Casting - Bugsy Malone Jr
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3186
Printed Date: 10/30/25 at 10:40pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Casting - Bugsy Malone Jr
Posted By: mary051756
Subject: Casting - Bugsy Malone Jr
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 6:51am
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I am directing/producing youth theater. This summer, we are doing Bugsy Malone Jr. I'm trying to cast the Bugsy role.
At auditions this past weekend, I had 4 boys show up for auditions - 2 weren't very good, 1 was good, but very short and young, and the last was older, taller, but gawky - not what you would picture Bugsy to be.
I am thinking of making Bugsy a girl - has anyone ever done that - do you think it would work? ------------- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON |
Replies:
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 9:15am
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I know the movie but am not too familiar with the Jr play. Is there still a love interest relationship between Bugsy and the show girl in the play? If so that might make for an awkward casting point. "Not that there is anything wrong with that" as Seinfeld would say but even in california they have to be of legal age. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:53pm
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Oy - be carefull changing genders as this the same as changing or cutting dialog or music from a rights perspective. Ask the publisher that holds the performance rights if you can do it and if they say yes get it in writing. ------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: mary051756
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:23pm
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B-M-D If Bugsy is still a male character - just played by a female - is that still considered changing gender? ------------- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON |
Posted By: mary051756
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:25pm
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I think I may have confused some folks with my description - I don't want to change the character of Bugsy to a girl - I want to keep the character male but have a female play the part - similar to what a lot of folks do with the role of Fagin in Oliver.
------------- “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON |
Posted By: Carol
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:28pm
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I may be really wrong on this, but I thought that it was OK to cast an actor of the opposite gender, as long as the gender of the character stayed the same. ie it's OK for a girl to play Bugsy, as long as Bugsy stays a guy...
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Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 5:30pm
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To me your correct, as long as the character gender remains the same as in the script.
Lets face it this has being going on for years at single sex institutions.
With some luvvies in a lot of cases, it is difficult to distinguish between the warm props actual gender.
Unless one holds a short arm parade!
Which will always give rise to the use of the term as an exclamation of "Ah 'Spotted Dick'!"
    ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 5/20/08 at 11:32am
You MIGHT be safe in that regard. Although by doing that you may have made it a gray area. I'd think you'd be crossing the line if say there were a big reveal during the curtain call that it wasn't a male but a female playing the role. That could be interpreted as having implications other than just having a female play the role.
It's funny and a bit off topic but someday I'd like to direct A Few Good Men and have Col. Jessup played by a woman. But I'd never do it without the permission of either Samuel French or Aaron Sorkin. ------------- BD
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |