From centre stage to the edge of the frame: The peripheral presence of musical theatre actresses in post-war Greek cinema

This article explores the marginal presence of Greek musical theatre actresses in post-war Greek cinema, focusing on why most failed to achieve sustained film stardom despite their commanding stage careers. Drawing on star studies, gender and age theory, and performance analysis, it examines how prevailing cinematic norms – prioritizing youth, idealized femininity and naturalistic acting – clashed with the assertive personas these women developed through revue, operetta and musical comedy. The article centres on nine prominent actresses: Anna Kalouta, Marika Nezer, Rena Dor, Sperantza Vrana, Ketty Diridaoua, Kali Kalo, Betty Moschona, Georgia Vasiliadou and Rena Vlachopoulou. While Vasiliadou and Vlachopoulou successfully transitioned to the screen, the others were confined to supporting roles or rendered invisible. By tracing their divergent screen trajectories, the article situates their marginalization within broader transnational patterns of exclusion shaped by ageism, gender norms and stylistic bias, and argues that their cinematic absence reflects not a lack of talent, but the industry’s limited capacity to reframe their theatrical personas and accommodate their distinctive performance styles.