Character guide
Terk
from Tarzan
Terk is Tarzan's mischievous gorilla best friend in Tarzan, the 2006 Disney musical with music by Phil Collins.
- Show
- Tarzan
- Broadway premiere
- 2006
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Phil Collins
Who played Terk?
- On screen
- Rosie O'Donnell (voice), Disney's 1999 film
- Originated on Broadway
- Chester Gregory II (2006)
Terk: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 1999 Disney film
Terk changes gender on stage. In Disney's 1999 film, Terk is female, voiced by Rosie O'Donnell; the character was originally written as male and reimagined after O'Donnell's audition. The Broadway musical made Terk male, played by Chester Gregory II in 2006.
On stage Terk also gains songs: Who Better Than Me? with young Tarzan and its reprise with the grown Tarzan, a lead part in Son of Man, and Trashin' the Camp, the film's jungle jam session, as an Act Two number. Tantor the elephant, voiced in the film by Wayne Knight, does not appear on stage.
Terk: role facts
- Originated on Broadway by
- Chester Gregory II (2006)
- Voice type and range
- Tenor, D#3 to B4
- Songs Terk sings
- Who Better Than Me? (with Young Tarzan)
- Son of Man (with Kala, Tarzan, and ensemble)
- Son of Man (Reprise) (with ensemble)
- Trashin' the Camp (with ensemble)
- Who Better Than Me? (Reprise) (with Tarzan)
Who is Terk?
Terk is the gorilla who grows up alongside Tarzan, serving as his closest friend and frequent partner in mischief within the troop. Loyal and quick with a joke, Terk provides much of the show's comic relief while also standing firmly by Tarzan's side as he wrestles with questions of identity and belonging.
Terk's friendship gives Tarzan a sense of companionship and normalcy within the gorilla family, and that bond is tested, but ultimately reaffirmed, as Tarzan is drawn toward the human world and the choices that come with it.
Terk's role in Tarzan
Terk is a supporting role built for comic energy and physical playfulness, requiring a performer with strong rhythm and stage presence to keep pace with the character's jokes and antics. Despite the humor, Terk's loyalty to Tarzan gives the role real emotional weight at key moments.
Audiences respond to Terk as the friend who keeps the show grounded and funny, providing levity amid Tarzan's more serious questions about identity while still delivering a sincere, steadfast friendship at the story's core.
Terk: frequently asked questions
Who voiced Terk in Tarzan?
Rosie O'Donnell voiced Terk in Disney's 1999 animated film, where Terk is female. The Broadway musical made Terk male, and Chester Gregory II originated the role in 2006.
Who is Tarzan's best friend in the Tarzan musical?
Terk is Tarzan's best friend, a gorilla in his adoptive troop who provides much of the show's comic relief while staying fiercely loyal to him. Chester Gregory II originated the role in the original 2006 Broadway production.
Is Terk male or female in Tarzan?
Terk is male in the 2006 Broadway musical, where Chester Gregory II originated the role. The stage version changed the character's gender: in the 1999 Disney animated film, Terk is female and voiced by Rosie O'Donnell.
What songs does Terk sing in Tarzan?
Terk sings Who Better Than Me? with young Tarzan in Act 1 and reprises it with the adult Tarzan in Act 2. Terk also leads Trashin' the Camp, as the gorillas ransack the Porter expedition's campsite, and sings Son of Man with Kala, Tarzan, and the ensemble.
Is Terk a monkey or a gorilla?
Terk is a gorilla, not a monkey. Terk belongs to the gorilla troop led by Kerchak, in which Kala raises the orphaned Tarzan as her own son.
What show is Terk from?
Terk is a supporting character in Tarzan, which opened on Broadway in 2006.
Is Terk a lead or supporting role?
Terk is a supporting role as Tarzan's best friend within the gorilla troop.
Who wrote the music for Tarzan?
Phil Collins composed the music and lyrics for Tarzan.
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