Song Character Analysis Worksheet - The University of North ...

in a subservient role as a domestic. The ingénue and the soubrette both represent young,
single girls, usually played by women in their late teens or early twenties. Though the
physical characteristics of these two types are similar, their backgrounds, motivations,
and goals are markedly different. The ingénue type (usually a soprano) is traditionally
part of an affluent family, with no financial worries or the need for a job; Klein describes
her as a “sweet, passive member of the nobility.” 35 The ingénue’s sole plot purpose is
romance. She is an innocent, with her chastity intact until the final curtain (when she
finally gets her man).
The soubrette type (either a soprano or mezzo-soprano) is interested in wealth and
social position rather than romance. Frequently a dancer, she is physically active and
considered clever as she relies on her wits rather than a potential husband for financial
support. As the subordinate best friend or rival to the ingénue she is typically the
comedic foil. In the 1920s, the young heroine was increasingly cast as the soubrette type:
a flirtatious, sarcastic, and world-wise New Woman who may or may not be a sexual
innocent. 36
The older woman type may be an “old maid,” married, divorced, or widowed, and
is often portrayed by a character actor. The lovely lady subtype is a mature version of the
ingénue and plays the heroine lead if an ingénue is not required. Like the ingénue, she is
usually wealthy and motivated by romance. The femme fatale subtype is stereotyped
35 Klein, xi. The ingénue is also described as the “Cinderella heroine” in feminist literature.
36 The outspoken and independent New Woman persona of musical comedies in the 1920s, both
onstage and in real life, was represented by Marilyn Miller and then Ethel Merman. Note that musical
theatre types are not based upon the vocal categories of the German fach system, even though there are
shared labels.
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