Line #24 Main/SuperfluousSolo


1	Where a character in a musical or opera who otherwise doesn't get a spot by themself has a solo number that adds nothing to the show other than [[TheCastShowoff giving them a moment in the spotlight]]. Liable to be cut in theatrical productions where the performer doesn't demand its retention.
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3	Characters who get other solos don't count as examples.
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6	!!Examples:
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8	* "Bianca" was written into ''Theatre/KissMeKate'' at a late stage largely because Harold Lang needed to show off his tap dancing; in the score, Bill otherwise has one line to sing in the tag of "Why Can't You Behave?" and is part of the "Tom, Dick Or Harry" trio.
9	* Parodied in ''The Abduction of Figaro'', where Schleporello, who is supposed to play SilentPartner to Donald Giovanni, executes a HostileShowTakeover so his whiny voice can get an aria to sing.
10	* The 1994 Broadway revival of ''Theatre/ShowBoat'' reassigned "Why Do I Love You?" to Parthy, who had to sing if played by Creator/ElaineStritch. Parthy sings it to Magnolia's newborn daughter; that the song was originally a boy/girl duet is poorly camouflaged.
11	* ''Theatre/TheDrowsyChaperone'' pokes fun at this with "As We Stumble Along" (the iconic song of the show), shoehorned into the ShowWithinAShow to appease the Patti [=LuPone=]-esque diva.
12	* When Music/FrankSinatra played Nathan Detroit in the movie version of ''Theatre/GuysAndDolls'', it was not enough for him to be half of the "Sue Me" duet and add his voice to the title number (which might have happened in the original production if Sam Levene hadn't been a non-singer). Therefore, the rather bland MovieBonusSong "Adelaide" was written for him.
13	* The song "The Morning Report" in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' 2003 Special Edition; it's blatantly there just to give Zazu more singing time, and is little more than a HurricaneOfPuns. To add insult to injury, Zazu doesn't even get to finish the song - ''Simba'' butts in and finishes it, for him, completely invalidating the reason for giving him the song to sing, in the first place.
14	* In the ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' musical commentary, ''WebVideo/CommentaryTheMusical'', a chorus member buys herself a solo, too bad [[spoiler: Neil Patrick Harris outbid her.]]
15	* "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" from the stage production of ''Theatre/{{Evita}}'', sung by Juan Peron's lover prior to Evita, who has no real role in the play other than to be unceremoniously kicked out by Evita. (In the movie, the song is sung by Evita herself.)
16	* ''Film/Aladdin2019'' adds in a solo for Jasmine, "Speechless". As much as it is a singing showcase with a [[GainingConfidenceSong self-empowerment message]], it also happens entirely in Jasmine's mind, and thus could be cut with no loss for the plot whatsoever.
17	* In the fourth act of Mozart's opera ''Theatre/TheMarriageOfFigaro'', Marcellina and Basilio each have an aria. These arias are often omitted.
18	* Creator/GilbertAndSullivan have a couple of these. "Come, Mighty Must" from ''Theatre/PrincessIda'', often considered to be the worst song in the show (all the worse as it falls in the midst of some of the best music they ever wrote) is probably the biggest example.
19	** Most of the others are good enough that the musical director needs no prompting to leave them in, "When All Night Long" in ''Theatre/{{Iolanthe}}'' is far too much fun to leave out even if the character who sings it spends most of his stage time as scenery.
20	*** Arguably an inversion, the character only really exists to sing that song (and [[PairTheSpares provide a husband]] for the Fairy Queen).
21	* The Jester's number "Very Soft Shoes" in ''Theatre/OnceUponAMattress'' usually allows for a cool dance break, but nothing more.
22	* "Close Every Door To Me" in ''Theatre/JosephAndTheAmazingTechnicolorDreamcoat''. Joseph's the star, so they have to give him a big solo number, but it noticeably slows down the pace of the show.
23	* In ''The Rocky Horror Show'', Brad's song "Once In A While" originally existed solely because Brad was the only [[{{Pun}} major]] character without his own song. Not all productions included it, as it was often considered the weakest in the show; it was also cut from [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow the film]].
24	* Lampshaded in ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}'' with "Whatever Happened To My Part", a song the Lady of the Lake sings ''about'' not having a song in Act Two, and nothing to do at all since midway through Act One.
25	* Really the only explanation for "Shipoopi" in ''Theatre/TheMusicMan'', The song appears to just be an excuse for Marcellus to sing and dance (in-story, it serves as a distraction, but the song itself is still '''bizarre''').
26	** Although the song is nonsensical, the dance break does move the plot forward a bit, as Marian's dancing with Professor Hill causes the ladies to accept her. Not that this is really a big plot point either.
27	* "Too Many Tomorrows" in ''Theatre/SweetCharity'' is very likely one of these. The minor character Vittorio inexplicably has this long, slow, boring solo right after Charity's dazzling showstopper “If My Friends Could See Me Now.” It has nothing to do with the plot, and he sings it to a thoroughly unimportant character. Notably, this song was removed from the movie.
28	* “Sandy” in ''{{Film/Grease}}'' is Creator/JohnTravolta’s only solo, as [[LetsDuet he shares his other songs]] with Olivia Newton-John ([[DistantDuet “Summer Nights,”]] “You’re the One that I Want”) and Jeff Conway (“Grease Lightning”). Yet, the song was written to [[FollowTheLeader capitalize on]] the TheSeventies trend of songs named after young women (such as [[Music/BarryManilow “Mandy”]]).
29	** “Beauty School Dropout” may also count, as the song adds nothing to the plot, and seems to exist purely for the sake of "Look! It's Frankie Avalon!"
30	* The 1974 film version of ''Film/{{Mame}}'' adds a MovieBonusSong, "Loving You", solely to give third-billed Robert Preston's Beauregarde a solo and a little more screen time; his character only appears in the middle stretch of the story and dies offscreen shortly after this song.
31	* "If Your Father Were Here" is this for Mrs. Bucket in the Broadway {{Retool}} of ''Theatre/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' -- while the West End original's "If Your Mother Were Here" also didn't have much bearing on the plot beyond refocusing attention on Charlie after four consecutive songs about the Bratty Kids, it was a duet for Mr. and Mrs. Bucket (who otherwise get minor parts in two group numbers). In the Broadway version, Mr. Bucket suffered DeathByAdaptation in the {{Backstory}} and Mrs. Bucket disappears after Act One.
32	** A common question raised by Broadway.com message board members who saw this show was why, when the retool incorporated [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory many of the 1971 film adaptation's songs]], "Cheer Up Charlie" -- also fitting this trope -- wasn't given to Mrs. Bucket instead.
33	* ''Theatre/PokemonLive'' has "One Perfect Girl", about Brock's love and inability to decide between Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy, in the middle of their search for a kidnapped Pikachu.
34	* ''Theatre/MusicalToukenRanbu's'' fourth production ''Tsuwamono-domo no Yume no Ato'' has "Ado Utsu Koe", which gives Kogitsunemaru his only solo in the set and barely has anything to do with the rest of the plot. The framing device is that he performs it for his Saniwa as part of his group's pastime of retelling important moments relevant to their lives, but no one else does this onscreen.
35	* ''Theatre/{{Elisabeth}}'': Sophie has a solo, "Bellaria", calling Franz Joseph an ungrateful son after everything she's done for him and the Austrian throne - which includes meddling in his marriage, something he had just spent the scene right before [[CallingTheOldManOut chewing her out over]]. It's very often cut in adaptations since it doesn't add anything to the plot, even though it makes Sophie a more complicated character who believes she did what she had to do instead of a two-dimensional villain out to ruin Franz and Sisi's lives for no reason.

Context Main / SuperfluousSolo