Character guide
Nickie
from Sweet Charity
Nickie is a supporting character in Sweet Charity, Cy Coleman's 1966 musical, working alongside Charity as a fellow dance hall hostess at the Fandango Ballroom.
- Show
- Sweet Charity
- Broadway premiere
- 1966
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Cy Coleman
Nickie on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1969 film
Helen Gallagher originated Nickie on Broadway in 1966 and earned a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In Bob Fosse's 1969 film, Nickie was played by Chita Rivera, opposite Shirley MacLaine's Charity and Paula Kelly as Helene. Rivera went on to originate Velma Kelly in Chicago on Broadway in 1975.
Nickie and Helene are Charity's fellow dance hall hostesses at the Fandango Ballroom, and the stage score gives the pair There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This and Baby, Dream Your Dream.
Who is Nickie?
Nickie works at the Fandango Ballroom alongside Charity and their friend Helene, sharing the same weary, wisecracking view of the men who come through the dance hall. She is tougher and more cynical than Charity, often serving as a voice of hard won realism against Charity's persistent optimism.
Despite her guarded exterior, Nickie is fiercely loyal to Charity, and their friendship provides some of the show's warmest moments amid its otherwise bruising view of romance.
Nickie's role in Sweet Charity
Nickie is a supporting role best known for her part in the ensemble number Big Spender, along with There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, a trio she shares with Charity and Helene that captures the hostesses' shared dream of escaping the dance hall. The role calls for a strong singer and dancer able to blend into tight ensemble harmonies.
Helen Gallagher originated the role on Broadway in 1966, earning a Tony nomination for the performance. Audiences remember Nickie as part of the show's memorable trio of dance hall friends, whose camaraderie balances out Charity's more solitary heartbreaks.
Nickie: frequently asked questions
What show is Nickie from?
Nickie is a supporting character in Sweet Charity, which opened on Broadway in 1966.
Is Nickie a lead or supporting role?
Nickie is a supporting role, one of Charity's fellow dance hall hostesses.
Who wrote the music for Sweet Charity?
Cy Coleman composed the music for Sweet Charity, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
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