The Fullmetal Fan Club!

FMA Musical Mock Casting Call!

I've been reading lots of plays lately, so I was inspired to do a list of the most important roles in an FMAB musical and exactly what it takes to play them!
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Seeking talented actors, singers and movers to play lead and supporting roles in musical adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist! Which of these descriptions sounds the most like you?

Edward Elric: Actor ages 15-22. Edward's role is extremely demanding and requires the actor to be adept at handling an uncommonly wide range of emotions, and thus should be cast with the most exceptional and versatile of young leading men. Ed is often angry and impulsive, but he is also deeply caring and protective, especially towards Alphonse. His actor should be able to pull off this balance between boyish bravado and underlying sensitivity, as well as Edward's prodigious intelligence. In addition to conveying intense and painful emotional scenes, Ed's actor should also have a gift for physical comedy and be a strong and expressive mover. A soaring tenor belt is a must for this role (think Jack Kelly in Newsies or Gabe Goodman in Next to Normal), and he should also be smaller than the overwhelming majority of the male cast (between 5'0" and 5'8").

Alphonse Elric: Actor or actress ages 10-18. Due to Alphonse spending the majority of the story as a soul trapped inside a suit of armor, it's important that his actor be excellent at conveying a great deal of emotion with their voice alone. The character should come across as endearingly sweet and innocent, but also wise beyond his years and more acquainted with suffering than the average 14 year old boy. Alphonse should preferably be played by either an adolescent male with a mostly unchanged voice or a slightly older female with an alto or mezzo-soprano range. Edward and Alphonse's bond is the heart of the story, so it's extremely important to cast two actors who play off each other very well, and are able to pull off both their acerbic sibling banter and moments of genuine pathos.

*Roy Mustang: Actor ages 28-38. Though not the main character, Roy Mustang is nonetheless a highly nuanced role more than worthy of your theater's resident classically trained, magnetic leading man.  The actor playing Roy should exude charisma, intelligence, and authority while also being able to capture the vulnerability and brokenness beneath his ruthless exterior. Like Edward, this role also demands a wide range of emotions; everything from terrifying rage to surprising moments of tenderness. Roy's singing voice should have the depth and richness of a baritone but the for-the-rafters range of a tenor (think a voice that you would hear playing one of the male leads in Les Miserables or Jesus Christ Superstar).

*Riza Hawkeye: Actress ages 24-36. A deceptively challenging and layered supporting heroine, the role of Riza Hawkeye requires an exceptional actress with a gift for subtlety and quiet strength. She should be able to bring out the Riza's underlying shades of gentleness and compassion beneath her blunt and serious demeanor, and an aptitude for saying more with her eyes than with words is imperative. The more understated she is in the majority of her scenes, the more heartwrenching it will be in the moments when her hidden emotions explode to the surface. All of these qualities should be reflected in her singing voice, which should be a soulful mezzo-soprano with a wide and dynamic range.
* Riza and Roy's relationship is arguably the second most important in the story following Edward and Alphonse, so their chemistry should be nothing short of electric. Their deep-seated feelings for each other should be at once understated and clear as day, and an undercurrent of shared trauma and unyielding loyalty should be present in all of their interactions. Though the implied romantic tension between them is never quite resolved, don't be afraid of unabashed intimacy in their most central emotional scenes.

Winry Rockbell: Actress ages 15-22. More than just your average girl next door, Winry Rockbell is a perfect role for a bright young actress with a natural spunk and charm and an idealistic soprano belt. Enthusiasm is essential to Winry's character, both for her passion for creating automail and the for people she loves. She is not without her scars, however, and an underlying grief for the loss of her parents and hopelessness at not being able to help Edward and Alphonse as much as she wishes she could should be felt in many of her scenes. Winry should have particularly good chemistry with the actor playing Edward, both in the realm of comically exaggerated arguments and sincere caring.