Bobby Child

Who is Bobby Child?

Bobby Child is a young man torn between the banking career his family expects of him and his real passion for song and dance. When he is sent out west on business, his showbiz instincts take over and he finds himself dreaming up a way to put on a show in a struggling small town theater, setting the entire plot of Crazy for You in motion.

The character is a classic musical comedy hero: charming, a little impulsive, and endlessly optimistic about the power of putting on a show. His journey from reluctant businessman to full fledged song and dance man gives the musical its comic energy and its heart.

Bobby Child's role in Crazy for You

As the lead, Bobby carries much of the show's singing and dancing, including some of its most demanding tap heavy production numbers set to George Gershwin's music. The role requires a performer who is equally comfortable with comic timing, vocal charm, and serious dance technique, since Bobby is often at the center of the show's biggest ensemble numbers.

Audiences respond to Bobby Child because he represents an appealing, old fashioned kind of Broadway hero, someone who chooses passion over practicality and manages to bring a whole town together through the sheer joy of performing. For performers, the role is a coveted showcase of triple threat skill.

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