Crosscast Role: Difference between revisions

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In Western theatre and opera, a male character which is intended to be played by a female performer is commonly referred to as a "breeches role" or "trouser role".
In Western theatre and opera, a male character which is intended to be played by a female performer is commonly referred to as a "breeches role" or "trouser role".


Compare [[Cross Dressing Voices]], which is the voice acting equivalent. In a common [[Casting Gag]], you can often expect crosscast roles to cause [[Recursive Crossdressing]]. Contrast with [[Gender Flip]], in which a character is reimagined or rewritten to be the opposite sex, but the actor plays a character of their own sex.
Compare [[Cross-Dressing Voices]], which is the voice acting equivalent. In a common [[Casting Gag]], you can often expect crosscast roles to cause [[Recursive Crossdressing]]. Contrast with [[Gender Flip]], in which a character is reimagined or rewritten to be the opposite sex, but the actor plays a character of their own sex.
{{examples}}
{{examples}}


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== Opera & Theatrical Productions ==
== Opera & Theatrical Productions ==
* All traditional kabuki theatre, due to a 1629 ban on female actors. This effectively created an entire industry of [[Attractive Bent Gender]] "actresses" (see [[The Other Wiki]] on ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyama_(Japanese_theatre) onnagatta]''). Note that when Kabuki first appeared in the early 1600s it was female only, and had females playing male roles. Either way, it's an example.
* All traditional kabuki theatre, due to a 1629 ban on female actors. This effectively created an entire industry of [[Attractive Bent Gender]] "actresses" (see [[The Other Wiki]] on ''[[wikipedia:Oyama (Japanese theatre)|onnagatta]]''). Note that when Kabuki first appeared in the early 1600s it was female only, and had females playing male roles. Either way, it's an example.
* [[Shakespeare]] wrote all of his plays for all-male companies; thus all of his female roles are intended to follow this trope. Most modern productions ignore this entirely. This is presumably [[Recursive Crossdressing|why]] there are so many plays in which a female character has to [[Sweet Polly Oliver|pass as male to get something done or to make a particular point.]] Some modern companies, for example the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company, perform with entirely female casts to balance the scales of karma. Edward Hall's Propeller company, however, still goes the all-male route.
* [[Shakespeare]] wrote all of his plays for all-male companies; thus all of his female roles are intended to follow this trope. Most modern productions ignore this entirely. This is presumably [[Recursive Crossdressing|why]] there are so many plays in which a female character has to [[Sweet Polly Oliver|pass as male to get something done or to make a particular point.]] Some modern companies, for example the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company, perform with entirely female casts to balance the scales of karma. Edward Hall's Propeller company, however, still goes the all-male route.
* Subverted by Shakespeare's contemporary Ben Jonson's play ''Epicoene''. The title character is played by a boy, but presented as a woman for the whole play- until the characters [[Unsettling Gender Reveal|learn otherwise]]. That is, Epicoene in the world of the play really is a boy, but only the protagonist knows this until the end. Awkwardness ensues.
* Subverted by Shakespeare's contemporary Ben Jonson's play ''Epicoene''. The title character is played by a boy, but presented as a woman for the whole play- until the characters [[Unsettling Gender Reveal|learn otherwise]]. That is, Epicoene in the world of the play really is a boy, but only the protagonist knows this until the end. Awkwardness ensues.
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* 90% of Rossini's heroic leads are trouser roles for contralto or mezzo-soprano: Tancredi in ''Tancredi'', Falliero in ''Bianca e Falliero'', Malcolm in ''La donna del lago'', Arsace in ''Semiramide''. Even his Othello was at one point sung by Maria Malibran.
* 90% of Rossini's heroic leads are trouser roles for contralto or mezzo-soprano: Tancredi in ''Tancredi'', Falliero in ''Bianca e Falliero'', Malcolm in ''La donna del lago'', Arsace in ''Semiramide''. Even his Othello was at one point sung by Maria Malibran.
* Some Russian composers were fond of this as well: Vanya and Ratmir in Glinka's ''A Life for the Tsar'' and ''Ruslan and Lyudmila''; the shepherd Lel in Rimsky-Korsakov's ''The Snow Maiden'', the minstrel Nezhata in ''Sadko'', the Page in ''The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh''.
* Some Russian composers were fond of this as well: Vanya and Ratmir in Glinka's ''A Life for the Tsar'' and ''Ruslan and Lyudmila''; the shepherd Lel in Rimsky-Korsakov's ''The Snow Maiden'', the minstrel Nezhata in ''Sadko'', the Page in ''The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh''.
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Saunders_Cushman Charlotte Cushman] became known for playing Romeo, with the role of Juliet in at least one production being played by her sister.
* [[wikipedia:Charlotte Saunders Cushman|Charlotte Cushman]] became known for playing Romeo, with the role of Juliet in at least one production being played by her sister.
* Traditionally, Mrs. Luce in ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'' is played by the actor who played Orin, who also plays many other minor roles.
* Traditionally, Mrs. Luce in ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'' is played by the actor who played Orin, who also plays many other minor roles.
* The Duchess in the Royal Ballet's 2011 ''[[Alice in Wonderland (Literature)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' is played by a man.
* The Duchess in the Royal Ballet's 2011 ''[[Alice in Wonderland (Literature)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' is played by a man.
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* In the [[Mickey Mouse]] [[Classic Disney Shorts|short]] "Mickey's Mellerdrammer" (which is about Mickey and the game performing in a play based on ''Uncle Tom's Cabin''), Mickey himself not only plays the title role of Uncle Tom, but he also plays Topsy.
* In the [[Mickey Mouse]] [[Classic Disney Shorts|short]] "Mickey's Mellerdrammer" (which is about Mickey and the game performing in a play based on ''Uncle Tom's Cabin''), Mickey himself not only plays the title role of Uncle Tom, but he also plays Topsy.
* ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' reverses the women-as-boys trend, with both wife Linda and pubescent daughter Tina being played by men.
* ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'' reverses the women-as-boys trend, with both wife Linda and pubescent daughter Tina being played by men.
* In the ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode where the protagonists put on a pageant for [[You Mean Xmas|Hearth's Warming Eve]], all the historical figures are portrayed by the (all-female) main cast. At least one role, Commander Hurricane, is heavily implied to have actually been a colt, not a mare.
* In the ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode where the protagonists put on a pageant for [[You Mean "Xmas"|Hearth's Warming Eve]], all the historical figures are portrayed by the (all-female) main cast. At least one role, Commander Hurricane, is heavily implied to have actually been a colt, not a mare.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Characters and Casting]]
[[Category:Characters and Casting]]
[[Category:Crosscast Role]]
[[Category:Crosscast Role]]
[[Category:Trope]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Crosscast_Role"