Tempest with Prospero not only played by a female, but as a female character. Same with her brother/sister Antonio(a) and the queen/king of Naples Alonso(a). This might be because mainly only girls are in theater, but I much prefer Prospero as a girl. It makes him/her more likable, and her actions towards everyone more justifiable. Like in her reaction to Ferdinand, she's just like an overprotective mother...
Speaking of which, have you heard that in 2011 there will be a movie of The Tempest with Helen Mirren as Prospera =) I'm so excited! Here's the IMDb page --> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1274300/
This summer I'm going to be in a production of The Tempest that will have an all-female cast, though the genders of the characters themselves will not be changed. I'm really looking forward to the whole thing, it should be interesting.
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