THEATERLE

Character lists

Broadway leading men

The leading men of musical theatre, from Golden Age cowboys and con men to the anxious teenagers of today's hits. Each is a lead role in his show, grouped by the decade the musical first opened on Broadway.

Every character guide covers the songs, the story, and who originated the role on Broadway.

171 characters on this list.

1920s musicals

  • Gaylord RavenalShow Boat (1927) · LeadGaylord Ravenal is the charming riverboat gambler whose romance with Magnolia Hawks drives much of the story in Show Boat…

1930s musicals

  • Billy CrockerAnything Goes (1934) · LeadBilly Crocker is a lead character in Anything Goes, Cole Porter's 1934 shipboard musical comedy.
  • PorgyPorgy and Bess (1935) · LeadPorgy is the title character of Porgy and Bess, a disabled beggar in Catfish Row whose love for Bess anchors one of the most significant works in…

1940s musicals

  • Curly McLainOklahoma! (1943) · LeadCurly McLain is the confident cowboy at the center of Oklahoma!, Rodgers and Hammerstein's landmark 1943 musical about a farming community on the…
  • Jud FryOklahoma! (1943) · LeadJud Fry is the isolated, dangerous farmhand who threatens Laurey and Curly's romance in Oklahoma!, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's 1943…
  • GabeyOn the Town (1944) · LeadGabey is the lead sailor of On the Town, Leonard Bernstein's 1944 musical, spending his twenty four hour shore leave in New York City searching for a…
  • Billy BigelowCarousel (1945) · LeadBilly Bigelow is the volatile carnival barker at the center of Carousel, Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1945 musical.
  • Tommy AlbrightBrigadoon (1947) · LeadTommy Albright is the American tourist who falls in love with a woman from a mystical Scottish village in Brigadoon, Lerner and Loewe's 1947 musical.
  • Fred GrahamKiss Me, Kate (1948) · LeadFred Graham is the actor, director, and producer at the center of Kiss Me, Kate, Cole Porter's 1948 musical.
  • Emile de BecqueSouth Pacific (1949) · LeadEmile de Becque is the French plantation owner whose romance with a young American nurse anchors South Pacific…

1950s musicals

  • Sky MastersonGuys and Dolls (1950) · LeadSky Masterson is the smooth, high stakes gambler at the romantic center of Guys and Dolls, the 1950 musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser…
  • Captain HookPeter Pan (1954) · LeadCaptain Hook is the swaggering pirate villain of Peter Pan, the 1954 musical adaptation of J.M. Barrie's beloved tale.
  • Peter PanPeter Pan (1954) · LeadPeter Pan is the eternally youthful boy who never grows up, at the heart of the 1954 musical based on J.M. Barrie's classic story.
  • Sid SorokinThe Pajama Game (1954) · LeadSid Sorokin is the new factory superintendent and romantic lead of The Pajama Game, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross's 1954 musical set in a Midwestern…
  • Joe HardyDamn Yankees (1955) · LeadJoe Hardy is the young, magically gifted slugger at the center of Damn Yankees, the 1955 musical by Adler and Ross that turns a baseball fan's wish…
  • Mr. ApplegateDamn Yankees (1955) · LeadMr. Applegate is the devil in disguise who drives the plot of Damn Yankees, the 1955 Adler and Ross musical about a fan's bargain to save his…
  • Harold HillThe Music Man (1957) · LeadHarold Hill is the fast talking con man at the center of The Music Man, Meredith Willson's 1957 musical about a traveling salesman whose scheme to…
  • TonyWest Side Story (1957) · LeadTony is the romantic lead of West Side Story, a former Jets gang member who falls instantly and fatally in love with Maria…
  • Captain von TrappThe Sound of Music (1959) · LeadCaptain von Trapp is the widowed naval officer whose household is transformed by Maria in The Sound of Music…

1960s musicals

  • Albert PetersonBye Bye Birdie (1960) · LeadAlbert Peterson is the harried songwriter and talent manager at the center of Bye Bye Birdie, Charles Strouse's 1960 musical comedy.
  • Conrad BirdieBye Bye Birdie (1960) · LeadConrad Birdie is the swaggering, Elvis inspired rock and roll idol at the center of the publicity stunt in Bye Bye Birdie…
  • King ArthurCamelot (1960) · LeadKing Arthur is the idealistic founder of the Round Table in Camelot, Lerner and Loewe's 1960 musical.
  • Lancelot du LacCamelot (1960) · LeadLancelot du Lac is the French knight whose love for Guenevere threatens Camelot in Lerner and Loewe's 1960 musical.
  • J. Pierrepont FinchHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961) · LeadJ. Pierrepont Finch is the ambitious lead of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Frank Loesser's 1961 satirical musical about corporate…
  • FaginOliver! (1963) · LeadFagin is the cunning, colorful leader of a gang of pickpockets in Oliver!, one of the most iconic and complicated characters in musical theatre.
  • Oliver TwistOliver! (1963) · LeadOliver Twist is the title orphan of Oliver!, a boy whose search for a home and family drives one of musical theatre's most enduring adaptations of…
  • TevyeFiddler on the Roof (1964) · LeadTevye is the poor milkman at the center of "Fiddler on the Roof," a father and husband trying to hold onto tradition as the world around him begins…
  • Don QuixoteMan of La Mancha (1965) · LeadDon Quixote is the idealistic dreamer at the center of Man of La Mancha, the 1965 musical with music by Mitch Leigh.
  • Oscar LindquistSweet Charity (1966) · LeadOscar Lindquist is the male lead of Sweet Charity, Cy Coleman's 1966 musical, playing an anxious accountant who becomes Charity's most promising…
  • Patrick DennisMame (1966) · LeadPatrick Dennis is a lead character in Mame, Jerry Herman's 1966 musical, playing the orphaned nephew raised by his flamboyant Aunt Mame from…
  • BergerHair (1968) · LeadBerger is the charismatic leader of the tribe in Hair, the 1968 rock musical with music by Galt MacDermot.
  • ClaudeHair (1968) · LeadClaude is the conflicted central figure of Hair, the 1968 rock musical with music by Galt MacDermot.

1970s musicals

  • BobbyCompany (1970) · LeadBobby is the commitment-wary bachelor at the center of Company, Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical about marriage, friendship…
  • Benjamin StoneFollies (1971) · LeadBenjamin Stone is Phyllis's husband in Follies, Stephen Sondheim's 1971 musical, a successful but emotionally distant diplomat who once loved Sally.
  • Buddy PlummerFollies (1971) · LeadBuddy Plummer is Sally's husband in Follies, Stephen Sondheim's 1971 musical, a traveling salesman caught between his wife's old love and his own…
  • JesusJesus Christ Superstar (1971) · LeadJesus is the central figure of Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1971 rock opera that follows the final week of his life with an emphasis…
  • Judas IscariotJesus Christ Superstar (1971) · LeadJudas Iscariot is arguably the true protagonist of Jesus Christ Superstar, the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera that tells much of its story…
  • Danny ZukoGrease (1972) · LeadDanny Zuko is the cool, leather-jacketed leader of the Burger Palace Boys in Grease, a high schooler caught between his tough guy image and his real…
  • PippinPippin (1972) · LeadPippin is the restless young prince searching for meaning and purpose in Pippin, Stephen Schwartz's 1972 musical.
  • Fredrik EgermanA Little Night Music (1973) · LeadFredrik Egerman is a middle aged lawyer torn between his young, unconsummated marriage and his former lover Desiree in A Little Night Music…
  • JesusGodspell (1976) · LeadJesus is the central figure of Godspell, Stephen Schwartz's 1971 musical retelling of the Gospel of Matthew that transferred to Broadway in 1976.
  • Judas IscariotGodspell (1976) · LeadJudas Iscariot is a key figure in Godspell, Stephen Schwartz's 1971 musical retelling of the Gospel of Matthew that transferred to Broadway in 1976.
  • Daddy WarbucksAnnie (1977) · LeadDaddy Warbucks is the gruff, wealthy businessman in "Annie" whose life is quietly transformed after he takes in a spirited orphan for the holidays.
  • Sweeney ToddSweeney Todd (1979) · LeadSweeney Todd is the vengeful barber at the heart of Stephen Sondheim's 1979 musical thriller, one of the darkest and most acclaimed scores in…

1980s musicals

  • Julian Marsh42nd Street (1980) · LeadJulian Marsh is the driven Broadway director in 42nd Street who stakes everything on the success of his new show…
  • Charley KringasMerrily We Roll Along (1981) · LeadCharley Kringas is Franklin Shepard's lyricist and closest friend in Merrily We Roll Along, Stephen Sondheim's 1981 musical…
  • Franklin ShepardMerrily We Roll Along (1981) · LeadFranklin Shepard is the composer at the center of Merrily We Roll Along, Stephen Sondheim's 1981 musical, told backward through his rise from…
  • GeorgeSunday in the Park with George (1984) · LeadGeorge is the driven, obsessive painter at the center of Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim's meditation on art, isolation, and legacy.
  • Don LockwoodSingin' in the Rain (1985) · LeadDon Lockwood is the charming silent-film star at the center of Singin' in the Rain, the beloved musical brought to Broadway in 1985.
  • Huckleberry FinnBig River (1985) · LeadHuckleberry Finn is the young narrator and lead character of Big River, Roger Miller's 1985 musical based on Mark Twain's novel.
  • JimBig River (1985) · LeadJim is a man escaping slavery who becomes Huck's companion and moral guide in Big River, Roger Miller's 1985 musical.
  • Cowardly LionThe Wizard of Oz (1987) · LeadThe Cowardly Lion is the timid, big-hearted companion who joins Dorothy's journey in The Wizard of Oz, the 1987 stage musical featuring Harold…
  • JavertLes Misérables (1987) · LeadJavert is the relentless police inspector who pursues Jean Valjean across decades in Les Misérables, the sweeping 1987 musical scored by…
  • Jean ValjeanLes Misérables (1987) · LeadJean Valjean is the ex-convict turned redemptive hero at the center of Les Misérables, the sweeping musical based on Victor Hugo's novel that opened…
  • ScarecrowThe Wizard of Oz (1987) · LeadThe Scarecrow is one of Dorothy's loyal companions along the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz, the 1987 stage musical featuring Harold Arlen's…
  • The BakerInto the Woods (1987) · LeadThe Baker is the everyman hero of Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim's 1987 musical that weaves classic fairy tales together around a wish for a family.
  • Tin ManThe Wizard of Oz (1987) · LeadThe Tin Man is the compassionate, heart-seeking companion Dorothy meets along her journey in The Wizard of Oz…
  • Anatoly SergievskyChess (1988) · LeadAnatoly Sergievsky is the Soviet chess champion at the center of Chess, the 1988 musical by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice.
  • Freddie TrumperChess (1988) · LeadFreddie Trumper is the brash American chess champion of Chess, the 1988 musical by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Tim Rice.
  • The PhantomThe Phantom of the Opera (1988) · LeadThe Phantom is the tormented, masked figure haunting the Paris Opera House in The Phantom of the Opera, Andrew Lloyd Webber's gothic romance that…

1990s musicals

  • Archibald CravenThe Secret Garden (1991) · LeadArchibald Craven is Mary Lennox's grieving uncle in The Secret Garden, the 1991 musical scored by Lucy Simon.
  • ChrisMiss Saigon (1991) · LeadChris is the American soldier whose wartime romance with Kim drives the story of Miss Saigon, Claude Michel Schonberg's 1991 musical.
  • The EngineerMiss Saigon (1991) · LeadThe Engineer is the scheming, opportunistic bar owner and central figure of Miss Saigon, Claude Michel Schonberg's 1991 musical.
  • Will RogersThe Will Rogers Follies (1991) · LeadWill Rogers is the folksy cowboy humorist at the center of The Will Rogers Follies, a musical biography that frames his life as a Ziegfeld-style…
  • Bobby ChildCrazy for You (1992) · LeadBobby Child is the stage struck leading man of Crazy for You, a Gershwin fueled musical comedy about a would be dancer chasing his Broadway dreams in…
  • MarvinFalsettos (1992) · LeadMarvin is the man at the center of Falsettos, William Finn's sung-through musical about a nontraditional family navigating divorce, love…
  • Whizzer BrownFalsettos (1992) · LeadWhizzer Brown is Marvin's lover in Falsettos, William Finn's sung-through musical about a nontraditional family navigating divorce, love…
  • MolinaKiss of the Spider Woman (1993) · LeadMolina is a window dresser imprisoned in a South American jail and one of the two central characters of Kiss of the Spider Woman…
  • ValentinKiss of the Spider Woman (1993) · LeadValentin is a political prisoner and one of the two central characters of Kiss of the Spider Woman, the 1993 musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb.
  • Giorgio BachettiPassion (1994) · LeadGiorgio Bachetti is the handsome army officer at the center of Passion, Stephen Sondheim's 1994 musical, torn between conventional love and Fosca's…
  • Joe GillisSunset Boulevard (1994) · LeadJoe Gillis is the struggling screenwriter and narrator of Sunset Boulevard, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1994 musical.
  • The BeastBeauty and the Beast (1994) · LeadThe Beast is the cursed prince learning to love and be loved in Beauty and the Beast, Alan Menken's 1994 musical.
  • Mark CohenRent (1996) · LeadMark Cohen is the filmmaker and de facto narrator of Rent, Jonathan Larson's 1996 rock musical about a group of artists and friends living in New…
  • Roger DavisRent (1996) · LeadRoger Davis is a struggling musician and one of Rent's central leads, sharing an East Village apartment with filmmaker Mark Cohen in Jonathan…
  • Captain E.J. SmithTitanic (1997) · LeadCaptain E.J. Smith commands the doomed voyage at the center of Titanic the Musical, a seasoned officer facing the final crossing of his long career.
  • ChauvelinThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1997) · LeadChauvelin is the relentless French agent hunting a masked hero in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Frank Wildhorn's 1997 musical set against the backdrop of…
  • Dr. Henry Jekyll / Edward HydeJekyll & Hyde (1997) · LeadDr. Henry Jekyll and his monstrous alter ego Edward Hyde are the dual heart of Jekyll & Hyde, Frank Wildhorn's 1997 musical adaptation of Robert…
  • J. Bruce IsmayTitanic (1997) · LeadJ. Bruce Ismay is the ambitious ship line executive of Titanic the Musical, a man whose push for speed and prestige becomes entangled with the…
  • SimbaThe Lion King (1997) · LeadSimba is the young lion prince at the heart of The Lion King, the 1997 Broadway musical adapted from the Disney film with music by Elton John.
  • Sir Percy BlakeneyThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1997) · LeadSir Percy Blakeney is the foppish English aristocrat with a daring secret identity at the heart of The Scarlet Pimpernel…
  • Thomas AndrewsTitanic (1997) · LeadThomas Andrews is the shipbuilder whose expertise and conscience anchor Titanic the Musical, a man watching his life's work meet its fate.
  • Coalhouse Walker Jr.Ragtime (1998) · LeadCoalhouse Walker Jr. is the gifted ragtime pianist whose pursuit of justice becomes the moral center of Ragtime (1998)…
  • Leo FrankParade (1998) · LeadLeo Frank is the Jewish factory superintendent wrongly convicted of murder in Parade, Jason Robert Brown's 1998 musical based on a true story.
  • TatehRagtime (1998) · LeadTateh is the hopeful Jewish immigrant artist whose determination to build a better life for his daughter forms one of the three intertwined stories…

2000s musicals

  • BlackThe Wild Party (2000) · LeadBlack is the quiet stranger who arrives at Queenie's party in The Wild Party, offering a different kind of connection amid the chaos of the night.
  • BurrsThe Wild Party (2000) · LeadBurrs is Queenie's volatile vaudeville partner in The Wild Party, a man whose jealousy and temper set the stage for the show's simmering tension.
  • Dave BukatinskyThe Full Monty (2000) · LeadDave Bukatinsky is Jerry's loyal best friend in The Full Monty, David Yazbek's 2000 musical about laid-off steelworkers who band together for an…
  • Horton the ElephantSeussical (2000) · LeadHorton the Elephant is the gentle, steadfast hero of Seussical, the musical that weaves together beloved Dr. Seuss stories into one colorful world.
  • Jerry LukowskiThe Full Monty (2000) · LeadJerry Lukowski is the unemployed steelworker at the center of The Full Monty, David Yazbek's 2000 musical about a group of laid-off men who form a…
  • RadamesAida (2000) · LeadRadames is the Egyptian military captain at the center of Aida, the 2000 musical with music by Elton John.
  • The Cat in the HatSeussical (2000) · LeadThe Cat in the Hat serves as the mischievous narrator and guide through Seussical, stitching together the musical's patchwork of Dr. Seuss tales.
  • Bat Boy (Edgar)Bat Boy (2001) · LeadBat Boy, also known as Edgar, is the title character of Bat Boy: The Musical, a 2001 cult favorite inspired by tabloid legend.
  • Dr. Thomas ParkerBat Boy (2001) · LeadDr. Thomas Parker is a lead character in Bat Boy: The Musical, the 2001 cult show built around a small town's reaction to a strange discovery.
  • Leo BloomThe Producers (2001) · LeadLeo Bloom is the anxious, number crunching accountant who becomes Max Bialystock's unlikely partner in crime in The Producers.
  • Max BialystockThe Producers (2001) · LeadMax Bialystock is the desperate, larger than life Broadway producer at the center of Mel Brooks's The Producers…
  • Jimmy SmithThoroughly Modern Millie (2002) · LeadJimmy Smith is the charming love interest in Thoroughly Modern Millie, a seemingly carefree young man who complicates Millie Dillmount's plan to…
  • Link LarkinHairspray (2002) · LeadLink Larkin is the heartthrob teen idol of "Hairspray," the boy every girl in 1962 Baltimore wants to dance with…
  • PrincetonAvenue Q (2003) · LeadPrinceton is the recent college graduate whose search for purpose kicks off the story of Avenue Q, the puppet-and-human musical comedy about growing…
  • Seymour KrelbornLittle Shop of Horrors (2003) · LeadSeymour Krelborn is the meek florist's assistant at the heart of Little Shop of Horrors, a nerdy underdog whose discovery of a strange plant changes…
  • John Wilkes BoothAssassins (2004) · LeadJohn Wilkes Booth is the actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, and he appears as the ringleader of Assassins…
  • Lee Harvey OswaldAssassins (2004) · LeadLee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated President John F. Kennedy in 1963, appears in the climactic sequence of Assassins…
  • Frankie ValliJersey Boys (2005) · LeadFrankie Valli is the falsetto-voiced lead singer at the center of "Jersey Boys," the jukebox musical chronicling the rise of the Four Seasons.
  • King ArthurMonty Python's Spamalot (2005) · LeadKing Arthur is the earnest, slightly bumbling hero of Monty Python's Spamalot, the 2005 musical with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle.
  • MarkAltar Boyz (2005) · LeadMark is one of the five members of the titular group in Altar Boyz, a musical comedy staged as a single concert performance by a fictional Christian…
  • MatthewAltar Boyz (2005) · LeadMatthew is the de facto leader of the boy-band-styled quintet at the center of Altar Boyz, a musical comedy that spoofs Christian pop groups of the…
  • MisterThe Color Purple (2005) · LeadMister is Celie's abusive husband in The Color Purple, the 2005 Broadway musical with music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.
  • Tommy DeVitoJersey Boys (2005) · LeadTommy DeVito is the founder and early driving force of the Four Seasons in "Jersey Boys," the streetwise member whose choices shape the group's fate.
  • William BarféeThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005) · LeadWilliam Barfée is one of the star spellers in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a lovably prickly kid whose unusual spelling technique…
  • Man in ChairThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006) · LeadMan in Chair is the wry, lonely narrator of The Drowsy Chaperone, the 2006 musical-within-a-musical that unfolds entirely in his living room.
  • Melchior GaborSpring Awakening (2006) · LeadMelchior Gabor is the freethinking, rebellious classmate at the center of Spring Awakening, Duncan Sheik's 2006 rock musical set in nineteenth…
  • Moritz StiefelSpring Awakening (2006) · LeadMoritz Stiefel is Melchior's anxious best friend in Spring Awakening, Duncan Sheik's 2006 rock musical about repression and adolescence in nineteenth…
  • Robert MartinThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006) · LeadRobert Martin is the eager bridegroom of The Drowsy Chaperone, the 2006 musical comedy told through the memory of a devoted superfan.
  • TarzanTarzan (2006) · LeadTarzan is the title character of Tarzan, the 2006 Disney musical with music by Phil Collins, a man raised by gorillas who must choose between two…
  • Sonny MaloneXanadu (2007) · LeadSonny Malone is the down-on-his-luck artist whose life is upended by a mysterious muse in Xanadu, the 2007 Broadway musical.
  • Billy ElliotBilly Elliot (2008) · LeadBilly Elliot is the title character of Billy Elliot, the 2008 musical with music by Elton John about a boy from a mining town who discovers a passion…
  • DonkeyShrek (2008) · LeadDonkey is a lead character in Shrek The Musical, the 2008 Broadway adaptation known for its family-friendly humor and score by Jeanine Tesori.
  • EricThe Little Mermaid (2008) · LeadEric is the human prince and Ariel's love interest in The Little Mermaid, Alan Menken's 2008 Disney musical.
  • ShrekShrek (2008) · LeadShrek is the title character and lead of Shrek The Musical, the 2008 Broadway adaptation of the beloved animated film, with a score by Jeanine Tesori.
  • UsnaviIn the Heights (2008) · LeadUsnavi is the bodega owner and narrator of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2008 musical set in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York…
  • DanNext to Normal (2009) · LeadDan Goodman is a lead character in Next to Normal, the steadfast husband and father trying to hold his family together through his wife Diana's…
  • DoctorNext to Normal (2009) · LeadThe Doctor is a lead character in Next to Normal, portraying the psychiatric professionals who treat Diana Goodman throughout the musical.
  • Franklin Hart Jr.9 to 5 (2009) · LeadFranklin Hart Jr. is the overbearing, self-serving boss whose behavior sets the plot of 9 to 5: The Musical into motion.
  • GabeNext to Normal (2009) · LeadGabe is a lead character in Next to Normal, a haunting presence in the Goodman family whose true nature unfolds gradually over the course of the…
  • HenryNext to Normal (2009) · LeadHenry is a lead character in Next to Normal, Natalie's patient and good-humored classmate who becomes her boyfriend over the course of the musical.
  • Huey CalhounMemphis (2009) · LeadHuey Calhoun is the lead character of Memphis, the 2009 Broadway musical with music by David Bryan.

2010s musicals

  • Gomez AddamsThe Addams Family (2010) · LeadGomez Addams is the passionate, theatrical patriarch of The Addams Family, the musical built around the famously macabre cartoon clan.
  • Elder CunninghamThe Book of Mormon (2011) · LeadElder Cunningham is the bumbling, big-hearted missionary at the center of The Book of Mormon, the satirical musical comedy from 2011 with music by…
  • Elder PriceThe Book of Mormon (2011) · LeadElder Price is the overconfident young missionary at the center of The Book of Mormon, the 2011 satirical musical by Robert Lopez and his…
  • GuyOnce (2012) · LeadGuy is the heartbroken Irish street musician at the center of Once, the intimate stage musical built from the acclaimed 2007 film.
  • Jack KellyNewsies (2012) · LeadJack Kelly is the streetwise leader of the newsboys in Newsies, Alan Menken's 2012 musical inspired by the real 1899 newsboy strike.
  • LolaKinky Boots (2013) · LeadLola is the fierce, glamorous drag performer at the heart of Kinky Boots, the 2013 musical with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper.
  • Monty NavarroA Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2013) · LeadMonty Navarro is a disinherited young man who murders his way to an earldom in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Steven Lutvak's 2013 musical.
  • TopherCinderella (2013) · LeadTopher is the young prince who falls for Ella in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, the 2013 Broadway adaptation of the classic fairy tale.
  • AladdinAladdin (2014) · LeadAladdin is the quick-witted street urchin at the heart of Disney's Aladdin, the 2014 Broadway musical with music by Alan Menken.
  • Gerry GoffinBeautiful: The Carole King Musical (2014) · LeadGerry Goffin is Carole King's songwriting partner and husband in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the 2014 jukebox musical built from her songbook.
  • Jason "J.D." DeanHeathers (2014) · LeadJason "J.D." Dean is the magnetic, dangerous new kid in Heathers: The Musical whose romance with Veronica Sawyer pulls the story toward its darkest…
  • Aaron BurrHamilton (2015) · LeadAaron Burr is the narrator and central rival of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2015 musical about the founding of the United States.
  • Alexander HamiltonHamilton (2015) · LeadAlexander Hamilton is the ambitious, restless founding father at the center of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2015 musical that reframes early…
  • Bruce BechdelFun Home (2015) · LeadBruce Bechdel is Alison's closeted father in Fun Home, Jeanine Tesori's 2015 musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir.
  • Dewey FinnSchool of Rock (2015) · LeadDewey Finn is the failed rock musician who poses as a substitute teacher in School of Rock: The Musical, the 2015 show with music by Andrew Lloyd…
  • Nick BottomSomething Rotten! (2015) · LeadNick Bottom is a struggling Elizabethan playwright in Something Rotten!, the 2015 musical by the Kirkpatrick brothers…
  • Nigel BottomSomething Rotten! (2015) · LeadNigel Bottom is Nick Bottom's gentler, more poetic younger brother in Something Rotten!, the 2015 musical by the Kirkpatrick brothers.
  • William ShakespeareSomething Rotten! (2015) · LeadWilliam Shakespeare appears as a strutting rock-star celebrity in Something Rotten!, the 2015 musical by the Kirkpatrick brothers.
  • Anatole KuraginNatasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (2016) · LeadAnatole Kuragin is a charming, reckless seducer in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy's 2016 musical.
  • Dr. PomatterWaitress (2016) · LeadDr. Pomatter is Jenna's nervous, married gynecologist in Waitress, Sara Bareilles's 2016 musical, and the man she falls for despite herself.
  • Evan HansenDear Evan Hansen (2016) · LeadEvan Hansen is the anxious, isolated teenager at the center of Dear Evan Hansen, the 2016 musical about grief, connection…
  • Pierre BezukhovNatasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (2016) · LeadPierre Bezukhov is an unhappily married nobleman searching for meaning in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy's 2016 musical.
  • DmitryAnastasia (2017) · LeadDmitry is the streetwise con man who trains Anya to pose as royalty in Anastasia, the 2017 musical by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
  • Willy WonkaCharlie and the Chocolate Factory (2017) · LeadWilly Wonka is the reclusive, eccentric candy maker who opens his mysterious factory to five lucky children in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…
  • Barry GlickmanThe Prom (2018) · LeadBarry Glickman is a flamboyant, once-famous Broadway actor in The Prom, Matthew Sklar's 2018 musical, who finds a personal cause in Emma Nolan's…
  • BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice (2019) · LeadBeetlejuice is the loud, ghoulish trickster at the heart of the 2019 musical of the same name, a role built for chaos and comic timing.
  • ChristianMoulin Rouge! (2019) · LeadChristian is the idealistic American songwriter who falls for Satine in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the 2019 jukebox musical based on the 2001 film.
  • David RuffinAin't Too Proud (2019) · LeadDavid Ruffin is a lead character in Ain't Too Proud, the 2019 musical about the Temptations, whose distinctive voice fueled the group's rise and…
  • Jeremy HeereBe More Chill (2019) · LeadJeremy Heere is the anxious teenager at the center of Be More Chill, Joe Iconis's rock musical about a supercomputer pill that promises to make him…
  • Michael DorseyTootsie (2019) · LeadMichael Dorsey is the difficult actor who disguises himself as a woman in Tootsie, the 2019 musical with music and lyrics by David Yazbek.
  • Michael MellBe More Chill (2019) · LeadMichael Mell is Jeremy Heere's loyal best friend in Be More Chill, Joe Iconis's rock musical about a supercomputer pill that promises to make Jeremy…
  • OrpheusHadestown (2019) · LeadOrpheus is the hopeful young musician at the heart of Hadestown, a folk-and-jazz retelling of the ancient myth of love tested against the underworld.
  • Otis WilliamsAin't Too Proud (2019) · LeadOtis Williams is the founding member and narrator of Ain't Too Proud, Dominique Morisseau's 2019 musical about the Temptations.
  • The SquipBe More Chill (2019) · LeadThe Squip is the supercomputer pill turned commanding presence that reshapes Jeremy Heere's life in Be More Chill…

2020s musicals

  • JerrySome Like It Hot (2022) · LeadJerry is a lead character in Some Like It Hot, the 2022 musical comedy based on the classic film, a musician who discovers a new sense of identity…
  • JoeSome Like It Hot (2022) · LeadJoe is a lead character in Some Like It Hot, the 2022 musical comedy based on the classic film, a musician who disguises himself as a woman named…
  • Michael JacksonMJ (2022) · LeadMichael Jackson is the lead character of MJ the Musical, Lynn Nottage's 2022 musical built around his own catalog and set during rehearsals for the…
  • SethKimberly Akimbo (2022) · LeadSeth is a lead character in Kimberly Akimbo, the 2022 musical by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, portrayed as Kimberly's anagram loving…
  • BeauShucked (2023) · LeadBeau is Maizy's steadfast fiance in Shucked, the 2023 musical by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.
  • GordyShucked (2023) · LeadGordy is the smooth talking outsider who arrives in Cob County in Shucked, the 2023 musical by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.
  • Dallas WinstonThe Outsiders (2024) · LeadDallas Winston, known as Dally, is the hardened, streetwise Greaser of The Outsiders, the 2024 musical based on S. E. Hinton's novel.
  • Ernest MenvilleDeath Becomes Her (2024) · LeadErnest Menville is the man caught between two rival women in Death Becomes Her, the 2024 musical based on the 1992 film.
  • Johnny CadeThe Outsiders (2024) · LeadJohnny Cade is Ponyboy's closest friend in The Outsiders, the 2024 musical based on S. E. Hinton's novel.
  • OliverMaybe Happy Ending (2024) · LeadOliver is a discontinued helper robot and one of the two leads of Maybe Happy Ending, the 2024 musical by Will Aronson and Hue Park.
  • Ponyboy CurtisThe Outsiders (2024) · LeadPonyboy Curtis is the narrator and central Greaser of The Outsiders, the 2024 musical based on S. E. Hinton's novel.
  • Jamie WellersteinThe Last Five Years (2025) · LeadJamie Wellerstein is a rising novelist whose five-year relationship is told in chronological order in The Last Five Years…

More character lists

All musical theatre characters A to Z