Top 10 Iconic Mothers in Broadway Musicals— The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Broadway has been the home for many great stories over the years, and many of them put memorable moms center stage! To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, I am ranking the top 10 most iconic Broadway musical mothers, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
10. Francesca from Bridges of Madison County
Based on the popular film of the same name, this Jason Robert Brown musical follows Francesca, a young Italian housewife stuck in the monotony of her farmer’s life in America. When she is faced with the decision to run away with her passionate lover or remain with her husband and kids, she abandons passion and adventure for the quiet and simple, yet full, life she has with her family. Undoubtedly an iconic character over her various properties and iterations, Francesca is a mother who makes mistakes but ultimately displays loyalty to her husband and her children.
9. Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins
From her portrayal in the classic Julie Andrews film as a “sister suffragette” to her more nuanced characterization on Broadway as an ex-actress trying to enliven her stale marriage, Mrs. Banks remained a powerhouse mother in every incarnation of Mary Poppins. I personally love the Broadway musical version, especially Mrs. Banks’s new song, “Being Mrs. Banks”, in which she resolves to fight for her husband, their marriage, and her children. Though the fight for feminism worked perfectly in the classic movie, Mrs. Banks’s character shines through in her deep-rooted devotion to her family, making her a more personal, grounded mother.
8. Asaka from Once on This Island
Yes, this is a slightly non-traditional pick, but this incredibly fun character, according to the Music Theatre International cast breakdown, is the Mother of Earth. Once on This Island is a Caribbean retelling of The Little Mermaid (not the lighter Disney version, but the haunting Hans Christian Anderson story). The musical centers around peasant girl Timone who longs to rise above her station and enter the wealthier, lighter-skinned half of the island. This desire is increased when she saves the wealthy Daniel from a storm, but after he returns to his own land, she goes on a quest to find him and profess her love. Her aid and confidant is Asaka, the Mother of Earth. Asaka’s iconic moment that cements her in the musical theater conscience is “Mama Will Provide”. If you haven’t heard Alex Newell (of the 2017 Broadway revival cast) sing this song, look it up right now! You will be astonished by the fun ferocity of the song, as well as the crazy high-notes.
7. The Baker’s Wife from Into the Woods
In a musical chock-full of beautifully written female roles, The Baker’s Wife (despite being unnamed) is a highlight of the show. After learning that the neighborhood Witch had cast a spell on the Baker’s family preventing them from having children, the Baker and his wife venture into the woods to find the strange ingredients for a potion that the Witch requires, in exchange for a child of their own. At the end of Act I, they succeed, but contentment proves hard to find. The Baker’s Wife’s wish evolves and leads her to a steamy encounter with Cinderella’s Prince, before an “earthquake” causes her to fall to her death. Though her story ends tragically, the Baker’s Wife moves the audience with tender maternal moments, both in her dedication to her child and her encounters with Little Red Riding Hood. Though undoubtedly rough around the edges, the audience always knows this character, ultimately, is good. She sings several iconic songs, including “It Takes Two”, “Any Moment”, and “Moments in the Woods”. And if her touching reappearance in “Children Will Listen” doesn’t give you chills, you may want to check your pulse.
6. Anna Leonowens from The King and I
From her opening moments as she encourages her young son to “Whistle a Happy Tune” to fool himself out of being afraid, Anna Leonowens establishes herself as the most lovable English teacher in musical theater history. As she teaches the Siamese children (“Getting to Know You”) and defends two “Young Lovers” before the King of Siam, her maternal goodness shines through. And in one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most famous waltzes, she even reaches into the King’s heart in “Shall We Dance?”. This role is undoubtedly iconic: the character, the songs– even the dresses!– are ingrained in the cultural conscience.
5. Kim from Miss Saigon
In this adaptation of Puccini’s 1904 opera Madame Butterfly by the same composers behind Les Miserables, Kim is a young Vietnamese girl, forced into prostitution for the ambiguously named “Engineer”, who falls in love with a young American G.I. named Chris near the end of the Vietnam War. After Chris fails to keep his promise and take her back to America with him, Kim makes a journey with their young child to America, where she makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to ensure a better life for her boy. Originally played by the brilliant Lea Salonga, and more recently revived by Hadestown star Eva Noblezada, this powerhouse role is an incredible star vehicle. Most every song Kim sings is popular and memorable, including “The Movie in My Mind”, “Sun and Moon”, “Last Night of the World”, “I Still Believe”, and “I’d Give My Life for You”.
4. Golde from Fiddler on the Roof
Alternatively stern, humorous, and endearing, I could not have completed this list without including this mother of five. Her dry wit and gruff disposition are a prickly shell for her soft, deeply loving interior. She is the perfect partner to her husband, Tevye, and together they create a strong, symbiotic relationship worth aspiring to. The tenderness of the melodious “Sunrise, Sunset” and the confession of her love for Tevye in “Do You Love Me?” provide this character with strong, memorable songs that audiences leave the theater treasuring. And her heartbreaking despair over Chava is anguished and chilling to see, as it displays the raw despair and affection for her daughter we know has been within her all along. She keeps the family close and connected, even as she lets her “little birds” go.
3. Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music
Stepmothers get a pretty horrible rap in most stories; however, Maria von Trapp is one of the few glittering examples of how unifying and essential a new mother can be. Originated by Mary Martin on Broadway, but probably most associated with Julie Andrews for her immortal performance in the 1965 film, we meet Maria as a floundering nun turned governess of seven children turned mother of those same seven children. Though Maria’s goodness and playful spirit can seem simplistic, this character is actually quite complicated. As she begins to fall in love with the Captain von Trapp, who is engaged to the baroness, Elsa, she struggles with how her faith and love can intersect, or if they can intersect at all. Then she stands by her husband as he makes the monumental decision to escape from Austria in a single night, and she refuses to “ask him to be less than he is”, as he resists the expanding Nazi regime. Of course, most every song she sings in this show has enjoyed a substantial life in mainstream media, including Rodgers and Hammerstein classics such as “My Favorite Things”, “Do Re Mi”, “Something Good”, and, of course, “The Sound of Music”. This show, and particularly this role, has captured the hearts of audiences across the globe for more than half a century.
2. Mama Rose from Gypsy
Undoubtedly one of the most difficult roles in the musical theatre canon, Mama Rose is far from an ideal mother. Her ambition for her children to star on the vaudeville circuit blind her to the world around her, her husband Herbie, and even the desires of her children. In her reckless determination, she alienates herself and those around her. Her children never feel secure because their world constantly changes (at one point in the show, her two daughters sing, “But Momma gets married… and married… and married… and never gets carried away!). Finally, when they hit a speedbump on the road to success, Rose encourages her daughter, Louise, to strip-tease for money. At the very end of the show, with both of her daughters gone and successful, Rose has a truly terrifying mental breakdown (“Rose’s Turn”). However, amid her many flaws, Rose somehow maintains the audience’s sympathy and never becomes the villain. Her songs are theatrical gold, with such famous show tunes as “Some People”, “You’ll Never Get Away From Me”, and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”. Mama Rose is truly one for the ages.
1. Fantine from Les Miserables
Finally, Fantine is among the tragic mothers of this list. After her lover leaves her alone with a young child, Fantine places little Cosette into the care of two innkeepers, the Thenardiers, and works in a factory in order to pay for herself and her child. When she is falsely accused of “sleeping around” after continually refusing the advances of the jealous Foreman, she is fired and flung onto the streets to fend for herself. Then, out of desperation for her child, she enters into prostitution, before falling ill and pleading on her deathbed with the protagonist, Jean Valjean, to take and raise her young Cosette. Fantine’s story, though tragic, beautifully displays the dedication of a mother for her child, and it is clear that her desire to give her daughter a better life is the only thing that keeps her fighting. In a mere twenty minutes of stage time, Fantine manages to capture the audience’s heart and remain one of the most memorable characters in the show. She also sings the most famous song in the show, “I Dreamed a Dream”, which has permeated the mainstream media in a way few musical theater songs have managed to do.
Originally published May 9, 2021