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zakruti.com » Humor, fun and entertainment » MsMojo
Top 20 Hardest Male Musical Roles

Top 20 Hardest Male Musical Roles

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Rating: 4.0; Vote: 1
The hardest male musical roles arent for the faint of heart. For this list, well be looking at the leading male roles in musical theater that are difficult to perform, whether due to vocals, dancing, acting, or other factors. Our countdown includes Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and more! MsMojo ranks the hardest male musical roles. What do you think is the hardest male musical role?
Date: 2023-11-20

Comments and reviews: 30


Please stop equating 'high' with 'hard'. If you've got the range you've got the range and a lot of that is mechanics.
I'm a Les Mis freak and there is no way that Valjean is a harder role than Sweeney Todd. Sweeney is usually at the top of these lists for a reason.
Or three in fact:
1. It's Sondheim and vocally challenging. The part is written for a bass-baritone and you have to be equally strong at both both extents of the range F2-G4. You've got to be able to carry off operatic timbre, whisper-sing, cry-sing, speak-sing and lyric baritone. You have to deal with syncopation and atonal clashes, 13/8 timing, sometimes scored with only 12 beats in the bar.
2. It's heavy lifting. Unlike eg Les Mis where once you've learned four sequences everything else is a variation on this, all of the numbers are different, and Sweeney is involved in the majority of these numbers - Valjean has a lot of work in Les Mis but nothing like this. Even when Sweeney's not in the scene he's often frozen on the stage in the barber shop, so he's on stage virtually the whole of the first act and half of the second.
3. Emotionally it's a roller-coaster. You have to be brooding, hopeful, quietly vengeful, angry, distracted, accepting, emotionally distraught, threatening, engaging, cheerful, funny, triumphant, reflective, absorbed, wistful, determined, reminiscing, and ultimately sorrowful, broken and hollow. At no point is Sweeney actually 'mad', and only bad Sweeneys play him as a 'gothic fruitbat', even though it seems to be the standard since Jonny Depp.
Pretty Women featured here is one of the easier songs (although that's comparative. Try Epiphany. It requires power, energy, a full vocal range and mix of techniques, and an emotional course that runs from frustration to suspicion to anger to desperation to triumph. And it's immediately followed by Priest, a pure comedy number. Go figure.

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I know this was three years ago, but I feel like Emcee from Cabaret should be here. The singing isn't that hard, but he's practically narrating the whole show. He's literally the host, hence his name. He has to be entertaining to watch, especially with his playful jabs and innuendos and be able to capture the audience's attention in both an amusing way and a serious way, with songs such as Two Ladies, If You Could See Her, and I Don't Care Much. Even Willkommen, the very first song which opens the show, has to be entertaining in order to bring the audience in for the ride. The show has very serious themes and he has to be able to capture the uncomfortableness of them, since he represents Berlin throughout the beginning of WWII, and also the vulgarness of pre-Nazi Berlin cabaret bars in the late 30s and early 40s, all while being able to capture the audience's attention and have them feel a certain attachment to him to the point where we are incredibly shocked by the ending due to what happens to him, and that alone could be emotionally taxing for the actor depending on the ending the director goes for. He also has to be able to correctly pronounce sentences in German and French and may also perform with an accent. He is one of, if not, the MOST important character of Cabaret and he definitely should've been on this list.
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I personally would have bumped the Genie up a few notches. Not only does he have to dance for several minutes at a time throughout the performance while still having the breath to sing perfectly, but he also has to have the charisma to make everyone laugh at his jokes, and he has to sing the slower parts of songs. well, I don't know how to describe it since I'm not a professional musician or thespian, but when I watched the musical in London, every woman in the audience screamed and cheered when Genie sang at a slow tempo because his voice was that smooth. The other actors were very talented, and it was a wonderful play (liked it even better than the movie, actually, but that's just personal opinion, but I was ready to vote Aladdin off the island, so to speak, and just hear a Genie concert for the next 2 hours. (Judging from how things went during the bows and applause at the end of the show, I wasn't the only one whose favorite character was Genie) It takes talent not only to do such a physically demanding role very well, but also to make everyone in the audience fall in love with you on the spot to the point where they like you better than the titular character.
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Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place,
Where the caravan-camels roam
Where it's flat and immense, and the heat is intense,
It's barbaric, but hey, it's home.
Where the wind's in the east, and the sun's in the west,
Where the sand for the glass is right.
Come on down, stop on by, hop a carpet and fly,
To another Arabian Night!
Arabian Nights! Like Arabian Days!
They tease and excite, take up and take flight,
They shock and amaze!
Follow me to a place, where incredible feats
Are redeemed every hour or so.
Where enchantment runs rampant, yes, wild in the streets
Open Sesame! Here we go!
Arabian Nights! Like Arabian Days!
More often than not, are hotter than hot, in a lot of good ways!
Pack your shield, pack your sword, you will never be bored
Though get beaten or gored, that you might.
Come on down, stop on by, hop a carpet and fly,
To another Arabian Night!
Arabian Nights! 'Neath Arabian moons!
A fool off his guard, can fall and fall hard,
Out there on the dunes!

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It's kind of interesting how Norm Lewis starred alongside Sierra Boggess in Phantom of the Opera, but prior to that he played her father in The Little Mermaid. Always a quirky little factoid that makes Phantom of the Opera a smidge odd, at least with that cast.
I wish they had a pro-shot or something available for the Norm Lewis / Sierra Boggess Phantom and Little Mermaid. The stuff I've heard / seen from them is excellent, but I require the whole productions! Thankfully Sierra Boggess is also part of what I consider the best Phantom of the Opera out there, the 25th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall one with Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser. But there's not enough stuff out there showing Norm Lewis' amazing portrayal of Erik!

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It's less well-known, but I'd have Paul from TGWDLM on this list. Not only does the actor have to spend 7/8 of the show comedically and dramatically acting, requiring a lot of subtle physical comedy with his facial expressions, but the two songs at the end require totally different styles, with one being a more rock-style Jekyll and Hyde number where he has to play two characters alternating, and the other is a Broadway-esque reprise. Plus, the first note he hits in the show is in the falsetto range, after two hours straight of screaming and yelling with no time to warm up. The guy who played him in the Team Starkid recording does not get enough credit for how hard the role must have been
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Evan Hansen a dpzen places above a part that requires opera skills? Now I havent seen Hansen live yet but it doesnt sounds anywhete near the likes of Phantom, Jekyll/Hide and Sweeney Todd.
And how much I love Cats I cant place Tugger up there really. Maybe Mr Mistoffelees with all his conjurming turns deserves a top twenty.
But I guess this need a defination of whats considered hard. Guyes who are great dancers might find those high notes hard while those who struggling with the conjuring turns might find dance hard.
And how about the lead in Singing in the Rain? He must perform several hard dance numbers each night to earn his money. Johan.

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As a guy who just came off of playing Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can, I really think that it is not given enough credit. I mean, come on. Some of the highest notes in Broadway history. Not to mention the pure acting that is needed to go from loving the idea of lying to the world and in and out of that. Holding the lie. I agree with the comments that so many of these need to be moved up. Evan Hansen is ridiculous. I think it's bout time to redo this list.
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Woah what? There was a production of Hunchback of Notre Dame where Quasimodo's actor is acting deaf and speaks entirely with sign language or they casted someone deaf and mute? Then they have someone else do the talking and singing. That's actually amazing
I saw a performance before where Quasimodo is deaf but still speaks, but i like more the one where he's also mute, sorts of add more reason to the other people in that world casting him away

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Alternatives Listings
15. Archibald Craven The Secret Garden
12. The Phantom > Donkey From Shrek Pardon me Emily but The Phantom should be in the top 5 easily.
10. Peter Allen Boy From Oz> Javert Les Miserables
9. As much as I love and respect Josh Groban Tony from West Side Story should be in this spot.
7. Jesse Tuck from Tuck Everlasting should be in this spot.
3. Frankenfuter from Rocky Horror should be in this spot.

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I feel like they put a lot of shows that are in like the last 20 years or shows that have been out for a long time, for example they didnt put Tevye from Fiddler on the roof on here. Tevye is on stage for almost every scene, sings in almost all of the songs, and is only offstage for longest 7 minutes. Danny Burnstein the actor who played Tevye in 2015-2016 Fiddler on the Roof said it was one of the hardest roles he had done.
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lol ik no one cares but in the honorable mentions are you really gonna put rum tum tugger as a harder role than Mr Mistoffolies like damb ok I guess but come from someone that has actualy played the role (that me hi: ) its so much more physicaly demanding compared to rum because while yes he sings a lot he rarely moves throughout the whole show compared to Mr Mistoffilies who is allways dancing whenever the he has the chance
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HUNCHBACK IS INCREDIBLE IN STAGE SHOW BUT DISNEY IS TOO CHEAP TO PUT IT ON STAGE.
ALSO HOW DID JACK KELLY AND NEWSIES NOT MAKE THE LIST HE CARRIES THE WHOLE DAMN SHOW! You have to be a triple threat with an incredible range. Also Davey could be on the list as well.
Also please note how many of these musicals were composed by Alan Menken.
Also no Beetlejuice and NOT ONE ROLE FROM WEST SIDE STORY!

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Im sorry but this list seems off. While all roles have difficulty that come with the part, I dont think Even should be number one. How they have to act, the music they have to sing, their choreography, and costumes, should play more of a factor. I feel part of this list was based on popularity of the character. Although their are characters on their that are difficult to perform, I wont depart that.
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Personally I do not believe Evan Hansen deserves the #1 spot, now keep in mind Ive never played him, but most of his music seems pretty easy in my experience. It would be hard for someone like me because I think Evan Hansen is an narcissistic psychopath for most of the show. He wants what he wants and he will do anything to get it no matter how many people he hurts in the process.
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Im really surprised that Bobby from Company is not on this list. I believe that role is one of the hardest roles to act and, while the singing isnt very high, its hard to show the emotion and convey the character youre playing because Bobby is a very difficult character to understand. Hes one of those roles you truly have to make your own and figure out how to portray that.
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Okay. this actually explains WHY some people thought David Hasselhoff could sing. Impressive. I actually never knew he could do it. I'm actually surprised that he didn't flash this part MORE when he was pursuing a singing career in pop music. I've heard better but I've also heard a lot worse. Hmm. his agent screwed him by not promoting THIS side of him.
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How is Simba from lion king not on here?
He has to literally run around like a lion the whole time he's on stage, sing, fly in a harness, have fight scenes, dance, swing on a vine, life his partner Nala in fight and dance sequences, hang off pride rock (one of them got injured form falling off, and throw hyenas around in the last fight scene

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Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof is the King Lear of musicals. Virtually never off stage, comedy and pathos in equal measure, and one iconic song after another. I would argue it is the single most difficult male role in the theater, but to ignore it entirely is an embarrassment. Does anyone over the age of 25 actually work there?
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I can't help but notice a theme of look it's so hard! there's high notes! and I think the answer to that is. cast a high tenor. Also, emoting is a part of acting any character, so obviously it's going to be a part of the role and that doesn't make it a harder role just because there's emotions.
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Why don't they just start hiring Transwomen for Hedwig instead of getting men to play the role though? I mean, I know it's hard to find people to act in productions perfectly, but I think producers and directors of shows who really want to be most authentic should consider this in the future.
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EXCUSE ME #12? THE PHANTOM 1 HAS TO BE MYSTERIOUS AND SCARY AND HE HAS A SINGING VOICE LIKE A FANTASY (I heard that in a video that he was supposed to be the most greatest singer you would ever hear like a fantasy) AND THAT IS A LOT OF PRESSURE AND YOU CHOSE #12 OUT OF 20
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I think Clyde barrow should at least be a honorable mention but also I can say Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson is a hard role but I would say arron burr is harder overall based on the different styles of music and the emotions you have to give as him.
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The single male performance in a musical with neither a dance or vocal solo that stops the show literally and figuratively every time. Paul in A Chourus Line. His 16min heartbreaking monolog is a could hear a pin drop masterpiece
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Very late now haha but I kind of feel like Jim Hardy and Ted Hanover from Holiday Inn shouldve been at least an honorable mention, the vocality of Hardy and choreography of Hanover are both extremely difficult in my opinion.
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I disagree for Evan Hansen, Dr. Frankenfurter for The Rocky Horror Show, and Beetlejuice is the hardest role for their strong vocals and multiple facial expressions be sung in each musical number or no musical number
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Surprised not eve an honorable mention for J. Pierpont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. A lot of dancing, singing and you have to love the character while he climbs the corporate ladder.
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Aarron Burr is Hard. TRY ALEXANDER! He's onstage for most of the show, he has some of the hardest songs, and.
HE HAS THE HARDEST EMOTIONS TO ACT WITH! I don't know how Lin can pull it off and it makes me MAD!

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gotta love how high notes mean difficulty to you haha. I'm a professional singer, and that is not the half of it, also nothing from chess is here and that is a disgrace, pity the child is insanely difficult!
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When I watched the 2007 movie Sweeney Todd, my dad made spaghetti with sausage, and after watching the movie I literally couldnt eat the sausage, but I wanted to eat it, so I kinda force fed myself the sausage.
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