Why Don’t More Women Wear My Dress Size on Broadway?

A theatre lover weighs in on the lack of size diversity in the industry

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The first time I saw someone who looked like me on stage was a YouTube clip of a touring production of Phantom. The actress playing Christine had plump arms, a large bust and the corset didn’t make her waist so tiny that she could wear a necklace as a belt. At the time, I always wore Spanx and a minimizing bra in order to reduce my curves. Seeing someone so talented, successful and comfortable in her own shapely body inspired me to buy my first comfortable bra, ditch the Spanx and try form-fitting jeans.

There’s no reason most leading roles for women in musical theatre can’t be played by bigger actresses. There’s nothing dictating that Glinda or Jasmine or Cosette must be thin. (Fantine, on the other hand, probably should be since she’s poor and starving). Why can’t there be more Christines like the one I saw who made me realize that my curves do not preclude me from being talented, beautiful and desirable?

Women like me—aka the majority of women in the U.S.—need to see ourselves on stage. We live rich, nuanced lives that aren’t defined by size, and we want to see that reflected. Representation is important, powerful and even life changing. I know that firsthand: Seeing that Christine be her gorgeous, curvy self made me realize that if she didn’t need to be thin, I didn’t have to strive to be skinny, either.

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Meg Masseron is currently studying Digital Journalism and Theatre Arts with a concentration in Theatre History at Marymount Manhattan. Follow her on Twitter at @megmnyc. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

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Meg Masseron is currently the Nighttime/Weekend Reporter at Playbill. Follow her on Twitter at @megmnyc. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.