Special Reports

Dream Cast: Game of Thrones: The Musical

This is how we would cast the Broadway adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s wildly popular fantasy franchise — if it ever happened.

| Broadway |

April 21, 2019

(© HBO)

Game of Thrones is a worldwide sensation. The final season of the fantasy series about palace intrigue and dragons is now airing, and it's all anyone can talk about. Considering what a cash cow the franchise has been for HBO, we assume that it's only a matter of time before it arrives onstage in some form. Why not a big extravagant Broadway musical?

Based on books that span thousands of pages and a television series that takes several days to watch in its entirety, Game of Thrones would be the longest, most expensive, most thoroughly unproducible musical ever attempted (think Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark times 10). With that in mind, we've allowed ourselves to shoot for the stars when it comes to casting.

While this is by no means a comprehensive casting of the hundreds of recurring characters in GoT, we've included the fan favorites, starting with the Mother of Dragons herself:

Daenerys Targaryen – Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose
Ariana DeBose
(© David Gordon)

A young veteran of Broadway shows including Hamilton and Summer, DeBose has the regal presence and unflappable poise needed to play the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Just try not to get goosebumps when imagining her riding on a dragon and belting out, "Dracarys."


Cersei Lannister – Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
(© David Gordon)

Has there ever been a better evil queen than Cate Blanchett? We know that she would make the Broadway audience squeal with each knowing sip of her Dornish red, and shudder with each icy smile.


Jaime Lannister – Andy Karl

Andy Karl
Andy Karl
(© David Gordon)

A leading man with a heart of gold (an important asset for a Lannister — the gold, that is ), Andy Karl would be an ideal choice to play a guy from a bad family who nevertheless struggles to do the right thing. We can only imagine his fiery chemistry with Blanchett. This would also be a prime opportunity for Karl (currently in Pretty Woman) to go blond.


Arya Stark – Emily Skeggs

Emily Skeggs
Emily Skeggs
(© David Gordon)

The original Medium Alison from Fun Home, Skeggs would easily convey the strength, vulnerability, and sheer grit of tomboy-turned-assassin Arya, the badass little sister of House Stark.


Sansa Stark – Laura Dreyfuss

Laura Dreyfuss
Laura Dreyfuss
(© David Gordon)

The consummate survivor, Sansa is arguably the character who goes through the biggest transformation, much of it fueled by disillusionment. After seeing Dreyfuss's powerful performance in Dear Evan Hansen, we know this is an arc she can play.


Jon Snow – Joshua Henry

Joshua Henry
Joshua Henry
(© Julieta Cervantes)

Adopted into a strange family and unaware of his true identity, Jon Snow is in many ways the heart of GoT. The broodingly handsome Henry delivered a muscular performance last season as Billy Bigelow in Carousel, and we'd love to see him take on this central role.


Ghost – Andrew Pirozzi

Andrew Pirozzi plays Sven in Frozen.
Andrew Pirozzi plays Sven in Frozen.
(© Tricia Baron / Deen var Meer)

Pirozzi has wowed audiences and critics alike with his performance as Sven in Frozen, a physical portrayal of a reindeer that is eerily reminiscent of the family dog. Who better to play Jon's trusty dire wolf?


Samwell Tarley – Randy Blair

Randy Blair
Randy Blair
(© David Gordon)

Writer and performer Randy Blair made his Broadway debut in 2017 as Elton John in Amélie, but he has long been known for his memorable off-Broadway performances. His ability to combine humor with heart makes him a great choice for Jon's bookish sidekick.


Ramsay Bolton and Theon Greyjoy – Michael Esper and Patrick Vaill

Michael Esper and Patrick Vaill.
Michael Esper and Patrick Vaill.
(© Tricia Baron / Janie Willison)

Esper's creepy portrayal of Valentine in the David Bowie musical Lazarus makes us immediately think that he would be an equally unsavory bastard of House Bolton. As the object of his torment, we choose Vaill, who is giving one of the performances of the year as the much-abused Jud Fry in Oklahoma!


Tyrion Lannister – Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage
Peter Dinklage
(© Tricia Baron)

Be honest: Do you really want to see anyone else in this role? Dinklage is a New York stage veteran and the perfect person to tie the franchise together across mediums.


Joffrey Baratheon – Celia Keenan-Bolger

Celia Keenan-Bolger
Celia Keenan-Bolger
(© David Gordon)

Celia Keenan-Bolger is currently giving a heartwarming performance as Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird; but we would love to see Keenan-Bolger (one of Broadway's best actors) get in touch with her dark side as the sadistic boy king.


Brienne of Tarth and Tormund Giantsbane – Ronda Rousey and Sheamus

Ronda Rousey and Sheamus
Ronda Rousey and Sheamus
(© yzapoo / Miguel Discat)

Brienne and Tormund would undoubtedly have some of the most difficult fight choreography in any GoT musical, and that calls for hardened stunt performers from the professional wrestling arena. We have long hailed the WWE as the world's greatest traveling theater, and this would be an excellent opportunity to feature two of its stars on Broadway.


The High Sparrow – Austin Pendleton

Austin Pendleton
Austin Pendleton
(© Chris Loupos)

A Renaissance man of the stage, mild-mannered Austin Pendleton would take the High Sparrow's populist religious rhetoric and make it sound utterly reasonable — as all the most dangerous fanatics do.


Littlefinger and Varys – Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess

Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess
Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess
(© Allison Stock / David Gordon)

Some of the best dialogue of the first season is between the perfidious Master of Coin and the shifty Master of Whisperers. No one could deliver those catty exchanges better than these two seasoned comedians. Based on his performance as Hickey in The Iceman Cometh, Lane would also excel at drawing out the dark salesmanship of Petyr Baelish.


Khal Drogo – Ramin Karimloo

Ramin Karimloo
Ramin Karimloo
(© Matthew Murphy)

Broadway's favorite tall, dark, and handsome leading man is a shoo-in for the Dothraki warlord. Put some guyliner on him and call it a day.


Stannis Baratheon and Melisandre — Jeremy Secomb and Daphne Rubin-Vega

Jeremy Secomb and Daphne Rubin-Vega
Jeremy Secomb and Daphne Rubin-Vega
(© Joan Marcus / David Gordon)

Secomb's laser-focused performance in Sweeney Todd easily lends itself to the obstinate man of duty who would do anything to be king. Similarly, Daphne Rubin-Vega scared the crap out of us in Empanada Loca, and we know she could bring the right combination of witchiness and sexiness to the Red Priestess of Asshai.


Olenna Tyrell – Glenda Jackson

Glenda Jackson
Glenda Jackson
(© Brigitte Lacombe)

Lady Olenna has the most withering one-liners in the whole series, and no actor on the Broadway stage is more capable of giving them that extra sting than the regal Glenda Jackson, the tiny actor who is currently towering over the Broadway revival of King Lear. Some of the lines from her eulogy of Margaret Thatcher would make even the Queen of Thorns wilt.

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