Character guide
Bert Barry
from 42nd Street
Bert Barry is the other half of the songwriting team in "42nd Street," trading quips with his partner Maggie Jones as they work to save their show.
- Show
- 42nd Street
- Premiered
- 1980
- Role
- Supporting
- Composer
- Harry Warren
Who is Bert Barry?
Bert is a working Broadway songwriter, paired professionally and comedically with Maggie Jones throughout "42nd Street." Together they represent the creative team scrambling to keep "Pretty Lady" afloat through cast changes, budget worries, and a very demanding director. Bert tends to be the steadier, more exasperated foil to Maggie's brashness.
His role helps the audience see the show business machinery from the inside, the writers and craftsmen whose fortunes rise and fall with the production just as much as the performers on stage.
Bert's role in 42nd Street
Like Maggie, Bert is a supporting character rather than a lead, appearing mainly in ensemble and dialogue scenes rather than carrying a solo spotlight number. The role suits a performer with solid comic instincts and good ensemble presence, someone who can land a joke without pulling focus from the show's central romance and backstage drama.
Bert and Maggie's scenes offer some welcome comic relief in a story that otherwise moves briskly between rehearsal-hall tension and glittering production numbers.
Frequently asked
What show is Bert Barry from?
Bert Barry is a character in "42nd Street," which opened on Broadway in 1980.
Is Bert Barry a lead or supporting role?
Bert Barry is a supporting role, usually appearing alongside his writing partner Maggie Jones.
Who composed 42nd Street?
The music was written by Harry Warren, drawing on his catalog of classic Hollywood-era songs.
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