What are the characteristics of a lead actor in a musical?

Question

How should they move. What tone do they use in speech. What kind of stance should they aquire when not moving. Give me all the info!!!

Answer 1

There is not a certain way at all that a lead in a musical should have. In fact, it is quite the opposite. If you were playing a crippled character, your movements, speech patterns, master movements, vocal qualitys, basically everything would be different than a character who was a famous movie star. Each human being moves differently, as do the characters in musicals and plays. I am currently working on Fame the musical right now. One of the leads is a comedian from the Bronx. His character is hyper, funny, and rough around the edges. Also, there is a character that is an illiterate african american boy who is an amazing hip hop dancer who sends out the tough guy image. Plus, there is a ballerina who pretends that she is rich and is the best dancer at their school, the Performing Arts school in New York. There's a german music teacher. There's a drug addicted, extremely talented, ambitious singer. There's a shy girl who idolizes one of the male students who has been in commercials. Do you see how different all of these characters are? You wouldn't want them to all have the same stance or tone. The ballerina could be very proper, the comedian would be all over the place and hyper, the music teacher uses a cane, they're all so different. You would not want the hip hop dancer to act the same as the proper ballerina. All of the leads must use different movements and tones, that is what defines the characters and keeps the show interesting. Watch Grease, notice how Sandy acts very different from Rizzo. The contrast is what makes the characters who they are. Do not use the same actions or tones or anything for different characters. All your characters are different, just like people.

Answer 2

That's a really tough question. Each leading male character has their own attitudes and what not. That's all part of Character development. For instance, one actor could play the role of Javert (Les Mis) one way, while another actor could play him in a totally different way. You need to disect the character and see what really makes him tick. Different characters call for different attitudes. As a great director once told me "make Kenny you!" (I was playing Kenny in Laughter on the 23rd Floor) You need to become that character.

Answer 3

A lot of casting is the way you look. You can be the most talented one there, if you don't fit the part, you won't be cast!