History EnsembleDarkHorse / Theater

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* Perhaps one of the biggest examples in theater is Creator/WilliamShakespeare's Falstaff, an immoderate companion to Prince Hal in the ''Theatre/HenryIV'' plays. The plays were intended to celebrate Henry IV, while Falstaff is written as a poor influence who must be shunned once the prince matures. Despite Falstaff's negative characterization, he proved a fan favorite. The audience's sympathy for the character is evident in ''Theatre/HenryV'', where his death is described in heroic terms. Finally Shakespeare decided to fully cash in on Falstaff's popularity by ripping him out of his previous continuity and plopping him in modern day Elizabethan times to star in his very own comedy, ''Theatre/TheMerryWivesOfWindsor''. An apocryphal story holds that Queen Elizabeth asked Shakespeare to write a play about Falstaff in love because he was her favorite character.
** Let's just say that Shakespeare's true intention behind Hal's rejection of Falstaff, and which of the two is meant to be the hero, has been the subject of ''fierce'' debate ever since. (The hero is definitely not Henry IV, though; despite being the title role his part is very small.)
** There have been reworkings of ''Theatre/HenryIV'' which embody both parts one and two, that are named "Falstaff" the entire play is built then with Falstaff for the most part playing the jolly PinballProtagonist
* Shakespeare produced a few more darkhorses in his various plays:
** Mercutio is the darkhorse of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''. As the witty comic relief, he gets the lion's share of good lines before his death marks the play's turn into tragedy.
*** Many people adore Benvolio, if only because he has a cool name. In many screen adaptations, he has a far larger role than in the original--he even got to be part of the BetaCouple in ''Anime/RomeoXJuliet''!
** ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' features Hamlet's lover Ophelia, who has [[TheOphelia become an archetype]] of mad girls.
** The witches in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' certainly qualify, to the extent that some scholars believe several of their scenes (particularly those involving Hecate) were added by somebody else ''after'' the play was originally published and they had been established as popular characters.
*** Likewise, [[NoNameGiven the Sergeant]] in ''Macbeth'' only appears in the second scene, but his speech to Duncan--where he describes Macbeth and Banquo's victory over Macdonwald's fleet--is considered one of the play's most memorable monologues.
** While not being the central protagonist ''or'' [[IAmNotShazam the eponymous character]] of the play, [[GreedyJew Shylock]] remains as the most widely-recognized character in ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice''.
** Theatre/TwelfthNight has Antonio and Feste. So much so that at the end of some productions, Feste gives Antonio the YouAreNotAlone treatment, resulting in a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}.
** Iago's wife Emilia from ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' has been extremely popular throughout much of the play's history for the way she excoriates unfaithful husbands in a touching monologue in the fourth act, chews out Othello for his crime, and delivers the fatal blow to her own husband's EvilPlan, gets stabbed, and then ''[[{{Determinator}} keeps going]]''. She's even ''triumphant'' about being stabbed, as the act shows Iago up for the criminal he is. In fact, it was not uncommon at certain points for her to be billed above her mistress, the play's [[DesignatedHero ostensible heroine]].
* Creator/ArthurMiller's play ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'' is considered one of the greatest American plays--not at all for the reasons Miller intended, but he knew why. Looking back, he wished he'd focused more on the character Biff, the protagonist Willy Loman's son.
* An example that catapulted the ''actor's'' fame: Miss Marmelstien, a woman who is getting old and who laments her lack of a beau from the little-known musical ''I Can Get It For You Wholesale.'' The character sounds like, and was intended to be, a supporting character--until they cast Music/BarbraStreisand in that role, her first Broadway role, and she stole every scene she was in. Supposedly her last line of the show won her a standing ovation.
* In the hands of a skilled actress, the Shark girl who sides with the men in the number "America" can be this and a OneSceneWonder, though it's hardly applicable for every performance.
* Creator/CirqueDuSoleil examples:
** ''Theatre/{{Mystere}}'' has the Red Bird (aka Firebird), who participates in the Korean plank/trampoline/fast track act but is primarily a dancing character who weaves in and out of the action. By 2006, this character was popular and recognizable enough that the show got a new logo that featured it, as you can see at the show's trope page.
** ''Theatre/LaNouba'' has a bird character of its own, the kooky dancer known as the Green Bird; she was upgraded to logo status around the same time the Red Bird was.
* Charlotte in ''Thirteen'' is a minor character, who, with the help of a [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic badass solo at the end of the musical]] can really steal the show.
** Music/ArianaGrande played her in the Original Broadway Cast.
** Also, Archie deserves special mention, even though he's a bit more of a main character. Although this ''really'' depends on the actor.
* A disproportionate amount of ''Theatre/StarlightExpress'' fan art and fan fiction centers on Electra's components, who are tertiary when compared to most of the cast.
* The most popular character in Clifford Goldsmith's play ''What a Life'' was a very minor one, a dorky teenager named Henry Aldrich. The character of Henry got such rave reviews that NBC Radio decided to adapt ''What a Life'' into a radio series with Henry as the protagonist.
* Enjolras and Eponine are two of the most popular characters in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'' even though [[spoiler: they aren't introduced until midway through act one and are both dead midway through act two]].
* The ACT Theatre production of ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'' has this with the "Turkey Boy", who (of course) delivers the prize turkey to the Cratchits at the end, but is introduced much earlier than in the novel. Also, Mrs. Dilber the laundress (who also acts as an opening narrator in this version) and the "plump sister"(identified as Ms. Clackett here).
* In ''First Date: A New Musical'', recently premiered by the aforementioned ACT in collaboration with the 5th Avenue Theatre, the Waiter gets his own spotlight number in the form of "I'd Order Love".
* Joanne, the [[TheCynic cynical]], [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]], [[SerialSpouse frequently married]] [[LadyDrunk alcoholic]] from ''Theatre/{{Company}}'', with most of what little fanfiction there is [[FanPreferredCouple pairing her with Bobby]]. Her popularity is probably helped by the fact that she has been played by the likes of Elaine Stritch and [=Patti LuPone=], and her solo ''The Ladies Who Lunch'' is one of the best known pieces from the show.
* In a line of annually produced Swedish comedy plays performed at the Vallarnas friluftsteater (Vallarna outdoors theater) in the town Falkenberg, there is a recurring character, a mailman named [[TheFool Dag-Otto]]. He first appeared in the 2001 production, which was set in the early 1950s, and proved so popular among audiences that he has appeared in ''every single Vallarna production'' that has taken place around that age.
* ''[[Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical AVPM]]'', ''[[Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical AVPS]]'', and ''[[Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical AVPSY]]'' has the Scarf of Sexual Preference--much beloved by the Sorting Hat and fans.
* Ask someone who their favorite ''Theatre/SpringAwakening'' characters are and there's a good chance their answer will be the gay couple, Hanschen and Ernst, the former being a [[LargeHam hilariously hammy]] MrFanservice and the latter being [[{{Adorkable}} too cute for words]]. It helps that they get probably the happiest ending as well, though some productions will play Hanschen as a [[HandsomeLech cad]] who's just using Ernst.
* ''1789: Les Amants de la Bastille'' has Lazare, a royal officer who is tasked with maintaining order during the French Revolution. Most of the fanbase love him due to his songs and his InspectorJavert-like personality. As well as Lazare, the RealLife revolutionaries such as Danton, Robespierre and Desmoulins deserve a mention here, since their HistoricalHeroUpgrade (and HistoricalBeautyUpgrade) has made them fast favourites with fans.
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* Charlotte in ''Thirteen'' is a minor character, who, with the help of a [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome badass solo at the end of the musical]] can really steal the show.

** Theatre/TwelfthNight has Antonio and Feste. So much so that at the end of some productions, Feste gives Antonio the YouAreNotAlone treatment, resulting in a HeartwarmingMoment.

* A real-life example that catapulted the ''actor's'' fame: Miss Marmelstien, a piece of ChristmasCake who laments her lack of a beau from the little-known musical ''I Can Get It For You Wholesale.'' The character sounds like, and was intended to be, a supporting character--until they cast Music/BarbraStreisand in that role, her first Broadway role, and she stole every scene she was in. Supposedly her last line of the show won her a standing ovation.

* ArthurMiller's play ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'' is considered one of the greatest American plays--not at all for the reasons Miller intended, but he knew why. Looking back, he wished he'd focused more on the character Biff, the protagonist Willy Loman's son.

*** Many people adore Benvolio, if only because he has a cool name. In many screen adaptations, he has a far larger role than in the original -- he even got to be part of the BetaCouple in ''Anime/RomeoXJuliet''!

* ArthurMiller's play ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'' is considered one of the greatest American plays -- not at all for the reasons Miller intended, but he knew why. Looking back, he wished he'd focused more on the character Biff, the protagonist Willy Loman's son.
* A real-life example that catapulted the ''actor's'' fame: Miss Marmelstien, a piece of ChristmasCake who laments her lack of a beau from the little-known musical ''I Can Get It For You Wholesale.'' The character sounds like, and was intended to be, a supporting character - until they cast Music/BarbraStreisand in that role, her first Broadway role, and she stole every scene she was in. Supposedly her last line of the show won her a standing ovation.

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* A disproportionate amount of ''StarlightExpress'' fan art and fan fiction centers on Electra's components, who are tertiary when compared to most of the cast.

** Theatre/TwelfthNight has Antonio and Feste. So much so that at the end of some productions, Feste gives Antonio the YouAreNotAlone treatment.

** Theatre/TwelfthNight has Antonio and Feste. So much so that at the end of some productions, Feste gives Antonio the YouAreNotAlone treatment .

** ""Theatre/TwelfthNight" has Antonio and Feste. So much so that at the end of some productions, Feste gives Antonio the You Are Not Alone treatment.

* Joanne, the [[TheCynic cynical]], [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]], [[SerialSpouse frequently married]] [[LadyDrunk alcoholic]] from ''Theatre/{{Company}}'', with most of what little fanfiction there is [[FanPreferredCouple pairing her with Bobby]]. Her popularity is probably helped by the fact that she has been played by the likes of Elaine Stritch and Patti LuPone, and her solo ''The Ladies Who Lunch'' is one of the best known pieces from the show.

*** Likewise, [[NoName the Sergeant]] in ''Macbeth'' only appears in the second scene, but his speech to Duncan--where he describes Macbeth and Banquo's victory over Macdonwald's fleet--is considered one of the play's most memorable monologues.

* Perhaps one of the biggest examples in theater is Creator/WilliamShakespeare's Falstaff, a buffoonish companion to Prince Hal in the ''Theatre/HenryIV'' plays. The plays were intended to celebrate Henry IV, while Falstaff is written as a poor influence who must be shunned once the prince matures. Despite Falstaff's negative characterization, he proved a fan favorite. The audience's sympathy for the character is evident in ''Theatre/HenryV'', where his death is described in heroic terms. Finally Shakespeare decided to fully cash in on Falstaff's popularity by ripping him out of his previous continuity and plopping him in modern day Elizabethan times to star in his very own comedy, ''Theatre/TheMerryWivesOfWindsor''. An apocryphal story holds that Queen Elizabeth asked Shakespeare to write a play about Falstaff in love because he was her favorite character.

** ''Mystere'' has the Red Bird (aka Firebird), who participates in the Korean plank/trampoline/fast track act but is primarily a dancing character who weaves in and out of the action. By 2006, this character was popular and recognizable enough that the show got a new logo that featured it, as you can see at the show's trope page.

** ArianaGrande played her in the Original Broadway Cast.

* CirqueDuSoleil examples:
** ''Mystere'' has the Red Bird (aka Firebird), who participates in the Korean plank/trampoline/fast track act but is primarily a dancing character who weaves in and out of the action. By 2006, this character was popular and recognizable enough that the show got a new logo that featured it, as you can see at the show's trope page.

** ''{{Mystere}}'' has the Red Bird (aka Firebird), who participates in the Korean plank/trampoline/fast track act but is primarily a dancing character who weaves in and out of the action. By 2006, this character was popular and recognizable enough that the show got a new logo that featured it, as you can see at the show's trope page.
** ''LaNouba'' has a bird character of its own, the kooky dancer known as the Green Bird; she was upgraded to logo status around the same time the Red Bird was.

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