Excavating the Song: Tools for the Modern Singing Singing Actor
Neal Richardson Fall 2013
About the author BM Piano, Belmont; MM in piano performance, Baylor, MM in music theory, theory, Baylor; Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Doctoral work in piano performance with a cognate in music theory. I have been teaching musical theatre for the past 17 years––Northern Kentucky University for 2 years and Webster University University for 15 years. I entered the world of musical theatre as a music director/pianist/conductor/vocal coach. At Webster Webster I teach all a ll four levels of musical theatre, sometimes in collaboration with my cherished colleague, Lara Teeter and sometimes alone. I’ve described my teaching duties below. below. In addition, I teach the sophomore advanced theory and musicianship for the musical theatre majors. I also work with each of our majors as vocal coach on a regular basis, working both on their voice studio material and their classroom material. The goal for these co achings is to bridge the divide that we have found sometimes occurs between the voice studio and the classroom. It consists of equal parts of musical theatre vocal styles and a cting work. For the last 10 years, I’ve worked freelance for Hal Leonard publishing as an arranger, working primarily in musical theatre. I was the arranger for the vocal selections of Spamalot , Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Scoundrels, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Jersey Boys, Boys, The Drowsy Chaperone, Chaperone, Grey Gardens, Gardens, The Color Purple, Purple, The Pirate Queen, Queen, Young Frankenstein, Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, Passing Strange, Legally Blonde, Memphis, 9 to 5, Women Women on the Verge…, Verge…, People in the Picture, Picture, Newsies, Ghost, A Christmas Story, NOW.HERE.THIS among others. others. The newest project for Hal Leonard is The Broadway Singer’s Edition which are new, exhaustively researched editions of shows along with a piano performance p erformance CD. The first batch of shows is Les is Les Miserables, Rent, Sound of Music, Wicked and Annie.
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Other professional work Principal Principal arranger arranger for Gateway Gateway Men’s Men’s Chorus, Men Alive (Orange (Orange County), County), The Gay Men’s Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C. Others include Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Twin Twin Cities Gay Men’s Men’s Chorus, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, Huntington Men's Chorus and many others. Musical Musical Director Director at The Muny, Muny, St. Louis. The nation’ nation’ss oldest and largest largest outdoor outdoor musical theatre venue. Church music and composer composer for the last last 30 years. years. Principal Principal Composer Composer and Musical Director Director for The St. Louis Repertoire’ Repertoire’ss Imaginary Imaginary Theatre Company. Original shows include The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Tortoise Tortoise and the Hare, Robin Hood, A Peter Rabbit Tale, Tale, My Father ’s Dragon and Hansel and Gretel: The Next Generation. Shows licensed through Playscripts Inc. Music Music publish published ed by Yelt Yeltonon-Rhod Rhodes es Paper presented presented at the Internation International al Musical Musical Theatre Theatre Educator’s Educator’s Conference, Conference, January January 2013. Song Analysis as a Key to Interpretation. Neal Richardson, Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts Teaching Teaching Duties 2
• Freshman Freshman Intro to Musical Musical Theatre, Theatre, Fall (Musical (Musical theatre theatre and actors are combined). combined). In this this class, we focus on learning the musical theatre literature from the 20s to today. It’s It’s not so much a history class as a crash course cou rse in what musical theatre is, the most important composers and shows, the changing styles, and how to listen with better understanding. • Freshman Freshman Intro Intro to Musical Theatre, Theatre, Spring (Musical (Musical theatre theatre and and actors are combined) combined) Introduction to singing on stage. • Sophomore, Sophomore, Fall (Musical (Musical theatre theatre and actors actors are combined) combined).. Song study continued. continued. • Sophomore, Sophomore, Spring Spring (Musical (Musical theatre only). only). Advanced Advanced song study study looking at more difficul difficultt literature such as Sondheim, Rock styles, music from the 2 0s and 30s, and preparing a role. • Junior, Junior, Fall Fall (Musical (Musical theatre only) only) Scene study with with Neal and a director, director, currently currently Tim Tim Ocel • Junior, Junior, Spring Spring (Musical (Musical theatre theatre only) Neal Neal and Lara teach teach audition audition and ensemble ensemble work with with a large unit on the integration of song and dance. • Senior, Senior, Fall and Spring. Spring. These These last two semester semesterss are focused focused on Showcase, Showcase, Senior cabaret, cabaret, auditions and various other finishing touches.
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Introduction Introduction to Excavating the Song Excavating the Song is is a multifaceted guide to modern musical theatre performance and repertoire. It is intended for the modern musical theatre singer. I believe it is a unique book. It is not an acting book, an audition book or a book about singing. Instead it is about all of these skills and about the ways that you can integrate your acting, your singing and auditioning skills as you reach your career goals. It is my hope that it will help you in many different ways to become more secure in your craft. This book is a companion to great new books for the serious musical theatre singer which I highly recommend. At the top of my list of recent must-reads are Acting are Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course (Routledge) , , Get the Callback: The Art of Auditioning for Musical Musical Theatre (Scarecrow Press), The Enraged Accompanist's Guide to the Perfect Audition (Hal Audition (Hal Leonard), Rock Leonard), Rock the Audition - How to Prepare Prepare for and Get Cast in Rock Musicals (Hal Musicals (Hal Leonard), and The New Broadway Song Companion (Scarecrow Companion (Scarecrow Press). Press). Each of these books should be on your reading list. It’s my hope that you will keep this book with your audition book and refer to it when you are stuck or in need a bit of inspiration and encouragement. Put in your audition bag and peruse it as you’re waiting for an audition. Each topic discussed is presented in a way that can be easily read and an d digested in one sitting. The book contains many repertoire lists and reference guides that will help you find great songs that you don’t yet know. An Introduction to Song Performance
Even if you dance beautifully and have strong acting skills, in musical theatre, in most cases, the skill that will make you stand out more than anything else is your ability to sing a song honestly, with a strong objective and other, with a clearly devised and actable situation and sing it well. If you can do that and make us believe the song is being created by you in the moment, you can create a bit of magic in a small, poorly lit audition room. Of course, it do esn't guarantee you will get cast, but it will go a long way toward getting you in the "Yes "Yes pile" more often. Your dancing and acting skills matter a great deal, but being able to sing a song with these attributes is the secret that will help you more than anything. The exercises discussed in Excavating in Excavating the Song were were created to provide a structure and process to insure that you leave no stone uncovered when you sing a song. It is more than a worksheet or a "by the numbers" process, but instead, it is a tour guide to the work that can be accomplished when studying these great songs. The word, excavating , connotes the image of an archeologist digging deeply into their chosen subject while being curious and scientific about her work. As singers, it is too easy to think of a great performance as something mysterious and illusive. It is too easy to think of a great performance you admire as something like alchemy. Like magic. It is not. It can be understood understood and achieved with practice, time, and thoughtful thoughtful consideration.
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I begin using some of the ideas in this book when I started teaching musical theater over 20 years ago. I would notice that often I would see strong acting in scenes from actors who could sing well. But when called upon to sing, the character, which the actor had p resented in a clear and truthful manner, disappeared once the singing started. The quality that is so special and unique in musicals is that you can have something highly realistic combined the something that can 't be quite explained with mere words––music. When someone sings in the middle of a scene, something special happens. The audience is allowed inside the character's mind and we are privy to a life that goes beyond words. Songs can go deeper than words because music allows a character to express things that he would not say aloud. Much of what I discuss when preparing a song is influenced and inspired by David Craig's "On Singing Onstage," published in 1978. This important boo k was the first to explore what it means to sing a song in a theatrical context. I have tried to clarify, simplify and update his work to aid in mastery. There is a progression to the steps with one step building off of what has been gained earlier. I wanted to take a moment to talk about the word in the title –– excavate. We can use the image of the pyramid when talking about great works of art to connote and suggest that it takes a great deal of effort and time to build, step-by-step, block-by-block something significant and lasting. In the process discussed in this book, we are looking at the building blocks of creating a meaningful and significant song performance. But stepping back for a moment, now think of the song itself as the pyramid––as something that a composer and lyricist worked very hard to get just right. Most likely, the lyric has rhyme, has a syntax that strikes a balance between prose and poetry, and has meanings and associations that go beyond the surface of the words. In addition, the composer has crafted a melody and harmonic framework that supports the lyric and helps to make its point even more clearly. Good songs and especially good theater songs are more than just nice tunes. They support the allimportant lyric while providing a structure that the audience can take in and make sense of. These songs deserve, even demand, to be excavated thoroughly. Excavating the Song: A Guide to Repertoire
Considering the vast numbers of Broadway an d Off-Broadway musicals not to mention theatrical songs from un-produced or unfinished works, knowing the repertoire can be overwhelming. Finding the right song for the right situation is da unting. In my work on the faculty of Webster University for the past fifteen years, I’ve made discovering great under-sung songs a high priority as well as matching songs from this literature with the singer. This book will help everyone, no matter their voice type or character type, to find songs that suit them and get them noticed. What Does It Take?
We all have favorite singers—ones who inspired us and helped us to decide to follow the dream of musical theatre. Some of your favorites may include Judy Garland, Idina Menzel, Sutton 5
Foster, Liz Callaway, Audra McDonald, Alfred Drake, Marc Kudisch, Brian Stoke s Mitchell or Gavin Creel. These singing actors are unquestionably great, but what makes their performances so compelling? Is it simply their voices? Their acting skills? Their personality? Or is it combination of these? And what do they have in common? Did they attend one of the great musical theatre training institutions? Do they share similar interpretative styles? Did they coach with great ac ting coaches? Each of their journeys to greatness was different and so was their training. Your path will be your own as well. You may say, “I am a good singer and a good actor, what else do I need except the chance for a breakthrough role?” You may have many skills in your back pocket but there are probably still some things you have difficulty with. You may struggle with do with your hands when you sing, or where your focus should be, or difficulty in auditions. The resource you hold in your hand will address these things and many others. There is a great chance that some of the things discussed here will be things you already know well. There may be, however, other things that will inspire an “ah-ha” moment. Some things may frustrate you. Some things may thrill you. Some things may bore you and some things may just be the break-through you need in your performance. I encourage you to engage with the tasks detailed here and give them a chance to work. Without a doubt, the skills required of the modern singing actor pose an enormous challenge. The objective of this resource is to simplify and clearly articulate some of the tasks you will be doing on a daily basis during your career. Throughout the book, there will be a need for the reader to do dig up a recording of the song being discussed. Nowadays, people generally go to YouTube if they don’t have the cast album. Take the time to find the song and listen to it. Rules or Guidelines?
Do we need rules for something as ephemeral and specialized as singing a song on stage? Judy Garland breaks many of the so-called rules. Does that mean she’s not a good performer? Of course not. The guidelines here will simply give you a starting point from which you can employ your unique creative gifts. Let me restate that, it is a starting point only. Some of the activities in this resource may not work for every singing or acting opportunity, but, as the saying goes, you can’t break the rules unless you know what rules you’re breaking. If you go into each singing opportunity without a process, you’ll be reinventing the wheel with each song. In your career you will be asked to sing many different kinds of songs. Some of these songs will be classics. Some will be clunkers. Some songs you will “get” immediately and some may have
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you throwing up your hands in despair. With these resources however, you will have tools in your tool chest to tackle many issues you will face. Three Things There are three things that make up a great performance of a song: singing , acting (including physicality) and musicality. Singing pertains to the vocal sound and may include things such as vocal color, pitch and breath support. When we speak of acting in a song, as opposed to acting in a straight play, we mean things like, does the singer communicate the story of the song clearly, do they inhabit the physical life of the character, and is there a connection be tween singer and material? Without question, singing a theatrical song is complicated by adding the subjective, sensuous element of music. Musical theatre acting isn’t exactly naturalistic. And yet, in the today’s productions of new shows and in revivals of classics, naturalism, or maybe more specifically, realism, is the style of our time. Audiences today want “real.” If it’s not real then it’s fake. If it’s fake, the audience tunes out. But naturalism and musical theatre aren’t exactly compatible. The scale of musical theatre is much bigger than our daily lives, not to mention that there is an orchestra accompanying us as we sing about the things we want from life on stage. I do believe, however, thatrealism and musical theatre are a perfect match. The humanity, the warmth, the pure emotion of music is directly related to the kinds of things we think, feel and do on a daily basis. The third element, musicality, is one that is oftentimes the scariest for singers. You may struggle with learning music or you may know that you are not taping into a song’s full potential. The most exciting singers are the ones who can take what the composer and lyricist have given them a make it extra-special. A part of this intangible quality is musicality. If we were suddenly unable to see your performance, would we still be able to understand the moments from what we were hearing? A great performance is more than correct notes and rhythm. Sometimes singing the correct notes and rhythm lacks musicality. This may seem like a paradox. Music notation is highly imprecise and it takes a great deal of sensitivity and study to sing stylistically. The Challenge
There is no other kind of singer working today that has more asked of them than the musical theatre singer. You are asked to belt, asked to sing so-called legit, asked to sing pop and rock, asked to sing in jazz styles, and asked to sing in a style that can only be called the Golden Age musical theatre style, something that is an amalgamation of many styles. You are also asked to do the work of an actor: to be “in the moment”, to pursue objectives, and to embody the life of your character. This is a Herculean task and I haven’t even mentioned dancing! The objective of this book is to help the singing actor become more confident in their work and to dig deeper into a song. Its aim is no less than to help you truly excavate all the amazing things that are waiting for you and your audience. You are on your way to greatness!
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Helpful Tools As you read this book I would encourage you to keep a journal of your thoughts about exercises and questions you might have. You might be able to answer them yourself in time. A computer or smart phone will also be helpful as you will want to listen to examples I will discuss. Many things are on YouTube but I will help you find them if they aren’t.
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Contents
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Improve these chapter titles
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Introduction
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Acting the Song
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An Introduction to Song Study
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A Guide to Preparing Your First Song
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Guidelines for Different Types of Songs
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Creating Situations
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Qualities of a Great Musical Theatre Performance 11 Cabaret Styles
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Post-millennium Style
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Musical and Vocal Considerations
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Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers 11 Musical Theatre Singers to Know
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Learning Songs
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Musical Terms to Know
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Vocal Colors
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Riffing
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Important Musical Terms
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Analyzing Songs
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Other Musical Considerations
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Critical Listening
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Learning from other singers
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Memorizing Songs
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Musical Style through History
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Choosing Songs
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Creating your Audition book
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Include topics from Creating the perfect audition book 11 Audition Book Song Categories
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Choosing Audition Songs
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Choosing Songs for Cabaret
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Post-millennium Composers
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Guide to Repertoire
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Repertoire Lists
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The Perfect Audition Book
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Glossary
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Bibliography
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Acknowledgements ................... 12 A Guide to Preparing Your First Song
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Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers
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Contents Improve these chapter titles Introduction Acting the Song An Introduction to Song Study .................................................... A Guide to Preparing Your First Song .......................................... Guidelines for Different Types of Songs ..................................... Creating Situations ....................................................................... Qualities of a Great Musical Theatre Performance ..................... Cabaret Styles ............................................................................... Post-millennium Style ................................................................. Musical and Vocal Considerations Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers........................ Musical Theatre Singers to Know ................................................ Learning Songs ............................................................................. Musical Terms to Know................................................................ Vocal Colors.................................................................................. Riffing ........................................................................................... Important Musical Terms.............................................................. Analyzing Songs........................................................................... Other Musical Considerations ..................................................... Critical Listening ......................................................................... Learning from other singers ......................................................... Memorizing Songs ....................................................................... Musical Style through History ..................................................... Choosing Songs Creating your Audition book ........................................................ Include topics from Creating the perfect audition book Audition Book Song Categories................................................... 11
Choosing Audition Songs ............................................................. Choosing Songs for Cabaret ......................................................... Post-millennium Composers......................................................... Guide to Repertoire....................................................................... Repertoire Lists............................................................................. The Perfect Audition Book ........................................................... Glossary........................................................................................ Bibliography ................................................................................. Acknowledgements ................................................... ................... Repertoire sections: Standard Ballads Standard Uptempos Movie Songs Standard rep Disney Non standard rep Sondheim songs Operetta and Gilbert and Sullivan songs
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Excavating the Song: An Introduction to Song Study Excavate [eks-kuh-veyt] —to expose or lay bare as if by digging
Excavating the Song is about creating memorable live performances of songs, but before we get into the nuts and bolts of how to do it, I want to share an exemplary performance with you. Do a YouTube search for "Kate Baldwin" and "I Don't Need a Roof." As you watched, what did yo u notice? Did you notice the subtle ways that she colored important words and that there was a clear journey from beginning to end? Did you notice how she's fighting to convince her husband that things will be alright and the way she didn't give into the sad emotion of the situation? Did you notice the way her physicality communicated subtext? What else did you see? I have been fortunate to see her in four great lead performances in four wildly differing productions. Kathy in The Last Five Years at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Babe in The Pajama Game at The Muny, Sharon in Finian’s Rainbow on Broadway and Big Fish. From a small black box theatre in St. Louis to an 11,000 seat outdoor auditorium to the finest Broadway houses, Kate Baldwin has truly shown in every production. As someone who lives for great performances, I have to ask myself if her performances were great because she’s beautiful and sings magnificently, regardless of whether she’s belting or singing legit soprano. While these characteristics are notable, what makes her performances so c ompelling is that she completely lives in her character while giving her songs shape and variety while utilizing vocal colors that communicate the inner meaning of what’s she’s thinking and feeling. We could do this exercise with any number of great performances but I wanted to start with a single, clear example of the things I will be discussing. Kate Baldwin did not read this book nor do I know her process, but I do know that she is doing all the things that this moment in Big Fish needs. We could be blown away and left speechless by the skill that she brings to her work or we can learn from it. I believe the craft of theatrical singing can be broken down for examination and that songs can be excavated for deeper meanings. My goal is to help you do that for yourself when you sing onstage. Nearly every written or taught system of acting theatrical songs is Stanislawski-based, asking who, what, when, where and why questions. Based on twenty years of research and teaching, the system I’ve devised is a method of sorting through the many things that should be considered when you prepare a song for performance. You may already be doing many of the things I'm asking you to do, but by following these guidelines, you will have thoroughly excavated the song and left no questions unanswered. There may be some activities that are new and might be strange to you, but I guarantee that they will pay off. First, we want to ask questions about the text. We want to know who the singer is, where they are, what they're doing and who they are singing to. It's very important to start with this text work first so that we don't allow the sensuous nature of music to cloud critical questions. We
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must start with the text, making thoughtfully considered decisions based on our insight, intuition and instincts. Next, we want to look at the song as a monologue, separate from its music. At this point, the music is disregarded and we can rehearse and explore the monologue as we would if it were from a straight play. The most important piece of the puzzle is understanding our objective, which we will discover by asking, “What am I really saying?” “What am I doing to my partner?” “Why do I need to do it?” and “What do I need to accomplish by saying these words?” We will also want to pay special attention to the physicality that we bring to the monologue. Pursuing an objective will cause the body to move and move in a manner that is congruent with the text being communicated. If you give yourself over completely to pursuing your objective, you won't be bothered with the common nagging question, "What do I do with my hands?" Before we perform the song, we will do some preliminary work with the music in order to pay special attention to phrasing, musical inflection and pacing. This is a specialized part of the process that is not often written about or discussed. Phrasing comes quite naturally to some people, while for other people it is more of a challenge. But phrasing is not mysterious. It is something that can be learned with practice. It is only at this point that we are ready to sing the song. Before we move on, it's important to mention that while some songs will suit you well, others will not. This is a fact that we cannot change and one that has nothing to do with talent. I like to use this image with my students. Imagine that you’ve visited a department store to pick out a suit or a dress for an important event. You go to the racks and pick out what you think will look best, but it is only after trying on the clothes that you can tell which one looks best on you. It is the same with songs. Give songs a period of time to settle before you sing them for an audition or you choose to discard them. Later in the book, I will give you a broad survey of song literature from the 1900s to today, theatrical and non-theatrical, in order to help yo u choose the perfect song for every occasion. Excavating The Song Process
In the followings pages, the Excavating the Song Process will walk you through a song and guide you with selected activities and questions. 1. Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
Song title: Dancing Through Life Composer/Lyricist: Stephen Schwartz Show Title: Wicked
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The trouble with school is they always try to teach the wrong lesson. Believe me, I’ve been kicked out of enough to them to know. They want you to become less callow, less shallow, but I say, “Why invite stress in? Stop studying strife and learn to live the unex amined life’”… Dancing through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth. Life’s more painless for the brainless. Why think too hard when it’s so soothing? Dancing through life? No need to tough it when you can slough it off as I do. Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters. It’s just life so keep dancing through… Dancing through life, swaying and sweeping, and always keeping cool. Life is fraughtless when you’re thoughtless. Those who don’t try never look foolish… Dancing through life…Mindless and careless, make sure you’re where less trouble is rife… Woes are fleeting, blows are glancing…when you’re dancing through life… Let’s go down to the Ozdust Ballroom. We’ll meet there later tonight. We can dance till it’s light. Find the prettiest girl…Give ‘er a whirl right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom–Come on follow me, you’ll be happy to be there…Dancing through life, down at the Ozdust, if only because dust is what we come to… Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. It’s just life so keep dancing through. 2. What are the facts of the song? In other words, looking only at the lyrics without adding your interpretation, what can we deduce about the character and situation? This can be called the objective interpretation. It’s about a guy who thinks that life shouldn’t taken too seriously and that just ha ving fun is the best way to live. 3. Once we have deduced the facts of the song, now begin thinking about your interpretation of the song by answering the following questions. This will will lead you to your subjective interpretation of the song.
A. Who is the Singer? Describe your idea of the character using specific and precise statements. He’s not very bright. He is afraid of not succeeding. He is goo d-looking. For him, success is having the best time with the prettiest girl. Underneath his exterior, he’s insecure. B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict. I am singing to the prettiest girl in my class, Samantha, who also happens to the best student in school. C. When is it? At the end of last period. I’ve just seen her talking and flirting with my biggest rival, Roger. D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you. Outside the library–she was flirting with Roger in the library just before this. E. Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better. I’ve just broken up with my girlfriend and the prom is this weekend. The idea of not going to the prom is unthinkable and if I don’t go, I’ll consider myself a failure. So will all my friends. F. What changes during the song? I’m able to convince her to go with me.
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G. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it? I want her to say yes. If I don’t get it, my status as the most popular guy in school will be lost. That is the most important thing to me and the thing that my self-worth is based on. H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow? My girlfriend just broke up with me. I can’t wait until tomorrow because she might go to the prom with Roger.
Write a defining sentence. This sentence will be, in essence, a shorthand for the actor’s journey through the song. This is a song about a boy (a girl, a man, Dr. Monroe) who _______________________. These words should sum up in a concise sentence or two your version of what happens during the song and what your objective is. Note that this sentence may include both the objective observations about the lyric and your subjective interpretation. This is a song about Frank, me, who needs to hold on to his status as the coolest guy in school. I must convince Samantha to go with me to the prom or risk losing that status.
Notice how different this sentence is from the one above: “It’s about a guy who thinks that life shouldn’t taken too seriously and that just having fun is the best way to live.” This is the difference between objective and subjective interpretation. Songs Arcs
Now that the objective of the song has been explored, it’s time to get more specific with the song’s moments. All novels, short stories, plays and films have an arc. Think of your song as a 3 minute one-act play that has been thought through from beginning to end so that the conclusion is satisfying. There are four possible arcs: • • • •
The winning arc The losing arc The “ending up where you started” arc or spiral arc1 The serendipity arc - ending in a place you hadn’t anticipated.
1. Winning Arc A winning arc is the most common shape. The song ends with y our character achieving their objective and getting what they’ve been fighting for. But, as in life, nothing is easy and there are many obstacles you must face. Perhaps your other doesn’t want to hear what you are saying and you have to fight to get their attention. Or perhaps they don’t believe what you are saying and begin to walk away. Romantic comedies films share this story arc. In this kind of film, the couple has things that they must work through to be together—former boyfriends, a job that requires them to relocate or a complication with their sex life. Overcoming these obstacles gives the film 1 Joe
Deer Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course
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shape and makes of a satisfying conclusion. There are moments of loss but in the e nd, there is triumph.
2. Losing Arc The losing arc is like the winning arc, only inverted. There is a final losing moment but there are also some wins before that. One of my favorite examples of a losing arc song is “Good Thing Going” from Merrily We Roll Along. The lyric ends with “We had a good thing going, going gone.” But the ending is a bit of a surprise because throughout the song, the relationship has been described in mostly positive terms. “It started out like a song,/We started quiet and slow with no surprise./And then one morning I woke to realize:/We had a good thing going.”
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3. Spiral Arc In the spiral arc, we end at the same place we began. The Wizard of Oz is the clearest cinematic example of this. It starts at home and ends at home. But the journey is quite an adventure and we go many places before we arrive back where we started. I see this as a sort of variation on the winning arc if the beginning place is a positive one. But if the song calls for it, the beginning and ending could be a place of struggle, making it a losing arc. The middle sections need to be the opposite of the beginning and ending. You will need to find a maximum number of contrasts to successfully achieve this story arc.
4. Serendipity Arc This final story arc is rare but can be powerful. There is a logical, predictable beginning and middle but the ending is a complete surprise. This is a variation on the winning or losing arc depending on the ending direction.
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Further Exploration: “I’m Not Afraid” from Songs For a New World is a unique song in that all four types of arcs are possible. Explore these questions: •For a winning arc, what are the obstacles, how do you overcome them and what is the nature of the victory at the end? •For a losing arc, what do you lose at the end and what are the wins before that? •For a spiral arc, what is the beginning and ending place? Where do you go in the middle? •For a serendipity arc, what is the ending surprise? Where do you start and what d oes the middle look like? Let’s move to a different song, one with a losing arc and get more specific. “I Had a Dream About You” from Maury Yeston’s December Songs. I had a dream about you, we were together again as we had always been. It was the happiest dream I think I ever have had that you and I’ve been in. It was a dream I don’t need to explain. We’re in the care and We’re driving in Maine. It’s so incredibly beautiful I don’t know where to begin. We’re driving into the night and from a magical height we see two orange moons, they’re hangin’ up in the sky like a pair of contented balloons. And as we stare into space in astonishment, I turn to look at your face and you kiss me… All in an instant inside of a wonderful dream. Oh, I remember two orange moons rise in the sky to sound of loons and you were there, my dream. I had a dream about you, we we re together again, an old familiar pair. It was the kind of a dream so absolutely convincing you be lieve you’re there. The open road and the dotted white lines, the crispy smell in the air of the pines, the overwhelming sensation you’re up and awake everywhere… And when we look in the sky, they’re getting higher and higher, those two orange 19
moons. There’s one for you and for me and, impossibly, both of them gleam. And I am holding your hand for eternity and you’re beginning to say that you love me. If only it really had happened, if only it all really happened. I had a dream about you but, of course i t was only a dream…It was only a dream…It was only a dream…I had a dream about you but, of course, it was only a dream. What are the facts of the song? It’s about a women relating her dream to her former partner. It starts nicely but by the end, she knows that this dream is not reality. Who is the singer? Describe the character using definite statements. She is 28 years old and works in a bookstore that she owns. She’s very intellectual but has difficulty in staying in a relationship. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or person that will create interest and conflict. I am singing to my boyfriend, Frank. We broke-up over our disagreements about having a child. He wanted a child. I am not ready. When is it? It’s 11:00 AM. Where are you? We’ve run into each other unexpectedly at Starbucks. It’s like it was ordained by the stars! Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better. I’ve just come from my therapist where we were talking about my relationship with Frank. We did not, however, talk about the dream bec ause we ran out of time. The dream has been going through my mind constantly though. I’ve been trying to figure out what the two moons in the song mean. When I see him, I can’t help myself. I’m so happy to see him and without thinking about the wisdom of it, I start into my dream. What changes during the song? I finally hits me for the first time that there is no cha nce for us. I see from his reaction, that he wants to desperately leave. As I tell him the dream, I can see how uncomfortable he is. He was never a fan of fact that I was so into my head. The meaning of “of course, it was only a dream” changes during the song. The first time I say it, I’m trying to make fun of myself and make light of the fact that I’m “in my head” again. By the end of the song, it’s as if I’m waking from the dream of us ever being together. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it? I’m 28. I’m not ready to have a child but I am more than ready to have my “one great love.” I thought Frank was it. I thought we could work through our issues with children. I’ve placed everything, my hope for security, my dreams for a house and financial security on Frank. If I 20
don’t win Frank back, and this is my last chance, I will work in the bookstore all my life and never fulfill my dreams of becoming a writer. Why sing this song now? We are here together unexpectedly and must tell him how I feel quickly because I have to get back to the store. Write your defining sentence. These words should sum up in a concise sentence or two your version of what happens during the song and what your objective is. Note that this sentence may include both the objective observations about the lyric and your subjective interpretation. This is a story about me, Janice, who needs to seize this opportunity to win back the man I love in order to achieve the security I am lacking. Basis Structural Music Analysis An examination of the song’s musical structure will help you complete your work. Lo ok for verse and refrain in songs before 1970 and for verse, chorus and bridge in songs after 1970. There is more about musical form in the next chapter. Also look for repeated musical sections. Below are some additional guidelines for structural analysis that will help in breaking down the song into beats. These places usually mark bea t changes.
1. The change from verse to refrain. 2. The change between sections (i.e. from A to B or from B back to A). Most standards and Golden Era musical theatre begin with a verse preceding the refrain. In the refrain, there are often at least four sections of music (i.e. A, B and possible C sections). In pop/rock inflected musical theatre, this terminology is changed to Verse, Chorus and Bridge with the most common form being Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus with a possible Bridge someplace. 3. Changes in tempo 4. Changes in style 5. Changes in accompaniment Read the lyric again and mark places that seem like appropriate beat changes. You will also want to take musical structure and changes into consideration. The form of this song is unusual: AABAAC. The Song Broken Down into Beats
Having looked at the song structurally, let’s break it down into beats.
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I had a dream about you, we were together again as we had always been. It was the happiest dream I think I ever have had that you and I’ve been in. It was a dream I don’t need to explain. We’re in the car and we’re driving in Maine. It’s so incredibly beautiful I don’t know where to begin.
The first A section, rolling accompaniment. She begins telling a story, a nice story about her dream. She awakens him in order to get his attention. She is successful .
We’re driving into the night and from a magical height we see two orange moons, they’re hangin’ up in the sky like a pair of contented balloons. And as we stare into space in astonishment, I turn to look at your face and you kiss me… All in an instant inside of a wonderful dream.
The second A section. Same accompaniment. The dream gets stranger with the image of two moons but concludes with a kiss. She seduces him with this exotic story in order that he will find her charming and kiss her. In the dream he kisses her but in actuality, he does not. She is unsuccessful .
Oh, I remember two orange moons rise in the sky to sound of loons and you were there, my dream.
B section, the accompaniment changes. No new dramatic information. She is reminding him of the image of the two moons. She worries that she is losing his attention so she pulls him by reminding him that this is a magical dream with two moons, one that represents her and one that represents him. She is successful in the objective which heartens her, propelling the song to a higher key.
I had a dream about you, we were together again, an old familiar pair. It was the kind of a dream so absolutely convincing you believe you’re there. The open road and the dotted white lines, the crispy smell in the air of the pines, the overwhelming sensation you’re up and awake everywhere… And when we look in the sky, they’re getting higher and higher, those two orange moons. There’s one for you and for me and, impossibly, both of them gleam. And I am holding your hand for eternity and you’re beginning to say that you love me.
Key change! Back to the accompaniment of the A sections. The situation intensifies with the key change. With the key change, her objective is to encourage him to kiss her and tell her that he will love her forever. She is unsuccessful in this objective.
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If only it really had happened, if only it all really happened. I had a dream about you but, of course it was only a dream…It was only a dream…It was only a dream…I had a dream about you but, of course, it was only a dream.
New musical material. She realizes for the first time that they will never be together and this is less of a dream and more of a nightmare, the repeated “It was only a dream” is as if the singer is waking up to the reality of the doomed relationship. She ends up in a place she didn’t know she would end up. This is not what she expected. She realizes that she will never get what she wants from him. She convinces him to say that everything will be okay. She is unsuccessful .
Avoiding Traps
Every song has a trap—something that must be avoided when you rehearse the song so that it is successful. The key to avoiding traps is to answer this q uestion: What is the most obvious interpretation of the song? The most obvious things are to be avoided. Your audience is smart and you need to stay well ahead of them. The danger in singing a losing arc song such as “I Had a Dream About You” is to play the losses from the very beginning. The actor, who knows how the song will end, needs to be careful not to give the ending away. The character doesn’t know how it will end. Playing the end of the song from the beginning is the trap of this song. It is your job to identify the trap of the song and not fall into it. “Good Thing Going”, as discussed earlier has a similar trap. In the song, the singer speaks of all the good things that were part of their lives together. He tempers it with some clarifications that not everything was perfect. It is not until the very last word of the song, “going, going, gone,” that the singer must face the truth of the end of the relationship. If you play the end of the relationship at the beginning of the song, there is no arc, only a straight line. Actions
For each beat, I ask you to choose an action verb that will give shape to your physicality for that beat. Choose verbs that are actable that will inspire your body to move. Below you will find a list of well-chosen verbs that work. You can begin by thinking about what you are doing to you partner. Are you lifting them or pushing them down? Are you reaching out to them or drawing them to you? There are four broad categories of action verbs in two pairs of opp osing categories: helping verbs vs. hurting verbs and reaching verbs vs. gathering verbs.
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Helping verbs
Hurting verbs
Reaching verbs
Gathering verbs
to uplift
to destroy
to share
to invite
to build
to crush
to open
to welcome
to excite
to bombard
to push
to seduce
to support
to mock
to reassure
to pull
to overwhelm
to annihilate
to encourage
to caress
to celebrate
to belittle
to convince
to charm
to paint
to punish
to overwhelm
to prepare
to suppress
to inspire
Use a thesaurus to help you find others. Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone and Maggie Lloyd-Williams is an especially good resource. Choose words that can be physicalized easily. Remember, these are things that you are doing to achieve your objective. Most of the time, your actions will be on your unseen scene parter, yourother . You are mocking them, or reassuring them or caressing them. But you may also choose actions that you are performing to affect your partner. You could paint a picture of what your life will be together or you could build a world that you two could share or you annihilate the obstacle that stands in your way. Song as Monologue Here are the steps to explore when looking at the song as a monologue. The pianist is not brought into the work until step 5. I’ve created a pneumonic device that will help you remember these steps and their order.
The Six Components of Preparing a Song E-Energized speech X-EXplore objectives through movement CAV-Combine action and verse A-Act. True monologue T-Tune. Accuracy of phrasing E-Elevate your performance. Everything combined
1. Energized speech. Using a high level of vocal energy, speak the words without inflection with speed so that the words form on your tongue without stops and starts. The purpose of this is to aid in memorizing and getting the words securely into your muscle memory. Do this until you can do it without any hesitation. Do not do this, however, so quickly that the words have no meaning or can’t be understood.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Additional activities: A. You may also choose to speak the lyrics as a dramatic recitation, savoring the images and biting into the words as you might bite into an apple. Imagine that you’ve written the lyrics and are reading them at a poetry reading. Savor every image, rhyme and alliteration. B. Locate the images in your song. As you do the monologue, physicalize the images such as love, heaven or fear. At this point, it’s preferable that you go too far in indicating the images. This will help you to see the images in later steps. In other places in the book, I discuss the pros and cons of indicating in a song. Don’t worry about that for now. EXplore objectives through movement. Physicalize the active verbs in each beat hearing the lyrics in your head but without speaking them. Once a section is finished, move on to the next verb. If it will be helpful, have a friend hold up cue cards with that verb written on it to remind you. Start in a neutral position (focus forward Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. Then when you see the inciting event, begin to hear the monologue in your head while employing complete physical involvement. Don't plan what you are going to do. Let it be spontaneous. Combine action and verse. Physicalize the monologue while saying the lyrics. Start in a neutral position (focus forward, Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. When you see the inciting event, begin to speak the monologue with complete physical involvemen t. This is not a verbal exercise, it is physical. Whisper or shout if you need to. Get down on the floor or stand on a chair if it is appropriate. The lyrics are of secondary importance to the physical life. Be sure to make a clear distinction between each action. To check this, have a friend watch and then list the actions that they saw you do. If they don’t tell you the correct actions, that means that you can be more specific with them. Act. Next, speak the monologue keeping in mind the active verbs you assigned to each beat. The words to the monologue become more important than in the previous exercise but allow your body to respond to the action of the monologue. You may use the cue cards again. Keep your focus forward, center and on your partner. Have a friend stand in for you scene partner if you find that helpful. Do an improvisation with a friend standing in for the scene partner to clearly establish the moment before. Tune. Having the pianist only play chords or a simple, out of tempo, accompaniment, sing the song repeating step 4. Take the same pauses you would take while doing the monologue. You are doing the same monologue but simply adding pitch. This is a excellent way to work on phrasing and pacing. The goal of this activity is to take full possession of the song and make it yours. The music in songs can have the tendency to take over the story-telling. You must avoid this at all costs. Songs are stories. Elevate your performance. Next, have the pianist play the actual accompaniment as you sing the song. Physicalize each moment to the degree you feel is appropriate. Do not allow the accompaniment to make your work less specific. 25
Further Exploration: Watch the videos on the DVD that demonstrates each step. Choose a song in your repertoire and apply the six steps. It’s important that each activity is secure before moving on to the next. When you get to step 4 or 5, I suggest returning to earlier activities to refresh your work. It’s likely that they will be stronger now.
Moment Before
I’ve mentioned repeating the defining sentence before beginning each activity. Repeating the defining sentence before you begin is an efficient way to remind you of the objective of the song and its arc. Once you have done that, there is another step before you begin singing, seeing the moment before. The moment before consists of three steps: 1. Seeing the event (what do you see?) 2. Taking it in (what effect does it have on you?) 3. Responding to it (what is your response?) In “I Had a Dream About You,” the inciting event is the surprise of seeing Frank at Starbucks. Janice has been “in her head” after coming from the therapists office. She is still trying to put all the pieces together and she’s distracted. She sees Frank. She’s surprised and happy. Take this moment in. Respond to it. This response is called the active first beat and this is the moment when the pianist begins playing the introduction. In this song, the introduction is short but you’ll need to fill this moment with an action. You must always remember to give some consideration to the introduction of a song and the ride-out. The ride-out is the music after you complete your last note. The first verb in our analysis is “to awaken.” You are awakening Frank during the first chunk of the lyrics but possibly the introduction is you awakening from the haze you’ve been in. I find that doing an improvisation with fellow actor helps tremendously to make this active first beat more solid. Choose a partner and explain the situation, giving them an idea of what you need for them to do. Play the scene before the song begins. At the appropriate time, the pianist starts the introduction and the scene partner ca n stay in the scene. Your focus is on them but, just as a gentle reminder, we don’t always look at the person we’re talking to. Your focus, however, is still on them. Once the moment before is secure and you are confident in knowing what this moment is, repeat the exercise without the scene partner. Further Exploration: Choose a love song such as a standard ballad that is open to many types of interpretations. Do the activities such as locating beat changes, assigning actions to each beat and deciding on the three elements of the moment before. “You’re Nearer” or “Our Love is Here to Stay” are good choices.
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Sing the song given these three following contrasting situations and compare the results. Song: “Love is Here to Stay” by George and Ira Gershwin Situation #1. I’m going away on a work assignment for 9 months and we won’t be able to see each other during that time. The objective is convince my wife of 5 years that things will be okay and our relationship will stay secure while I’m gone. Suggested actions: to reassure, to paint, to caress, to pull, to uplift. Situation #2. My wife has given me hints that she’s going to end the relationship. The objective is heal over any of the problems that we have and convince her that our relationship is meant to last. Suggested actions: to reassure, to crush, to ce lebrate, to open, to pull. Situation #3. My fiancé and are having dinner in our favorite restaurant and this is a proposal. My objective is to convince her that our love can withstand any problem that we face. Suggested actions: to prepare, to caress, to pull, to paint, to celebrate. “Love is Here to Stay” The more I read the papers the less I comprehend (Action 1) The world with all its capers and how it all will end. Nothing seems to be lasting. But that isn't our affair; We've got something permanent, I mean in the way we care. It's very clear our love is here to stay; (Action 2) Not for a year but ever and a day. The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know (Action 3) May just be passing fancies, and in time may go. But, oh my dear, our love is here to stay; (Action 4) Together we're going a long, long way. In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, (Action 5) They're only made of clay, but our love is here to stay. How did singing the song with these three differing situations change the vocal colors? The tempo? The stakes? The transitions? Conclusion
This process will help you to find your unique interpretation of a theatrical song taken out of context. The process may seem long and arduous, but you will see the benefits in your work because it will help you to personalize the material and to dig deeply into the emotional life of the song. The more you apply this process to the songs you sing, the faster it will go. You will discover that you will need to adjust your process with other songs in other contexts such as: • Preparing a song for a role in a full musical • Preparing songs that were not intended to be theatrical, such as pop songs 27
• For a cabaret setting or similar situation where you are singing as yourself You will find worksheets for these other situations in the following pages. Consider this process as a basic tool–a foundation to build your pyramid on. As you grow in your artistry, you will develop other tools that you will find helpful and develop your own process.
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A Guide to Preparing Your First Song Nearly every song you sing has been sung by countless other performers. You may wonder how you can bring something new to the song or how you can make your interpretation of the song unique and interesting. The Excavating the Song process was created in response to these questions. Your interpretation of any song begins with a thorough understanding of the music and lyrics as well as how these two are interrelated. A nuanced, original and specific final performance is dependent on careful analysis, study and making smart, well-reasoned choices. Here are some things to consider when learning a new song. Lyric 1. What are your first impressions of the lyric? What does it say to you and does it touch on your life experience somehow? 2. What is the story of the song? What is it about? 3. Write out the lyric in prose form in longhand. Underline rhyming words. Are the rhyming words somehow significant? Look for internal rhyme by speaking the lyric aloud. 4. Observe the punctuation. How will the punctuation affect your phrasing? 5. Are there any words or images in the lyric that you don’t understand? Look those up. 6. What are the important images in the lyric? How do they help illustrate and enrich the song? Music It is assumed that you know the music and can sing the correct pitches and rhythms before you do this section.
1. Observe the musical indications such as tempo markings, style indications, dynamics, crescendo/decrescendo, etc. How do these things support the song and help to communicate the lyric? Look up any words you do not know. 2. How does the music tell the story of your song? Does it work with the lyric or somehow against the lyric? 3. What is the musical form? Is there something special that happens in the B section? Interpretation Although you may sing a song that many other people sing, you can bring your own interpretation to it by asking these questions. 1. How does this song reflect your personal experience? Trust that information and the unique subtext that that information gives you. 2. While we want to personalize songs so that it will appear to the listener that you are the character that is singing, they should not be sung as yourself. Instead, the character should be one you have created. But I encourage you to create a character that is similar to you in some ways.
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3. Who is your character singing to? You may not be singing it to someone who is physically present. You must find a way to externalize your partner, even if you’re singing to yourself. In such cases, imagine that one part of yourself is singing to another part of yourself. Maybe your timid side is singing to your braver self. Or, perhaps your intellect is singing to your heart. 4. What do you want? What’s at stake? 5. Create a world in which your character exists and needs to say these words. Where are you? When is it? What are you wearing? These kinds of questions are invaluable. Come up with details that help make your situation more real and visceral to you. 6. What changes happen during the song? Musical Theatre songs are special moments in which a character undergoes some kind of change. As we are taking these songs out of context, you can decide what changes happen during your song. This is one of the ways that your interpretation will differ from others. Always begin by reading the lyric. No matter how much you like the music, a song is not a good choice for you if you do not connect meaningfully with the lyric. For this chapter I have chosen “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter. Essentially, the lyric is about the effect the other’s absence causes. While it is tempting to look at the lyric as a sad one and concentrate only on the negative aspects, I encourage you to always make an attempt to find the positive in every song. While a losing arc or a serendipity arc are possible for this song, a winning arc is nearly always preferable. The reason a standard from the first part of the 20th century is such a good starting point for song study is that the dramatic layout and form of the song is so clear. This particular song, like many other standard ballads, begins with a verse followed by a refrain with an ABAB form. The verse sets up the circumstances and conflict within the song and the refrain allows each performer a wide variety of variations on the basic story. Standards have a wonderful combination of specific action and story mixed with a certain openness to interpretation.
Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye From Seven Lively Arts Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Verse: We love each other so deeply / That I ask you this, sweetheart Why should we quarrel ever, / Why can't we be enough clever, Never to part?
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Refrain: Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I die a little Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I wonder why a little Why the gods above me / Who must be in the know Think so little of me / They allow you to go When you're near / There's such an air of spring about it I can hear a lark somewhere / Begin to sing about it There's no love song finer, But how strange the change from major to minor Ev'ry time we say goodbye Ev'ry single time we say goodbye Context and Situation
It is traditional to take classic American popular songs from the first half of the 20th century out of their show contexts, even when they were written for a stage musical. “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” first appeared in Seven Lively Arts —an interesting musical revue that celebrated the art forms of music, theatre, ballet and painting. The co ntext of this song in its original setting, while interesting, is of no real value to a modern audience. It will be much more interesting and valuable for you to create your own story. Of course, there will be opportunities when you will want to sing a song using the givens of the show that it is from, but for now, let’s be creative with the storytelling. Read the lyric carefully. Look for keywords and phrases. Also look for the song’s conflict. All great dramatic literature has conflict and that conflict is the fuel for a strong performance. Great lyrics are akin to poetry, and as such, they contain hidden treasures that you must discover through thoughtful excavation. Failure to excavate these treasures runs the risk of a p erformance lacking specificity and nuance. A few keywords or phrases in the verse are “love,” “deeply,” “sweetheart,” “quarrel,” “clever,” and “never to part.” It is useful to think about how the Verse/Refrain song form came about and how verses function in relationship to the refrain. A song beginning with a verse originates in early musical theatre as a way to transition seamlessly from dialogue into true song. Without the verse, the transition could be awkward or even laughable. We can understand the verse as having a characteristic more closely aligned with speech—more rhythmically free and less about melody and more about setting up the context for the refrain. In the following analysis, I make a clear differentiation between objective observations and subjective observations. The objective observations are based directly on meanings inherent in the words of the lyrics. The subjective observations are the ones you, the performer, make about a song. You must begin with the objective observations which are in black and white in the text. These are the ones that any singer coming to the material, no matter their stylistic differences will or should see. From the text, we can draw the conclusion that the singer has a significant 31
love for the other , enough to use the word “sweetheart.” But there is a conflict involving something that causes them to be separated. With this separation comes quarreling. The singer wishes that they could be smart enough, or clever enough, to find a way to not be separated. This is the objective observation. Next comes the subjective interpretation. Subjective Interpretation
By the time you begin this step of the work, you should have written out the lyrics in longhand and taken note of the punctuation. Punctuation is especially important later when we choose where to take breaths. The commas in the verse after “this” and “clever” will be places that cry out for a slight pause (if not a full breath) before the next word. The act of writing the lyrics cannot be over emphasized. It is too easy to overlook details and slowing down to write the lyrics will force you to take a deeper look. Consider what questions remain that need to be answered and which answers will lead to a more satisfying performance. Think carefully about what is not in the lyric. What is left unstated between the lines? You may ask, “Why are these two separating?” and “What is the nature of the relationship?” and “How long have they known each other?” and “How long are they separated?” There are other questions that may o ccur to you. The big question that is among the first that must be answered is “Who is the other?” The answer to this question will inform nearly every other question and answer. I find that many young singers choose the most obvious answers to their questions. The conventional wisdom is that the choices with the most turmoil provide the greatest fuel for a performance. There is a logic to this way of thinking and finding the conflict in songs is excellent. But “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”, with its slow tempo and static melody, has a musical and an emotional intensity that may lead you down the wrong path. Remember, the positive choice is usually the better one. Some may choose a situation where the other is a spouse and that the two are separating due to irreconcilable differences. Maybe there is a divorce looming or maybe a lover is choosing to enter the military during a time of war to avoid a marriage proposal. While these kinds of choices may result in a useful analysis leading to a satisfying interpretation, I will ask you to look for positive choices. Sample Interpretations
What follows are a couple of different possibilities for an original situation. Situation 1: A 20-year old college student with a girlfriend of one year has to say goodbye to his sweetheart, Grace, for summer break. Grace wanted them to stay at college during the summer and take classes together and spend time at the beach. Fredrick needs to work to earn money for college and the best place for him to do this is at home in his family’s business. They quarrel over this repeatedly. The reason he needs to sing this now is because it is the last day before summer break and his father needs him for a big project in the morning. Fredrick must catch the 32
train and convince his sweetheart that he will call her everyday, that he will miss her terribly and that his love for her is real and lasting. Lyrics such as “I die a little” are evidence of how enduring his love is for her. “The gods who think so little of him” is perhaps not so much from a sense of desperation or sadness but a somewhat comic hyperbole. Maybe he is using poetry and humor at the same time. It is an excellent tactic. The lyric “They allow you to go” must be reinterpreted in the singer’s mind to mean “They allow us to be separated.” You will need to do minor reinterpretations such as this often in your work if it does not destroy the intent of the lyric. Situation 2: A young mother must say goodbye to her 7-year-old daughter who is going to summer camp. She must sing these words to comfort her daughter before she gets on the bus. The daughter feels as if she is being punished by being sent away. The mother sings this song to reassure her that she’s not being punished and that she will be missed terribly. She will be coming back in a month and everything will be the same when she returns. The benefit in choosing a situation like this is that the moment is quite rich. The mother is u pset about having to say goodbye but must put on a brave face to comfort the child and to keep her from crying. While there is sadness and longing, it becomes more about the love the mother has for the daughter than the separation. It has conflict, but it is more positive than ne gative. As a side note, we are often told to make life and death choices in our acting. This is wise advice , but can lead us to a morass of angst and “feeling sorry for one’s self.” This is a trap that is to be avoided at all costs. Musical theatre songs are at their most powerful when they are about working through a problem by making positive, life-affirming choices. “The sun’ll come up tomorrow/bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there’ll be sun” and “Look for the silver lining/ whene’er a cloud appears in the blue” are two great examples. You may think these songs are corny but they are great theatre. Analyzing the Refrain
Once you have created the situation for your song, the real work of interpretation begins. Often people make the mistake of stopping their exploration and asking questions once they have created the situation. This is only the beginning o f the process. You will need to analyze the poetry, analyze the form, consider the ways that the music and the lyrics are related, then look for ways to keep the song “in motion” and active. You must find ways for the song to progress through time such that discoveries are made and that there is a clear beginning, middle and end. Remember, lyrics are like poetry. Let’s look at the poetic devices in the refrain.
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Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I die a little Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I wond er why a little
Rhyme Musical scheme form A A A B B
B
When you're near / There's such an air of spring about it C I can hear a lark somewhere / Begin to sing about it C
A
There's no love song finer, But how strange the change from major to minor Ev'ry time we say goodbye
D D E
B
Ev'ry single time we say goodbye
E
Coda
Why the gods above me / Who must be in the know Think so little of me / They allow you to go
The refrain falls into a traditional scheme of four pairs of rhymed couplets (A,A,B,B,C,C,D,D) with a coda. The Coda, or tag, has two lines, each of which ends with “goodbye.” The rhymes in each A section are notable because they are quadruple rhymes – “die a little” rhymes with “why a little” and “ spring about it” rhymes with “ sing about it.” A good rhyme emphasizes important words. The italicized words are made more important because of their rhyme. You will need to consider why these rhymed words are important. The two B sections contain the rhyming pairs of know/go and finer/minor . The musical form of this song is ABAB with a tag. This means that the first section and the third section of the refrain are closely related, or a re an exact repetition (with different lyrics, of course). The second section and the last section are also related. Note that we c all this last section a “B” even though it ends differently than the first B section. Cole Porter then adds an additional 4 bars of music for the lyric, “Ev’ry single time we say goodbye.” Approximately 15 percent of standards have an ABAB form. The most common form, AABA, is found so frequently that it is referred to as “Song Form.” Most American popular songs of this period were composed first and the lyrics were added later. But since Cole Porter was both the composer and lyricist for this song, we are no t sure which came first. According to at least one source2, Porter’s lyrics may have come first. Whichever the case, it is clear that there is much word painting 3 in the refrain. Each A section is notable in that
2 Forte,
Allen. Interview with Andrew Ford. The Music Show. January 4, 2003
3 Word
painting is the musical technique of writing music which reflects the literal meaning of a song
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the melody stays fixed on a single note (eight repetitions!) before changing pitch (figure 1). The note change always corresponds with an important word like “die” and “why.” Figure 1
This static melody may suggest a sense of hesitation or a desire to make time stop. The B sections are much more melodic and higher in pitch (see measure 19 and following in the full song reproduced in figure 2, below). This musical change is in response to the lyric, “Why the gods above me . . . Think so little of me” and “There’s no love song finer.” At the end of the second B section, there is a remarkable musical moment when the lyric, “the change from major to minor” is reflected in a change in harmony from A-flat major to A-flat minor. Other instances of word painting are discussed in figure 2 (below). You might wonder why this is important or how someone without an advanced degree in music theory can find such connections between the music and lyric. The reason this is important is that great songs work on multiple levels. When the art forms of music and poetry are combined, the results are complex and subtle. When you are singing a great song, it is your responsibility to understand it to the best of your ability. Finding these kinds of connections does not take any special knowledge but it does take time and careful listening. Digging Deeper into the Refrain
Now that you have a better understanding of the refrain’s structure, you can put your “actor hat” back on. You have answered many of the questions from the Actor’s Homework such as “Who is the singer?”, “Who are you singing to?”, “Where are you?”, and “Why do you need to say these words?” But we have not addressed the all-important question: “What changes during the song?” Refrains generally fall into 4 sections of approximately 8 bars each. There is no fixed rule about this, but I encourage you to give each of these sections a difference action. It is possible to combine sections into a single action but having 5 actions, the four from the refrain plus and additional action for the verse, will give the song more shape, more variety and more colors. I have chosen situation #1 from above: A college student with a girlfriend of one yea r has to say goodbye to her for the summer. A 20-year old college student with a girlfriend of one year has to say goodbye to his sweetheart, Grace, for the summer. Grace wanted them to stay at college d uring the 35
summer and take classes together and spend time at the beach. He needs to work to earn money for college and the best place for him to do this is at home in his family’s business. They quarrel over this constantly. The reason he needs to sing this now is because it is the last day before summer break and his father needs him for a big project in the morning. He must catch the train and convince his sweetheart that he will call her everyday, that he will miss her terribly and that his love for her is real and lasting. The pertinent details of this situation are: 1. I need Grace to know that I will return to her after summer break if I can make money at home. 2. I need Grace to understand that I must earn money this summer or I cannot return to school in the fall. 3. I know that Grace is very upset with the fact that I am leaving. 4. I don’t want to fight about this anymore. 5. I must catch the train. 6. I have to tell Grace all of these things carefully or I run the risk of leaving on a sour note. 7. I want Grace to be okay and to understand that I must leave. I need for her to accept this decision. 8. I need Grace to know that my love for her is real and lasting. These are the givens. They are the things that I must accomplish during the song. They are my objectives. Once you have done this work, you can create the defining sentence: “This is a song about a college student who needs my girlfriend to understand that I must work during the summer so that I can be with her in the fall. I need her to understand that our relationship can stand three months of separation.” The defining sentence incapsulates your story in a concise way so that you can repeat it to yourself before beginning to sing. What follows is an example of how I might assign different actions, based on our givens, to each section to give the song a clear shape. We love each other so deeply That I ask you this, sweetheart Why should we quarrel ever Why can't we be enough clever Never to part
To Prepare. I know this could be very difficult so I must prepare Grace for the words I need to say by assuring her that I do love her and that I do not want to live my life without her. The tone of this opening verse will be very conversational and yet loving.
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Ev'ry time we say goodbye I die a little Ev'ry time we say goodbye I wonder why a little
To Convince. I must convince Grace that I have to leave or I cannot return in the fall. I will use logic. While my action is to persuade, I have to be careful with my words so as not to allow her to interrupt me. I must be firm but gentle. This will likely prompt me to sing this passage with a great deal of legato.
Why the gods above me Who must be in the know Think so little of me They allow you to go
To Tease. I need to bring in a little humor at this point because she is beginning to get upset. I will cry out to the gods about how unfair the situation is and do so in an overly dramatic way to get her to laugh, or at least smile. When I say, “They allow you to go,” I really mean that the gods have created a situation where I have to leave in order to work for my father. I hope that by giving this a heightened tone that she will first understand how hard this is for me and also laugh. This will prompt me to make much of the fact that the tune becomes much more melodic and higher. I will “milk” this in a playful manner.
When you're near There's such an air of spring about it I can hear a lark somewhere Begin to sing about it
To Overwhelm. I will shower her with my affection and the beauty of my words. I want her to know what her presence does to me and how hard it will be for me to be away from her. I need her to know that my love is real and lasting. This will cause me to sing with a great deal of warmth and expression.
There's no love song finer, But how strange the change from major to minor Ev'ry time we say goodbye Ev'ry single time we say goodbye
To Pull. I need to ready her for my departure because the train is here now. I may want to speed up this section a bit because I have to get on the train.
These five verbs are just some that are possible. Work to achieve a sequence of actions that vary in texture and emotion. The verbs will delineate beats and give structure to the song. Notice that in my sequence of verbs there is a variety of actions and tactics. Creating this kind of variety will give your interpretation distinctive qualities that will set it apart from other interpretations. Putting your Choices into Action All of this work is well and good but is only theoretical until we make the song “live” in real time, moment to moment. The only way to do this is by building it layer upon layer. The image of a pyramid is helpful. All the work we have done thus far has laid the foundation of the
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pyramid. Now we must build upon this solid foundation by doing the “Song as Monologue” exercises. 1. Energized speech. Using a high level of vocal energy, speak the words without inflection with speed so that the words form on your tongue without stops and starts. The purpose of this is to aid in memorizing and getting the words securely into your muscle memory. Do this until you can do it without any hesitation. Do not do this, however, so quickly that the words have no meaning or can’t be understood. Additional activities: A. You may also choose to speak the lyrics as a dramatic recitation, savoring the images and biting into the words as you might bite into an apple. Imagine that you’ve written the lyrics and are reading them at a poetry reading. Savor every image, rhyme and alliteration. B. Locate the images in your song. As you do the monologue, physicalize the images such as love, heaven or fear. At this point, it’s preferable that you go too far in indicating the images. This will help you to see the images in later steps. In other places in the book, I discuss the pros and cons of indicating in a song. Don’t worry about that for now. 2. EXplore objectives through movement. Physicalize the active verbs in each beat hearing the lyrics in your head but without speaking them. Once a section is finished, move on to the next verb. If it will be helpful, have a friend hold up cue cards with that verb written on it to remind you. Start in a neutral position (focus forward Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. Then when you see the inciting event, begin to hear the monologue in your head while employing complete physical involvement. Don't plan what you are going to do. Let it be spontaneous. 3. Combine action and verse. Physicalize the monologue while saying the lyrics. Start in a neutral position (focus forward, Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. When you see the inciting event, begin to speak the monologue with complete physical involvemen t. This is not a verbal exercise, it is physical. Whisper or shout if you need to. Get down on the floor or stand on a chair if it is appropriate. The lyrics are of secondary importance to the physical life. Be sure to make a clear distinction between each action. To check this, have a friend watch and then list the actions that they saw you do. If they don’t tell you the correct actions, that means that you can be more specific with them. 4. Act. Next, speak the monologue keeping in mind the active verbs you assigned to each beat. The words to the monologue become more important than in the previous exercise but allow your body to respond to the action of the monologue. You may use the cue cards again. Keep your focus forward, center and on your partner. Have a friend stand in for you scene partner if you find that helpful. Do an improvisation with a friend standing in for the scene partner to clearly establish the moment before. 5. Tune. Having the pianist only play chords or a simple, out of tempo, accompaniment, sing the song repeating step 4.
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Take the same pauses you would take while doing the monologue. You are doing the same monologue but simply adding pitch. This is a excellent way to work on phrasing and pacing. The goal of this activity is to take full possession of the song and make it yours. The music in songs can have the tendency to take over the story-telling. You must avoid this at all costs. Songs are stories. 6. Elevate your performance. Next, have the pianist play the actual accompaniment as you sing the song. Physicalize each moment to the degree you feel is appropriate. Do not allow the accompaniment to make your work less specific. Use this pneumonic device to help you remember the order of the monologue steps. E-Energized speech X-EXplore objectives through movement CAV-Combine action and verse A-Act. True monologue T-Tune. Accuracy of phrasing E-Elevate your performance. Everything combined
Conclusion Doing all of this work is crucial in making your performance more specific, detailed and nuanced. It may seem time-consuming and may be frustrating. But if you do it, step-by-step, and build it layer upon layer, it will show in your performance. You will find that the song will be shaped organically, moment to moment with a clear beginning, middle and end. There will be a clear pursuit of objective. You will also find that being specific will keep you from getting distracted with thoughts such as, “How am I doing?” or “Do I sound okay? or “What do I do with my hands?” Your singing will be more effortless and your work more specific.
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Figure 2
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Guidelines for Different Types of Songs: The Actor’s Homework The three sets of questions which follow will guide you in preparing three different kinds of songs for three different contexts. The first is for creating an original situation. It is recommended that you do this for most of your songs, including songs for an audition. The second is for preparing a role in a show. The story and situation is supplied for you and it is your job to bring the character to life and for the song to make sense at that exact location in the show. The last is for a kind of song I call the “I Am” song. The process described for this kind of song is for such situations as a cabaret or simply when it is desirable for the character in the song to be YOU. This kind of work is especially beneficial when you need to personalize a song no matter what context.
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The Actor’s Homework: A Song With a New Context and Situation
Song title: Composer/Lyricist: Show title: Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks. Objective Interpretation What is this song about objectively? Looking at the lyrics, and without adding your interpretation, what is the song about and what happens? One or two sentences.
Subjective Interpretation A. Who is the singer? Describe the singer using clear, definite statements.
B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict. C. When is it? D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you. E. Why do you need to say these words? Obviously, the stronger the need, the better. F. What changes during the song? G. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it? H. Why sing this song now, and not yesterday or tomorrow? Your Created Situation Write the details of the situation you have created. If you are using the situation from the show, use the next set of questions.
Defining Sentence This is a song about_____________________that (continue the sentence below)
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Song Analysis What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, “ending up where you started”, or a serendipity arc?
Looking at the sheet music, do an analysis of the music making specific note of the relationship between the lyric and the music. Make mention of the song’s formal structure, changes in tempo, changes in style, and changes in accompaniment. Read the lyric and make decisions as to where beat changes occur. Deciding where beat changes happen is a delicate balance between musical understanding, dramatic understanding and intuition. Summarize the beats below. You may want to include a few lyrics that indicate beat changes. Choose a strong, active verb for each beat. Helping verbs
Hurting verbs
Reaching verbs
Gathering verbs
to uplift
to destroy
to share
to invite
to build
to crush
to open
to welcome
to excite
to bombard
to push
to seduce
to support
to mock
to reassure
to pull
to overwhelm
to annihilate
to encourage
to caress
to celebrate
to belittle
to convince
to charm
to paint
to punish
to overwhelm
to prepare
to suppress
to inspire
Describe the three moment before events: seeing the event (what do you see?), taking it in (what effect does it have on you?) and responding to it (what is your response?).
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The Actor’s Homework: Using the Givens from the Musical Before you complete this sheet, it is assumed that you have read the libretto and are able to sing the song in the correct style with the correct pitches and rhythms. Song title: Show title: Year of the show’s opening: Composer/Lyricist: List a few of the important musicals this team wrote:
Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
Character Analysis 1. List and briefly describe the significant relationships your character ha s with other characters in the musical. (For example: Curley in OKLAHOMA!) Laurie - the love of my life. Judd - my adversary. He's the guy that stands in the way of my happiness with Laurie. Aunt Eller 2. In one paragraph, write the essential story of your character from their first entrance to their last scene. What is their story arch and super objective? 3. Describe the important details about the location and time period of the events in the musical.
Song Analysis 1. Why have the show's creators decided that this moment in the musical is better sung than spoken? This question is, of course, subjective but nonetheless important to consider. 2. What information about the character and situation is revealed in the song? 3. What information do we get about the character and/or situation from the music (without the lyrics)? You will want to listen just to the piano accompaniment.
Who, What, When, Where & Why • Describe your character using clear, definitive statements. • Who are you singing to?
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• When is it? • Where are you? • Why do you need to say these words? • What changes during the song? • What do you want during the song? What will happen if you don’t get it? • Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?
Defining Sentence The form of the defining sentence is slightly different for book musicals. Follow this model. Soliloquy is the moment where Billy decides that he will do whatever it takes to provide for his child.
The Bigger Picture • What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, “ending up where you started”, or a serendipity arc? • Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form. What does the music communicate about the character and the situation? • Read the lyric where the beat changes occur. Look for musical changes as well as changes in the lyric. Summarize the events of the song in one or two paragraphs making note of the beat changes. Considering what you now know about the character, situation and the song’s arch, choose a strong, active verb for each beat and write that verb next to the beat in the section just above. I would advise you to choose verbs that are what the character is actually doing with their words and body for each beat. Actions such as caress are fine if that is actually what your character is doing. In other words, don’t choose caress if it is a metaphorical caress . Describe the three moment before events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it. Also consider your character’s history, story arch and super objective as you think about the moment before.
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The Actor’s Homework” The “I Am Song”
Define the I Am Song When singing an "I Am" Song I suggest choosing a real-life situation you can sing about. One caveat, please don't choose truly painful situations. This will likely lead to a performance that is too inward looking and the discomfort it will bring up will not helpful to your work. Really recent events are also problematic. An actor friend of mine calls this "picking wound s." When working on this kind of song, you'll want to steer clear of playing mood or emotion. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking, "This song is sentimental" or "This song is sad." Instead, you will be much more specific and the song will be more interesting if it has a conflict, an objective and has a beginning, middle and ending. But I am not saying that you should only use happy situations for an "I Am" Song. Tears may come in your work and that is not a bad thing. But crying during a performance is not a good thing for all the obvious reasons. Tears come either when we make a con nection to something or someone or a connection is broken. These things aren't necessarily bad. My best advice about tears during a song is that you should allow the tears to come if you're singing about a lost connection but only during your rehearsal. Let them flow freely because in doing so, you'll be able to work through the situation in a healthy manner that will help the song. The feelings you felt in your rehearsal will still be evident in the final performance but you'll be able to avoid them. I like this image. Think of tears and situations that cause them as a fire. If you feel cold, move toward the fire or the feelings. If you feel too warm, move away from them by thinking of something less painful and more positive. I want to share a beautiful cabaret video by Karen Mason illustrating this point beautifully. Youtube: Karen Mason “We Never Ran Out of Love” You’ll want answer the questions and do the associated activities keeping the work very personal, so personal that you’ll want to keep it private. This set of questions can be used when you prepare a song for a cabaret. Song title: Composer/Lyricist: Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
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Beginning Questions Why are you the perfect person to sing this song? What it is about you that makes this song a good choice for you? What do you need to say through this song? What are the traps of this song? Are there ways that the music, accompaniment or melody, could or should be adjusted for the story you want to tell? Describe the situation.
Who, What, When, Where & Why • Who are you singing to? • • When is it? • Where are you? • Why do you need to say these words? • What changes during the song? • What do you want during the song? What will happen if you don’t get it? • Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow? • What is the arc of your song? Describe the three moment before events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it. 1. 2. 3.
Defining Sentence Write your defining sentence in a form that makes sense for your situation. You might begin with: “This song is about . . .” or “This song is the moment where . . .”
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Inner Monologue “Power of Two” by the Indigo Girls This is a song about me in which I must awaken my partner of 2 years, Francis, to the depression she’s in that is affecting our relationship. We must both break out of the patterns we’ve been following or risk having an unhappy life together. I’ve been under a lot of stress at work because my job might be eliminated. I also have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I’m singing to Francis who is very distracted by the long hours at work and a rigorous travel schedule. The trap of the song is that since it’s so positive I could just make this a straight ahead love song and forget about the conflict. I had to remember a time where it would make sense for me to say these words It is the morning of our drive to her parents for Thanksgiving. I need to say these words because we are stuck. We aren’t going to see each other for the next two weeks. We both feel the weight of each of our lives impacting us to the point of despair. When I woke up, I had a moment of clarity where I know we need to put everything aside for a period so that we can get our lives figured out and make plans for a more productive existence. During the song, I’m able to get Francis to admit to her depression and for us both to begin making plans for our future. I need real peace and happiness for us both and for us to spend more time together. I need to seize this moment to confront the situation because I can’t continue in the way we’re living. We’ve both been complaining about our lives but not doing anything about it. The moment before is when I hear Francis say that he’s going to be traveling for 2 weeks and when she gets back she has a huge project that must be completed. At first this makes me mad but then it lights a fire in my heart to try to make some changes. My response is unlike my typical response. Instead of being sad, I decide I have to take action. It’s a winning arc because I am able to awaken Francis and create a space where we can talk about the changes we need to make. I will ask my Musical Director/Pianist to make the song a little more gentle than the original version. I also think it would be smart to simplify the accompaniment in both of the verses so that I can tell the story and not feel like I’m just singing a pop song.
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Now the parking lot is empty, everyone’s gone Francis, I have To paint someplace. I’ll pick you up and in the trunk something serious that I I’ve packed a cooler and a two-day suitcase. need to talk about. I I’m painting the Cause there’s a place we like to drive way out know you hate talking picture of how in the country. And five miles out of the the about work but you have our life is right city limit we’re singing and your hands upon to admit that it’s coming now and how it my knee between us. Can we use needs to change. this time to reconnect? So we’re okay, we’re fine. Baby I’m here to stop you’re crying. Chase all the ghosts from your head. I’m stronger than the monster beneath your bed. I’m smarter than the tricks played on your heart. We’ll look at them together and we’ll take them apart. Adding up the total of a love that’s true. Multiply life by the power of two.
You and made a To caress commitment to each other 2 years ago that we I’m reminding would stick together and Francis of our work our our problems. commitment and In that time you’ve telling her that helped me make more things will be sense of my life and I’m okay. Things happier with you. I often aren’t going to be feel like you’re the only perfect but they person who’s understood can be perfectly me. fine. I need to caress her in a way that comforts his heart and soul and reaches into her core.
Now we’re talking ‘bout a difficult thing and your eyes are getting wet. But I took us for better and I took us for worse. Don’t you ever forget. The steel bars between me and a promise suddenly bend with ease. And the closer I’m bound in love with you, the closer I am to free.
I don’t know what’s going to happen with my health. I don’t know how it’s going to affect me but through it all, I can be strong with your help. And I can help you with your struggles too if we could just talk about it. You give me the
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to lay bare. I’m laying bare my heart and saying I don’t know what the future is going to hold for us and that we have to take hold of the moment and make our lives into what we truly want.
So we’re okay, we’re fine. Baby I’m here to stop you’re crying. Chase all the ghosts from your head. I’m stronger than the monster beneath your bed. I’m smarter than the tricks played on your heart. We’ll look at them together and we’ll take them apart. Adding up the total of a love that’s true. Multiply life by the power of two.
I love you and I want to spend the rest of our lives together.
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to Celebrate What am i doing?
Creating Situations for Songs In a musical, songs exist in a specific context within the story. All the details about the character, the situation, the character’s relationship to other people and the reason for singing the song are given to you. Just because you are given this information doesn’t mean that singing the song is easy. You will still need to do a great deal of excavation to make the song believable and you’ll need to explore what is really going on with the character beyond the surface level. Great Pop music also has an associated story but it’s not always as obvious or clear. Why do we need to create situations for songs if most of the songs we sing are theatrical? Creating your own story for a song will make it more personal and make it more as if you are saying these words and making them up as you go. You will be telling your story and not the story of character that someone else created. You’ll be better able to live in the moment because you’ve made it personal. A great situation does a lot of the work for you. Work toward creating a situation that gets your juices flowing. What follows is a discussion of what makes a great situation for a song. There are a number of traps you’ll want to learn to steer clear of. For instance, using a “best friend” as a partner is usually a trap as it doesn’t have enough conflict. In addition, try to steer clear of making the song and your story too negative. It’s very difficult if your situation has too much negativity in it. What makes a good situation? 1. It has conflict. 2. It has interesting details (location and characters). 3. It has a strong other (the person you are singing to). 4. It must give your character a chance to change during the song. 5. It must have a why. It should give you a strong need to say these words. Conflict Conflict is an important aspect of every good story. Without it, the story is without a reason to exist. Conflict comes in many different forms. The conflict could be that yo ur intended lover is interested in someone else. The conflict could be that it seems that no one truly understands you and you need for them to understand why you feel the way you do. Be aware that conflict does not need to take your song into a negative space. Overcoming obstacles is wonderful and something to be celebrated. Interesting details The devil is in the details. If you know where you are, who you are and what time of day it is, it will be more real to you and easier to perform. You will sing the song differently if your character is a hero than if they are cowardly. You will sing the song differently if the time is 3:00 in the morning than if the time is 3:00 in the afternoon. You will also sing the song differently if you are in the street than if you are in your lover ’s apartment. 52
It has a strong other Choose a partner that will add great detail and stir your creativity. If your other is yourself, something that is common in many musical theatre songs, you must, in a sense, separate yourself into two parts and have one part sing to another part. Have the “intellect” sing to the “heart” or the other way around. Or have the brave side sing to the more cowardly side. Change happens within the character Composers, lyricists and book writers create songs for moments of volatility. Change is always in the air. The nature of songs, because they are excep tional, begs for emotional change within characters. It must have a “Why” Because music is involved, the stakes will need to be high. If the situation is too prosaic or ordinary, doing something as exceptional as singing is not required. You will often hear acting teachers to say, “Raise the stakes.” This is why it is important. The moment where a song, any song occurs, is intrinsically of great importance.
Throughout the preceding chapters you have read some situations for songs I have created. Perhaps you are already getting the hang of it. Let’s look at a song specifically with the idea of creating a situation that brings life to the song and stirs your creative juices. “I Got the Sun in the Morning” from Annie Get Your Gun Taking stock of what I have and what I haven't What do I find? The things I got will keep me satisfied Checking up on what I have and what I haven't What do I find? A healthy balance on the credit side Got no diamond, got no pearl Still I think I'm a lucky girl I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night Got no mansion, got no yacht Still I'm happy with what I got I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night Sunshine, gives me a lovely day Moonlight, gives me the Milky Way Got no checkbooks, got no banks Still I'd like to express my thanks I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night And with the sun in the morning 53
And the moon in the evening I'm all right What is the song about objectively? It’s about a person declaring their good fortune in life despite not having much of what people might think makes them happy. Who might say these words? This is where things begin to get tough. Be careful to choose someone who can say these words and mean them truthfully. It makes the most sense for your other to be someone who needs to hear these words. Try singing to a family member who is wealthy, someone you love who needs to enjoy the simpler things in life as you do. You are worried about the way their life is going. If you don’t convince him to change his ways, he’ll continue to be a workaholic without deep love.
Or perhaps your other is yourself. You are very sad because you fear that you aren’t as successful as you could be. The song affirms that success is measured by many standards and that you don’t need money to be happy. Your “heart” could sing to your “head.” A choice that isn’t as strong is that you are singing to your best friend who has lost his job. If you aren’t careful these words could make him feel as if you think you are better than he is because you understand life better. For now, let’s choose the first situation and flesh it out. Conflict The conflict is found in your fear that your brother is living his life without the rewards of love and happiness. Interesting details You’ve invited your brother and his wife over for dinner. You’ve spent most of dinner hearing him brag about how much money he makes even though he doesn’t have the opportunity to spend much time with his wife or doing the things he used to enjoy. You are a visual artist who tries her best to live life to its fullest in good times and bad times. He has criticized you because you don’t have a retirement plan and only a small savings account. You want to convince him that even through this is true you are as happy as you can imagine being. It has a strong other The other in this situation, your workaholic brother is strong because of contrast between the two of you. He needs to hear these words and you need to say them because you love him and are concerned about what might happen to him.
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Change happens within the character The change could be in your character because you understand your convictions in a deeper way about what is important in life. In addition, p erhaps you are able to change, if only in a small way, how your brother sees his life in relationship to his work and the pe ople he loves. It must have a “Why” This is probably obvious by now but the why is your need to change your brother’s mindset. It’s vitally important because you fear he is headed toward a life of great unhappiness.
What have we learned by creating this particular situation? •It’s important that we understand what the song is really about. •It’s important to choose someone who can say these things and mean them truthfully, •Its important to create details that flesh out the story and make it interesting for you. •It’s important to have conflict. •It’s important to have an other that intensifies the conflict. •It’s important that change happens in the song. •It’s important that there is a strong “Why” that these words are sung in this moment. Now I’d like to talk about creating a situation that isn’t strong for a song. Discuss “I’m Old Fashioned” and making it about “I don’t want to have sex with you until we are married.” This story line is very modern and while I celebrate setting older songs in a modern story, this takes the song in a very negative direction. The song is about reaching out to someone and celebrating old-fashioned qualities. I’m Old Fashioned I am not such a clever one About the latest fads I admit I was never one Adored by local lads Not that I ever try to be a saint Im the type that they classify as quaint I’m old fashioned I love the moonlight I love the old fashioned things The sound of rain Upon a window pane The starry song that April sings This years fancies Are passing fancies But sighing sighs holding hands These my heart understands I’m old fashioned But I don't mind it 55
That's how I want to be As long as you agree To stay old fashioned with me. Here I would do some additional situations for other songs: Johnny One-Note This is a song about appreciating the quirky things in each of us—our special gifts. It’s about loving the things that make us special. Maybe you’re singing to someone who feels that they aren’t gifted in a way that makes them unique. Your job is to convince them that they are special so that they will decide to do something extraordinary. You can’t make fun of Johnny, you must love him. Decide that this is a story you are making up in order to give courage to your “other.” What are some possibilities?
Create a situation for “I Remember.” This is a very good song to do because it’s such an unusual song from an unusual show. You would never sing the song in the context of the show. Further Exploration: Choose a song to create a great situation for. Check to see that you can covered all the bases for creating a strong situation.
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Cabaret Styles You may have an opportunity to perform a Cabaret at various times in your career. Cabaret is a very special art form where you can explore what is unique and special about you as a performer and as a person. This chapter will help you understand the art form, what it is and what it is not. Your skills as an actor and a singer are vital to a great performance and yet what you do in this opportunity is very different from performing in a show or doing an audition. You are not preparing a role or presenting a character. You are you on the stage. This can be scary—like working without a net. But, it can be thrilling for you and your audience. What is a Cabaret? Cabaret has meant many things at different times to different people. In general, the term today simply means a solo singer with piano singing songs in a small room. There are a limited number of cabaret houses in New York and other big cities that host cabaret singers. They usually seat fewer than 100 people. The intimacy of these smaller rooms is important in contemporary cabaret. One of the best ways to think of cabaret is as a great first date. It is as if someone who you really like has said, “So tell me about yourself. I’m really interested.” On a first date there are things that are appropriate to reveal and things you want to save for later. One common trap is to share too much intimate detail about you. Instead, keep it light, interesting, authentic, genuine, and most of all, you. In an interview with Playbill, Sherie Rene Scott said about her autobiographical show, which in many respects is a cabaret, Everyday Rapture, “everything is true — it's the whole truth, nothing but the truth, only better.” In other words, it’s okay to take some liberties to tell your story in an entertaining way. Another example is Sutton Foster who in her cabaret of songs from her album, Wish, did not mention her recent divorce, but instead shared her feelings in the songs. A cabaret is not a concert or a one-person show and it is not about your voice. The cabaret audience wants to hear your thoughts more than hear you sing. Cabaret is about the lyrics and the story that you tell through the lyrics. No matter what you sing, you must have a personal connection to it and a point of view. A cabaret needs to be personal but it does not ha ve to be exclusively about you. If it is too much about your life then it runs the risk of appearing selfish. You should always being thinking of how the lyrics and patter intersect with the lives of your audience. One way to look at it is to think about what is universal about what you want to say. Without being preachy, it is helpful to think about the life lessons you've learned or are learning and weave them into your show. Some of the themes I am referring to could be to “take time to appreciate the good things about life” or “celebrating what is unique about each of us” or “we can learn to take the bad with the good in life without letting it get us down.” You can personalize the material while still allowing the audience to find themselves in your work. Your relationship with the music director is very important in helping you tell your story better. Share your story with your music director and allow them to create a backdrop that allows you to tell your unique story. It’s important that you listen to what the piano is giving you and 57
respond to it. You will prepare with your music director arrangements for your show, which may be very different from the way we are used to hearing a particular song. This is one of the great joys in seeing a show—for the audience to hear a song in a brand new way that is from your unique perspective. The First Question The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “What do I want to say? What is special about my life experience that can hold the attention of someone that does not know me?” This last thing is very important since there is nothing worse than a cabaret of inside jokes and stories about things that an audience member may not know anything about. The difficulty is in editing your patter and presenting it in a way that is interesting, compelling and entertaining. There isn’t time to tell your complete life story. Instead, choose one or two specific things to share that you think will be interesting. You will be doing your show for an audience that includes many of your friends. Put that aside for this opportunity and prepare your cabaret as if you don’t know anyone. Do your cabaret for the people you do not know. Look for ways that you can tell positive stories that are universal in nature so that the audience can relate to you. Song Selection The songs you choose for your cabaret can come from anywhere––musical theatre, standards, modern standards, contemporary pop, children’s songs, folk songs, etc. You will need to shape your ideas so that every song is there for a reason, tells a specific story and fits into the arc of your cabaret. There needs to be a beginning, middle and an end to your cabaret. A variety of styles, tempos and moods is crucial. Don’t choose too many ballads. It is good to choose a mixture of well-known and less well-known material. Present familiar songs in ways that the listener can hear it afresh and such that it tells your story. In choosing your songs, it is recommended that you start first with a list of songs you like and want to sing. Get with a coach, music director or voice teacher and just sing many songs. Allow the other person to respond to what suits you and doesn't. This approach is preferable to devising a theme and choosing songs that fit that theme. Once you have selected a large number of songs, more than you could actually sing, begin looking for themes. For each song, ask yourself, “What do I want to say through this song?”, “Why is it important to me?” and “Do I need this song?” Song selection is everything. There should be a mixture of both the familiar and the surprising. Allow us to hear something we've heard before in a new way. Please have a mixture of tempos and please not too many ballads. Include at least a couple of comedic moments in your songs or patter. Patter Patter is the spoken material used to link song to song. It should be well-written and memorized. Do not try to improvise your patter. It should be a mixture of funny and serious. Don't give away too much about a song in the patter before. Don't interpret the song or give away the ending. If you don't need patter between two songs, don't use it. Patter shouldn't be too long 58
at any given time. One useful tip for writing patter is to write stream of conscious about what a song means to you and how it touches your life and reflects your experience. Then, hone it down to the barest minimum of information. The edited writing you've done then becomes the subtext of the song’s performance. Stop short of telling us what the song will be and how we should understand it. Let the audience draw its own conclusion. Vocal Style and Performance In keeping with the axiom that cabaret is the “art of being yourself, on purpose,” your singing style needs to match your speaking timbre. Use your true, authentic voice unless you choose to do an impersonation or something for comedic effect. In cabaret, we use a microphone so that one doesn’t need to project in the same way you must do if you are in a big theatre. Think of the audience as being very close to you. It is an intimate art form. Keep these things in mind as you are preparing your show vocally. Your blocking and movement choices need to be informed by the use of a microphone. Economy of movement is key. Less is more. There are essentially four positions for cabaret singing:
•Standing with the microphone in your hand. This position has a certain performance e nergy that is especially good for the opening song. •Standing with the microphone in the stand. This is perhaps the most powerful position best reserved for your most powerful moment. •Seated with the microphone in your hand. This communicates a casual intimacy with the audience. •Seated with the microphone in the stand. This communicates that the lyric is very important. Nothing in this position distracts from the ideas in the song. Things to consider for each song: 1. Focus (full audience, single audience person, point beyond the audience, other) 2. Mic position (Standing/mic stand, Standing/mic in hand , Seated/mic in stand, seated/mic in hand) 3. Interpretation (Is the story you're sharing, your story? Is it clear?) 1.Patter (is patter needed? Is there too much patter? Too little patter? Is it clear?) Emotion There is a delicate balance at work in terms of emotional display. We, the audience, want to know there is a living, breathing human, like us, on stage—someone that has experienced the full range of life's ups and downs. But too much sad emotion is out of place and can make the audience uncomfortable. In terms of emotional colors, once again, variety is encouraged. The last thing you want from your show is to allow self-indulgence to creep in.
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A Final Word The audience wants to be moved, wants their hearts be touched, and may even want to be moved to tears. Mostly though, they want to be entertained. We might think of “entertaining” as a bad word or an unworthy objective. But most audience members who go to a show go to hear a few good tunes, to laugh and to have a few drinks. They want to feel , but mostly, they want to be entertained. Your audience should be your first priority.
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Song Types and Structure in Modern Cabaret Think of a cabaret as a great meal that’s extravagant, prepared with great care, nutritious and good for the soul. During such a meal, one expects balance and variety–savory and sweet, familiar and perhaps unfamiliar with a variety of textures and flavors. The corollary in cabaret is that you want both familiar and unfamiliar songs, both humorous and serious songs, as well as songs of different tempos and styles. Whether your show is three songs or 15 songs, these same principles apply. A good Cabaret wants a well thought-out progression of ideas and songs with a through-line from the beginning to the end. The New York Cabaret scene is quite alive and thriving these days and new artists are producing shows at a healthy rate. These singers as well as local performers do shows regionally that are supported by Cabaret series across the country. Training workshops lead by master teachers such as Sally Mayes, Amanda McBroom, Faith Prince, Nancy Wilson, Jason Graae and Andrea Marcovicci are highly successful at the Cabaret conferences at Yale, Santa Fe, Chicago, St. Louis and many other places. But since the New York venues for the shows are quite small and shows are usually only in metropolitan areas, you might not have seen a true cabaret performed in the style discussed here. Fortunately, there have been many albums by artists released in the last few years that illustrate many of the things discussed in this article. Listen to these albums for song types, arrangement ideas and interpretative styles. Of special note are recordings by Victoria Clark, Sutton Foster, Audra McDonald, Liz Callaway, Stephanie J. Block, Rebecca Luker, Andrea Burns, Malcolm Gets, Nancy Lamott, Christine Ebersole, Andrea Marcovicci, Christine Andreas, Brian Stokes Mitchell, as well as many others. Song Types It's important to include a variety of song types when you do a cabaret set. The cabaret audience is very savvy about songs. They know standards, musical theatre songs and great pop music. You must do at least a few songs that an audience member 30-70 years old knows. You must also avoid doing two songs in the same category. Story song Story songs can be quite powerful in a Cabaret, but the story must be told in a way that you hold people’s attention completely. Does the story have to be your story precisely? No, but we need to think it might be. Some of the Post-millennium songs work great here. Avoid the songs that sound like they are excerpted from a show, like “Runaway with Me” and “Not Afraid.” Some good ones are “Lovely Lies”, “Toll”, “To Excess”, “I Took the Filter Off”, “My Heart Was Set On You”, “The Boy with Dreams” and “Sweet Dreams.” Avoid “I'm Not Afraid” and other songs by Jason Robert Brown. His songs, like the songs by Stephen Sondheim, are just a bit too much to take in for a cabaret (with the possible exception of “Stars and Moon”). There are lots of great pop and folk songs that tell beautiful stories. “Love at the Five and Dime” by Nancy Griffith,
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“Celluloid Heros” by the Kinks, “What If We Went to Italy?” by Mary Chapin Carpenter and “Don’t Forget To Remember Me” by Carrie Underwood are excellent examples. Country songs are an especially rich storehouse of great story songs. A familiar ballad done with an interesting new arrangement This is perhaps the one category you should strongly consider including. As an audience, we need one ballad that we know. It puts us at ease and makes us relax and really listen. The new arrangement is because we know these songs so well that it needs to have have something in place that will make us forget we've heard it many times. Think of creating new, tailor-made setting that suits your take on the story. Sutton Foster’s “My Romance” and Victoria Clark’s “Right as the Rain” are great examples. There are three major kinds of ballads: 1. Ballad of love or love lost . Standards like “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “Long Before I Knew You”, “On My Way To You”, “It Might Be You” or Pop songs like “Make You Feel My Love” and “She’s Got a Way About Her.”
2. Introspective/Disclosure/I Want Ballads. “The Man I Love”, “If Only”, “River”, “It Might As Well Be Spring.” 3. The “Message” Ballad , that says something important about the world. “Coney Island”, “What’s the Use of Wondering,” “Something Wonderful,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Rainbow Connection.” In planning the sequence of your show, take the kind of ballad you’re singing into consideration. For instance, the disclosure ballad fits better toward the beginning and the message ballad fits better at the end. Familiar Up-tempos (not Pop/Rock) before 1965 (or sound like they are) These should be done in a jazz or cabaret style and not a musical theatre style. “On the Sunny Side of the Street”, “Shall We Dance?”, “I’m Beginning to See The Light”, “Ro ute 66”, “The Acheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe”, and “It’s De-lovely” are good examples. Songs from the standard musical theatre literature like “A Cock-eyed Optimist”, “A Little Brains, a Little Talent”, and “I Got the Sun In the Morning and the Moon At Night” fit here as well if they are sung in a new setting. Modern Cabaret standards Songs by John Bucchino (“Grateful”, “Unexpressed”, “Sweet Dreams”), Craig Carnelia (“Flight”, “The Kid Inside”, “Nothing Really Happened”), Jeff Blumenkrantz (“Toll”, “Lovely Lies”, “Take the Filter Off”), Maury Yeston (“I Had a Dream About You”, “New Words”, “Danglin’), Michel LeGrand (“A Piece of Sky”, “How Do You Keep the Music Playing”, “You Must Believe In Spring”, “On My Way To You”) , David Friedman (“Listen to My Heart”, “We Can Be Kind”, “We Live On Borrowed Time”) and a few other composers are core literature for the cabaret audience. Songs from this category are most welcome. 62
Torch songs Women only and best if done by seasoned performers. Pop songs done in a cabaret style. Pop songs are most welcome in the cabaret scene but you should be aware of some things. The song must be very strong lyrically and musically. Sometimes, when stripping a song to its simplest form with just piano and voice, the c raftsmanship is revealed to be lacking. No matter how much you love the original recording, please don’t do a song because of the recording. You must re-interpret these songs vocally and musically so that the lyric is of primary importance and the music is interesting and helps to tell your specific story. A pop song done straight forward in the original style is probably not a good fit. Comedy Songs Most performers struggle with this area but all shows need humor. Try to find humor in unexpected ways. Jason Graae has made a killing doing "Popular" and it works because it's so unexpected to have a man do the song. It would not work for a woman in the same way. Avoid gimmicky hooks like doing "On the Street Where You Live" like a slasher. Start with the kinds of the things that make you laugh. Look for ways to make a song that wasn’t originally comic into something funny. An excellent example I’ve done recently was “Part of Your World” done in the voices of the great divas like Ethyl Merman, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Brittany Spears and Liza Minnelli. Contemporary Theatre Song These are outstanding choices for your show, but if you do one, you must strip it of all of the expectations associated with it. If it is an “Eleven-O’Clock” n umber, do it as an intimate ballad. If it is a belt number, avoid belt. In other words, take it far away from what we are used to so that we can hear the lyric in a fresh way. Remember that cabaret is never about the voice. It is about the lyric and connecting the lyric to your personal experience and well as the experiences of your audience. I've seen "Corner of the Sky", "Astonishing", "Gimme, Gimme", and "Just Around the Riverbend" work when it was taken in unexpected directions musically and not performed as if they were part of a show. Sondheim Sondheim deserves his own unique category. Because the songs are incredibly well written, sophisticated and complex musically and lyrically, they can be a little difficult for an audience. But as I’ve said, the cabaret audience knows this literature. I’ve seen major portions of shows devoted to Sondheim as Liz Callaway did in Even Stephen, and it can work beautifully. But please, do these songs only if you have a very strong reason to and do it exceptionally well. What is the “Cabaret Style”? The most important consideration when setting the style of a song is that the lyric is the most important thing. Often songs are lowered so that they are in the speaking range. The role of the 63
piano is to help tell the story. The accompaniment is often changed to help illustrate the specific story the singer is telling. Good music director/pianists support the artist without distracting from them with too much filagree but with a lot of color and nuance. The role of the pianist cannot be underestimated in a great show. Changing Styles Changing the musical setting of a song works wonders in a show by providing something fresh and surprising. Faith Prince does a faster, jazzier version of “If I Were a Bell” and Liz Callaway does an exciting arrangement of “Something’s Coming” that’s very different from West Side Story’s setting. Why is it important not to do a song in the style of the musical it’s from? Remember that a Cabaret is a show you’ve written for yourself to showcase your best a ttributes. If you do a song just as it’s done in the musical, you put yourself into the role of the show’s character and not your unique self.
“I’m Old-Fashioned”, written by Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer in 1942, is one of the great standard ballads. But, it can also work beautifully in other styes such as a “charm Song” or midtempo swing. A singer I worked with wanted to include this song but needed not to have another ballad. She also needed an introductory number at the top of her show. A light, charming swing was a perfect solution. Look for ways that up-tempos can become ballads and vice versa. If you're famous, you can do nearly anything you want. Sutton Foster sings the greatest “belter songs” no one should sing (“Defying Gravity”, “The Story Goes On”, “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)” and “Meadowlark”). Her show is warm, personal and understated but then she sings these iconic belt numbers by introducing these out-of-left-field songs is very funny way. Jason Graae sings “Mrs. S.L. Jacobowsky” from Grand Tour in the context of the show. But until you're more established, be careful making these kinds of choices. Variety is the key. Please don't want more than one song-type in a show. Creating an arrangement with a Musical Director: An example Talk to your Music Director about creating new arrangements for some if not all of your songs. This has become a hallmark of the modern cabaret scene. It's expected and maybe even demanded by modern audiences.
You begin creating a new arrangement by having a very clear idea about the story you want to tell. Communicate this clearly to the Music Director. Where are you in the story? What time of day is it? How old are you? What are the emotions associated with your story? How Are Things in Glocca Morra? An experienced male cabaret singer I worked with wanted to do a song about home. The core idea is that home never leaves you no matter how far away you are. His idea was to do "How Are Things in Glocca Morra" but he didn't want it to remind anyone of Finian's Rainbow. It also had to look and sound good in a man’s voice. These are the kinds of songs caba ret audience love– taking a familiar song and making it seem brand new. 64
His input: “I go on a lot of trips for work and feel disconnected sometimes. I feel as if I’m getting further away from home physically and spiritually. I want to return to the idea of home in many different ways.” Questions to ask. What is the intrinsic structure of the song? It’s a straight ahead 4/4 ballad in AAB form with an introductory verse. How do we make it different from the expectations associated with the song? What do you want it to look like? Feel like? What do you want to say with this song? His response. “It's like the end if Wizard of Oz–what is of value was there at home all along. Can we quote lines from Wizard of Oz to tie the two together?” This could be hokey but it's that tight rope walking that creates brilliance. When working on a new song, first, say the lyrics as yourself and think a bout how it relates to your personal story and life. Second, paraphrase the lyrics but keep the general structure of the song. Now sing it with piano playing simple chords, colla voce, so that you can sing the pitches but without singing the song as it’s usually sung stylistically and rhythmically. Emotional truth is important. The lyrics are what matters most, not the music or the vocal. This exercise will help guide you toward creating the arrangement. Perhaps the singer is a classical musician and the idea of a classical setting feels right. (Victoria Clark's "I Got Lost in His Arms" does this). Or perhaps the singer is from a rural background and a more folky setting feels right. Arpeggiated eighth notes on the piano will evoke images of him playing the guitar on his porch late at night. Perhaps the singer has a daughter and wants to assure her that he and she are safe as he travels so far away. A lullaby setting would be lovely. Perhaps quote some famous lullabies. The piano would be voiced high and played with steadiness like a music box. Because it might be tiresome to do the full song this way, maybe change at the B section to something different that furthers the story. He settled on the Folk setting to great success. He started with the refrain accompanied b y a simple guitar-like intro. At the end of the refrain, he did the verse out of tempo and very free. He then moved back to the B section (“So I ask each weeping willow...”) with passion and strength.
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Some Basic Rules to be Aware of In Creating Your Show • Don’t say anything that could sound like bragging. Use phrases like “I was so fortunate to . . .”
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Don't make your patter too much about yourself but completely personalize the song’s performance, using it to tell your story. Don't make it chronological. It’s too easy to lose your audience by saying something like, “And then when I was twelve . . .” In patter, don't give too many details of your story as you introduce a song. Instead give just enough detail to peak the audience’s curiosity. Put the little details and the emotion into the actual song. One of the goals of Cabaret is to allow each audience member to find themselves in the songs you sing. Make your goal to reach audience members, not to impress them. That’s why it’s important not to spend too much time speaking about your own autobiography. According to Andrea Marcovicci, the perfect patter is one or two lines that ends with a laugh. Humor is essential. If your songs aren’t funny, your patter must be. Don’t laugh at your jokes. You can laugh at yourself after the audience laughs. Liz Callaway tells a story about being the stand-by for Barbara Streisand’s Concert tour. While Ms. Streisand wanted to see how the show looked, Liz would stand in and sing. As she tells this story, she doesn’t brag about it but only talks of how amazing it was to be a part of the once-in-a-lifetime experience. Jason Graae is the voice of Lucky Charms commercials. When he tells the story of getting the job, he doesn’t brag about it but makes himself into the buffoon. It’s like a stand-up routine. Overt religious talk must be avoided as well as anything that separates people into different groups. But Cabaret can be quite spiritual in the ways it can remind us of what we have in common and about the wonderful world of nature and people we are fortunate to live in. This is tricky ground and it’s important to steer clear of the traps. The Cabaret audience is likely to be the most open, diverse, and affirming groups you could imagine. Assume that sexual orientation is not an issue. You do not need to tell us if you are gay. And being gay does not give permission to break the rules of privacy. Avoid the phrase, "This next song." There is an unwritten rule that you're not allowed to steal someone else's arrangement. While arrangements are not copy written, they belong to the original performer. You can create something just as good that’s unique to you. Cabaret Structure for Shows between 5 and 20 songs
1. The Opening number sets the tone. It should be welcoming and well-known. Probably uptempo and positive. It shouldn’t be romantic unless you're romancing the audience. Avoid introspective songs and story songs. In a ca baret show, you must must allow time for us to get to know you. Don't assume you “have us” too soon by sharing something too personal at the top. A 66
cabaret is like a first date. You get dressed up and share only the most charming, entertaining aspects of your life. 2. The second song is perhaps the most difficult to chose. It should be in a d ifferent style than the first. It can be comedic, light and charming song, or ballad that’s not too heavy. Remember, the audience is still getting to know you. 3. The progression from here to the end can be just about anything as long as there is variety of tempos, style and tone. 4. Next to last song. This is the strongest position in the show. You can put your deepest, most heartfelt song here, or it can be the most performative song. It should be the climax. 5. Finale. The closer should rap your show in a nice package and send people away feeling good. It’s possible that this could be a ballad such as “What a Wonderful World” if your previous song wasn’t a ballad. Or it could be an uptempo like “That’s Life.” It’s best if it is lighter in tone than the penultimate song. For longer shows of more than 10 songs. 6. For longer shows, an Encore is expected.The encore should be short and special, or fun and light. An encore can be a ballad or uptempo. If it’s a ballad, keep it short. Think of it as an after dinner mint--a sweet finisher. Further Exploration Listen to some great cabaret recordings. I would suggest Sutton Foster’s Wish, Victoria Clark’s Fifteen Seconds of Grace and Audra McDonald’s How Glory Goes. These three CDs are excellent examples of modern cabaret performances with interesting arrangements of some familiar material along with newer material.
There are also a few recordings of full shows. Patti LuPone’s Far Away places, Laura Osnes ???? and Kate Baldwin ???? are some. These will give you a sense of patter and flow. Plan your cabaret show. Start with the question, what do I have to say that’s unique to me and would be interesting to an audience who doesn’t know me. What songs help to tell that story? Do have have an interesting, captivating opener. Some comedy? Something more serious? Choose a song or two and do the internal monologue exercise.
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Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers If you are one of the growing numbers of folks who have the dream of doing professional or amateur musical theatre, I'm sure you’ve listened to lots of cast albums, seen as many shows in New York and regionally as you can, watched DVDs and spent hours on YouTube. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? Watching and listening is the best way to learn and get inspired, but perhaps it has also left you a bit confused or frustrated. You might wonder, “How could I ever sing with as much beauty as he does,” or “How could I ever belt as high as she can?” Or you might wonder how some actors could have landed the role in the first place? Have you ever wondered what the expectations of Musical Theatre singers are today? If you’ve listened to cast albums from the past, you must have observed that there have been some great singers as well as some singers who, let’s face it, were not great. Does that mean that anything goes and that you just have to be in the right place at the right moment? The vocal standards of the past were different than today. Today, the standards are exceedingly high. But do not fret. This chapter will help you identify the important skills for you to be aware of as you continue your training. No one expects you to have all of these skills when you are in the early stages of training. Forty or fifty years ago, Musical Theatre performers usually were either actors or singers or dancers or personalities. The ideal of the so-called Triple-Threat did not exist as it does today. Performers from earlier generations might have been actors who could sing (Alfred Drake, Barbara Cook, Mary Martin, Angela Lansbury) or dancers who could sing (Ray Bolger, Gwen Verdon), or they might be personalities who could sing (Ethyl Merman, Carol Channing). But in the last 20 years, the art of musical theatre has changed. In most cases, performers are expected to be singer, actors and dancers with high skill. The expectations for singers today has especially risen because we are inundated with music and because there are so many young performers to choose from in auditions. Musical Theatre, as an art form, isn’t something that people studied until about 25 years ago. What are the expectations are for younger artists entering the business today? First, you must know the singing actors who are working and have worked in at least the last twenty years. Their recordings and videos can be your guide. Become a student of live performances, cast albums and video recordings. I’ll help you break down the expectations so you can know what to work for. The Necessary Musical Skills Strong musicianship In order to be a professional, you will need a solid understanding the mechanics of music and have the ability to translate notation into a compelling performance. Of course, there have been many examples of working professionals who didn't read a bit of music. But now, with the rising 68
costs of mounting a production and the speed at which shows are rehearsed, things are much different today. You are not expected to sight read music flawlessly, but you are expected to read music (and understand all the symbols and terminology) and to be able to learn music independently. If you cannot do this, it is expected that you will hire a coach to help you. There simply isn't enough time for a musical director to teach you every note. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to learn a new song, not memorized necessarily, in two days or less. If you can't, you will frustrate yourself and the folks who hire you. Pitch accuracy and intonation Musical Theatre is live art form. In the last 20 or 30 years, the quality and accuracy of singing has risen to a very high level. Audiences, raised on television and the internet are more sophisticated and demanding. Vocal Range and Style In most cases, the dividing line between soprano and mezzo and between tenor and baritone which we have all grown up with are blurred in modern musical theatre practice. Don't misunderstand me. People still are sopranos, mezzos, tenors or baritones but everyone is expected to be able to sing nearly everything within reason. If you really want to be marketable, everyone will need a very strong classical technique that allows the voice to move freely with resonance and vibrancy. In addition, it is also highly desirable for you to be able to sing without vibrancy as well as with minimal vibrancy. You will need this skill in passages that require a more speech-like, parlando approach (as in Standard or some Golden Age verses) or in modern pop-rock influenced music. It is also highly desirable to be able to transition from a non-vibrant sound to full vibrancy as this frequently required in mix-belt songs on sustained pitches.
Sopranos should be able to sing comfortably from G3 (below middle C) to C6 or D6 (above the staff) in Bel Canto style. Bel Canto is a style o f singing characterized by beauty of tone. Legato and evenness across the registers are its trademarks. Sopranos should also have a very strong mix able to carry the chest voice up moderately high with volume and minimum vibrancy but without pushing. If you are able to move over into belt, that's great but a very strong, powerful mix that can sound like belt is the bread and butter for the modern soprano. Mezzos should be able to sing comfortably from E3 (below middle C) to A6 or B6 (at the top of the staff) in Bel Canto. They should also have a very strong mix able to carry the chest voice up moderately high with volume and minimum vibrancy but without pushing. Belt is expected with true mezzos but avoid pushing at all costs. Tenors should be able to sing comfortably from G2 to C5 or D5 in Bel Canto style. The challenge for tenors is singing above the staff. Work to be able to produce a variety of sounds in the upper range including a lyrical sound, a soft/tender sound (approaching falsetto without being too flute-y) and a powerful sound. This powerful sound is sometimes called male-belt. Some reject this term. Whatever you call it, strong singing at the top of the range is what we most want to hear from tenors today. 69
Baritones should be able to sing comfortably from E2 to Bb5 in Bel Canto. Okay young baritones, are you sitting down? This might seem like bad news, but it doesn't have to be. Traditionally, the baritone is usually either one of these older character types like the anti-hero (Billy in Carousel , Sweeney in Sweeney Todd , Paul in Carnival , Coalhouse in Ragtime) or the buffo (Trevor Greydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Ivan in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown). These roles usually go to men in their 40s or older. But there are many working younger baritones who have found a new, more youthful approach that is closer to what we generally think of from tenors. Sometimes this range is referred to a s the Bari-tenor. The Baritenor is one of the most frequent ranges in modern theatre. It’s something in the middle of the two and combines the best qualities of each —strong singing in the lower range mixed with the ability to extend the range above the staff. If you are a true baritone, don't try to be a tenor but, unless you are singing one of these older roles, lighten up as you go higher.
For most modern shows, the ensemble is required to have a wide range. And dance! In recent years, ensemble singing in such shows as Wicked , In the Heights and The Book of Mormon, vocal arrangers are asking the ensemble to singer higher than in the past. Sopranos will need an easy C or D, tenors are kept above the staff much of the time and baritones are treated like second tenors. Part Singing All singers should to be able to sing parts and hold down their part securely. Men should be able to sing both tenor and bass depending on the range of the part and women need to be able to sing soprano and alto. Creating a balanced ensemble can be challenging for musical directors since casts aren't assembled with an eye toward equal forces on each part. Most of the time you won't be asked to sing outside your range in an ensemble but you will be expected to be flexible. Rock Styles In most cases now, singers are expected to be able to sing in Rock styles and be able to riff. You might think that you simply are gifted with the Rock sound but this is a singing style, like others, that can be learned. I would encouraged you to pick up Sherry Saunder’s book, Rock the Audition, for more information about this style. Vocal Colors In the chapter that follows, I discuss Vocal Colors in great detail. Vocal colors is a term I like to use when describing the virtually infinite ways the voice can produce sound. The changes in
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dynamics, vibrancy, resonance, intention and host of other things create dramatically different versions of the song. In dramatic singing, voc al colors are an incredibly powerful tool in communicating meaning and subtext. In classical singing, there is traditionally a focus on unity across registers with a similar color throughout that is fully vibrant and resonant. The b etter opera and art song singers are aware of the power of changing the colors for the sake of communication in such ways a varying the rate of vibrato, the brilliance, prominence of consonants and others ways. But, by and large, the Bel Canto style is to obtain beauty at all costs. But for the musical theatre singer, character, situation and text are more important than pure sound. Beauty of sound is valued if the moment calls for it. More than anything, the singer must sing in a manner that is consistent with their character's truth in that moment. If the character is fearful, the voice can and should reflect that. If they are triumphant, the voice will reflect that. Conclusion
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Learning from the Other Singers I’ve compiled a list of important musical theatre performers from today and from the past. This is a tool for you to use as you develop as a singer. Blah blah about how to learn from recordings. Give an example by dissecting a recording. Youtube search: Obsessed Seth Rudetsky
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Musical Theatre Singers You Should Know Before we commence with the female singers you should be aware of, I’ll start with the singers I assume everyone knows. These women have have long and significant careers on Broadway, and/or in film and in television that a large majority of folks, in the theatre and out, know them. Taken as a whole, their voices represent a wide variety of voice types and character types. If you don’t know them, do yourself a big favor by spending an afternoon listening to them. It will inspire you. These women are legendary. I’ve listed one song that, for each performer, I believe is essential listening. (R) indicates a revival. Make note of the actors who have won a Tony award. Legendary Female Singers Angela Lansbury
Audra McDonald Bernadette Peters
Kristin Chenoweth Ethel Merman
Idina Menzel Kelli O’Hara
Liza Minnelli Mary Martin
Patti LuPone
Sutton Foster
Sweeney Todd (Tony), Mame (Tony), Anyone Can Whistle, The Worst Pies in London (Sweeney Todd) Gypsy (Tony) (R), Dear World (Tony), A Little Night Music (R) Ragtime (Tony), Carousel (Tony), Marie Christine, 110 in Your Daddy’s Son (Ragtime) the Shade, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Tony) Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, The Everybody Loves Louis (Sunday in the Goodbye Girl, Song and Dance (Tony), Gypsy, Follies (R), Park With George) Annie Get Your Gun (Tony) (R), Mack & Mabel, A Little Night Music (R) (replacement), Dames at Sea, George M! Wicked, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Tony) (R), Popular (Wicked) Steel Pier, The Apple Tree (R), Promises, Promises (R) Gypsy, Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam (Tony), Rose’s Turn (Gypsy) Panama Hattie, Du Barry Was a Lady, Anything Goes, George White’s Scandals, Girl Crazy Rent, Wicked (Tony), If/Then, See What I Wanna See, The Defying Gravity (Wicked) Wild Party The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific (R), The Pajama The Beauty Is (The Light in the Piazza) Game (R), Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Bridges of Madison County, Far From Heaven, Sweet Smell of Success, Dracula, The Musical The Act (Tony), The Rink, Liza’s At the Palace, Flora, The Maybe This Time (Cabaret, film Red Menace (Tony), Best Foot Forward (R) soundtrack) South Pacific (Tony), The Sound of Music (Tony), Peter Pan A Wonderful Guy (South Pacific) (Tony), One Touch of Venus, I Do! I Do!, Leave It To Me!, Lute Song Evita (Tony), Gypsy (Tony) (R), Sweeney Todd (R), Don’t Cry For Me Argentina (Evita) Anything Goes (Tony) (R), Les Miserables (West End), The Baker’s Wife, Oliver! (R), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Candide (R), Working, Robber Bridegroom, The Beggar’s Opera Anything Goes (Tony) (R), Thoroughly Modern Millie Gimme Gimme (Thoroughly Modern (Tony), Little Women, The Drowsy Chaperone, Shrek the Millie) Musical, Violet (R)
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Female Singers You Should Know Alice Ripley
Next To Normal (Tony), The Rocky Horror Show (R), Side I Miss the Mountains (Next to Normal) Show, King David, The Who’s Tommy Alison Fraser Gypsy (R), The Secret Garden, Romance, Romance, The Hold On (The Secret Garden) Mystery of Edwin Drood Amy Spanger Elf, Rock of Ages, Urinetown, The Wedding Singer, Kiss Right In Front of Your Eyes (The Wedding Me, Kate (R) Singer) Andrea Burns In the Heights, Songs for a New World, Saturday Night (R), I’m Not Afraid (Songs For a New World) It’s Only Life Andrea Martin Pippin (R) (Tony), Young Frankenstein, Fiddler on the Roof No Time At All (Pippin, revival)) (R), Oklahoma! (R), My Favorite Year (Tony), Candide (R) Angela Christian The Woman in White, Thoroughly Modern Millie How the Other Half Lives (Thoroughly Modern Millie) Anika Noni Rose Caroline Or Change (Tony), The Cradle Will Rock (R) I Hate the Bus (Caroline, Or Change) Annaleigh Ashford Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde, Rent (R), Wicked The History of Wrong Guys (Kinky Boots) (replacement) Ashley Brown Mary Poppins, On the Record, Beauty and the Beast If I Were a Bell (Speak Low, album) (replacement) Barbara Cook She Loves Me, The Music Man (Tony), Candide, Plain and My White Knight (The Music Man) Fancy Sondheim on Sondheim, The Grass Harp Barbara Walsh Company (R), Big, Blood Brothers, Falsettos Stop, Time (Big) Bebe Neuwirth Chicago (R) (Tony), The Addams Family, Fosse. Damn A Little Brains, A Little Talent (Damn Yankees (R), Sweet Charity (R) (Tony) Yankees, revival)) Beth Fowler The Boy from Oz, Bells are Ringing (R), Beauty and the Patterns (Baby) Beast, Baby, A Little Night Music Beth Leavel The Drowsy Chaperone (Tony), Elf, the Musical, Baby It’s As We Stumble Along (The Drowsy You!, The Civil War Chaperone) Betsy Wolfe The Last Five Years (R), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (R), Climbing Uphill (The Last Five Years, Merrily We Roll Along (R), Everyday Rapture. Bullets Over revival) Broadway Betty Buckley Elegies, Triumph of Love, Sunset Boulevard (replacement), He Plays the Violin (1776) Carrie, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Cats (Tony), Promises, Promises, 1776 Capathia Jenkins Newsies, Martin Short, Fame Becomes Me, Caroline, Or That’s Rich (Newsies) Change, Godspell (R), The Civil War Carolee Carmello Scandalous, Parade, The Addams Family, Rags, Lestat, You Don’t Know This Man (Parade) Elegies, A Class Act, The Scarlet Pimpernel, john and jen, Hello Again, Falsettos Celeste Holm Oklahoma!, Bloomer Girl, The King and I (replacement) I Cain’t Say No (Oklahoma!) Celia Keenan Bolger The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Merrily We Like It Was (Merrily We Roll Along, Roll Along (R), Les Miserable (R), Summer of ’42 revival) Charlotte d’Amboise A Chorus Line (R), Pippin (R), Sweet Charity (R), Chicago The Music and the Mirror (revival) (R) (replacement), Damn Yankees (R) (replacement), Carrie Chita Rivera Chicago, Bye Bye Birdie, West Side Story, The Rink (Tony), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Kiss of the Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony), The Mystery of Edwin Spider Woman) Drood (R), Nine (R), Merlin, Jerry’s Girls Christiane Noll Chaplin, Ragtime (R), Jekyll & Hyde Back to Before (Ragtime, revival) Christine Andreas La Cage aux Folles (R), The Scarlet Pimpernel, On Your When I Look At You (The Scarlet Toes (R), Oklahoma! (R), My Fair Lady (R) Pimpernel) Christine Ebersole Grey Gardens (Tony), 42nd Street (Tony), Camelot (R), The Revolutionary Costume For Today Oklahoma! (R) (Grey Gardens) Daphne Rubin-Vega Rent, The Rocky Horror Show (R), Les Miserables (R) Out Tonight (Rent) Debbie Gravitte Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Tony), Zorba (R), They’re Mr. Monotony (Jerome Robbin’s Playing Our Song Broadway) Debra Monk Curtains, Steel Pier, Nick & Nora, Pump Boys and Dinettes Everybody’s Girl (Steel Pier) Dee Hoty Bye Bye Birdie (R), Footloose, The Best Little Whorehouse My Unknown Someone (The Will Rogers Goes Public, The Will Rogers Follies, City of Angels Follies) Dolores Gray 42nd Street (replacement), Destry Rides Again, Carnival in If You Hadn’t But You Did (Two on the Flanders (Tony), Two on the Aisle, Seven Lively Arts Aisle) Donna Lynne Champlin Sweeney Todd (R), First Lady Suite, My Life With The Contest (Sweeney Todd, revival) Albertine, By Jeeves
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Donna McKechnie Donna Murphy Dorothy Loudon Eden Espinosa Elaine Paige Elaine Stritch Elizabeth Stanley Emily Skinner Erin Davie Erin Dilly
Faith Prince
Florence Lacey Gwen Verdon Heather Headley Jan Maxwell Jane Krakowski Jenn Gambatese Jennifer Damiano Jessica Molaskey Jill Paice Joanna Gleason Judith Blazer Judy Kaye
Judy Kuhn Julia Murney Karen Akers Karen Olivo Karen Ziemba Kate Baldwin Kate Shindle Kecia Lewis-Evans Kerry Butler LaChanze
Laura Bell Bundy
Chorus Line (Tony), Company, State Fair, Annie Warbucks, Music and the Mirror (A Chorus Line) Promises, Promises Passion (Tony), The King and I (R) (Tony), Wonderful TownI Read (Passion) (R) (Tony), Lovemusik, The People in the Picture Ballroom, Annie (Tony), Sweeney Todd (replacement), Little Girls (Annie) Jerry’s Girls Brooklyn, Wicked (replacement), Rent (replacement) Once Upon a Time (Brooklyn) Evita (West End), Cats (West End), Follies (R), Sunset I’m Still Here (Follies, revival) Boulevard (replacement), Anything Goes (West End) Company, Show Boat (R), A Little Night Music (R), Call Me The Ladies Who Lunch (Company) Madam, Sail Away Cry Baby, Million Dollar Quartet, Company (R) Fever (Million Dollar Quartet) Side Show, James Joyce’s The Dead, The Full Monty Life With Harold (The Full Monty) Grey Gardens, A Little Night Music (R), Curtains Daddy’s Girl (The World She Writes) (replacement), The Glorious Ones A Christmas Story: The Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious Into the Woods (R) (replacement), Thoroughly Modern Milly (Reprise) (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) (replacement) Guys and Dolls (R) (Tony), Nick & Nora, A Catered Affair, It’s a Perfect Relationship (Bells Are Bells Are Ringing (R), Little Me (R), Jerome Robbin’s Ringing, revival) Broadway, Falsettoland Hello Dolly (R), Follies (R), Evita (replacement) Ribbons Down My Back (Hello Dolly, revival) Redhead (Tony), Damn Yankees (Tony), Chicago, Sweet Whatever Lola Wants (Damn Yankees) Charity, Can-Can (Tony) Aida (Tony), The Lion King, The Bodyguard (West End) Easy As Life (Aida) Follies (R), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sound of Music Could I Leave You (Follies, revival) (R) Grand Hotel, Starlight Express, Nine (R) (Tony), Company I Want to Go To Hollywood (Grand Hotel) (R). Once Upon a Matress (R) Tarzan, All Shook Up, Wicked (replacement) One Night With You (All Shook Up) Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, Next to Normal, Spring If The World Should End (Spider-Man: Awakening Turn Off The Dark) Parade, Sunday in the Park with George (R), Chess Sweet Dreams (It’s Only Life) The Woman in White, Curtains, Death Takes a Holiday, How Will I Know? (Death Takes a Matilda: The Musical (replacement) Holiday) Into the Woods (Tony), Nick & Nora, Dirty Rotten Moments in the Woods (Into the Woods) Scoundrels, I Love My Wife Titanic, LoveMusik, Bernarda Alba, Hello Again, Company The Mistress Of The Senator (Hello (R), Lucky Stiff Again) Nice Work If You Can Get It (Tony), On the Twentieth Looking For a Boy (Nice Work If You Can Century, The Phantom of the Opera (Tony), Ragtime, Get It) Mamma Mia! Chess, Rags, Les Miserables, She Loves Me (R), Passion Nobody’s Side (Chess) (R), The Mystery of Edwin Drood The Wild Party, Lennon, Queen of the Mist, Wicked Maybe I Like It This Way (The Wild (replacement) Party) Grand Hotel, Nine Be On Your Own (Nine) West Side Story (R) (Tony), In the Heights, Brooklyn, It Won’t Be Long Now (In The Heights) Murder Ballad, Rent (replacement) Steel Pier, Contact (Tony), Never Gonna Dance, Curtains, Thinking of Him (Curtains) 42nd Street (replacement) Finian’s Rainbow (R), Big Fish, Giant, Wonderful Town (R) How Are Things In Glocca Morra? (replacement) (Finian’s Rainbow, revival) Wonderland, Legally Blonde, Cabaret (R) (replacement) Legally Blonde Remix (Legally Blonde) Once on This Island, The Drowsy Chaperone, Leap of Faith, Mama Will Provide (Once On This Island) Dessa Rose Xanadu, Rock of Ages, Catch Me If You Can, Hairspray, Fly, Fly Away (Catch Me If You Can) Prodigal, Little Shop of Horrors (R), The Color Purple (Tony), Once on This Island, If/Then, I’m Here (The Color Purple) Dessa Rose, The Bubby Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Wicked (replacement), Ruthless! So Much Better (Legally Blonde)
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Laura Benanti
Laura Osnes Lauren Bacall Lauren Kennedy Lauren Ward Lea Salonga Leslie Kritzer
Lillias White Linda Balgord Lindsay Mendez Lisa Howard Liz Callaway Madeline Kahn Mandy Gonzalez Mara Davi
Maria Schaffel Marin Mazzie Mary Beth Peil Mary Louise Wilson Mary Testa
Megan Hilty Megan McGinnis Megan Mullally Melissa Errico
Michele Pawk Montego Glover Nancy Opel Nancy Walker Natascia Diaz Nikki M. James Orfeh Pam Myers
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Tony), Model Behavior (Women on the Verge of a Gypsy (Tony), The Wedding Singer, Nine (R), Into the Nervous Breakdown) Woods (R), Swing!, The Sound of Music (R) (replacement) Cinderella (Tony), Bonnie & Clyde, Anything Goes (R), Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad (Bonnie & Clyde) Grease (R), South Pacific (R) (replacement) Woman of the Year (Tony), Applause (Tony) Welcome To the Theatre (Applause) Vanities, Monty Python’s Spamalot (replacement), Sunset Fly Into The Future (Vanities) Boulevard (replacement), Disaster Matilda: The Musical, 1776 (R), Follies (R), Violet, Saturday Pathetic (Matilda: The Musical) Night Miss Saigon (Tony), Flower Drum Song (R), Les Miserables I’d Give My Life For You (Miss Saigon) (replacement) Sondheim on Sondheim, A Catered Affair, Rooms: A Rock One White Dress (A Catered Affair) Musical, Legally Blonde, Elf, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Godspell (R) Fela!, The Life (Tony), How To Succeed In Business The Oldest Profession (The Life) Without Really Trying (R), Dreamgirls (R), The Pirate Queen, Death Takes a Holiday, La Cage aux The Role Of The Queen (The Pirate Folles (R), Passion, Queen) Godspell (R), Everyday Rapture, Dogfight, Grease (R), Pretty Funny (Dogfight) Wicked (replacement) The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, South Pacific Infinite Joy (Songs of Innocence & (R), 9 to 5, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (replacement) Experience, album) Baby, Miss Saigon, The Look of Love, Brownstone, The The Story Goes On (Baby) Spitfire Grill, Merrily We Roll Along Two by Two, On the Twentieth Century Never (On The Twentieth Century) In the Heights, Lennon, Wicked (replacement), Dance of the Breathe (In The Heights) Vampires Death Takes a Holiday, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (R), Shimmy Like They Do In Paree (Death A Chorus Line (R), The Drowsy Chaperone (replacement), Takes a Holiday) Toxic Avenger Jane Eyre, Titanic (replacement) Painting Her Portrait (Jane Eyre) Ragtime, Passion, Kiss Me Kate (R), Man of La Mancha (R), Back to Before (Ragtime) Next to Normal (replacement), Bullets Over Broadway King and I (R), Follies (R), Sunday in the Park with George Ah, Paris! (Follies, revival) (R), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Grey Gardens (Tony), Cabaret (R), Gypsy (R), Flora, the What Would You Do? (Cabaret, revival) Red Menace Guys and Dolls (R), Xanadu, 42nd Street (R), Marie Change (A New Brain) Christine, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (R), Queen of the Mist, See What I Wanna See, A New Brain 9 to 5, Wicked (replacement) Let’s Be Bad (The Music of Smash, album) Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Millie (replacement), Les Some Things Are Meant To Be (Little Miserables (R) Women) Young Frankenstein, How to Succeed in Business Without Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm (How Really Trying (R), Grease (R) To Succeed In Business) Amour, Dracula, The Musical, Irving Berlin’s White Dusoleil in Jail (Amour) Christmas, Passion (R), High Society, My Fair Lady ( R), Anna Karenina Seussical, Reefer Madness, Bounce, Cabaret (R), Triumph of Amayzing Mayzie (Seussical) Love, Hello Again, Crazy For You Memphis, The Color Purple (replacement) Colored Women (Memphis) Urinetown, Fiddler on the Roof (R), Triumph of Love, Toxic It’s a Privilege to Pee (Urinetown) Avenger, Evita (replacement), Personals On the Town, Best Foot Forward, Do Re Mi I Can Cook Too (On The Town) The Capeman, Seussical, Man of La Mancha (R), Jacques My Death (Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (R) and Living in Paris) The Book of Mormon (Tony), Les Miserables (R), All Shook Sal Tlay Ka Siti (The Book of Mormon) Up Saturday Night Fever, Legally Blonde, Footloose Ireland (Legally Blonde) (replacement) Company, Into the Woods (R), Snoopy Another Hundred People (Company)
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Patina Miller Priscilla Lopez Rachel York Randy Graff Rebecca Luker Sally Mayes Sally Murphy Sara Ramirez Sarah Brightman Sarah Uriarte Berry Sherie Rene Scott
Shoshana Bean Sierra Boggess Stephanie D’Abruzzo Stephanie J. Block Susan Egan Terri White Theresa McCarthy Tonya Pinkins Vanessa Williams Victoria Clark
Pippin (R) (Tony), Sister Act Sister Act (Sister Act) A Chorus Line, Nine, In the Heights, A Day in Hollywood/A What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line) Night in the Ukraine (Tony) City of Angels, Victor/Victoria, The Scarlet Pimpernel Lost & Found (City of Angels) (replacement), Dessa Rose, Summer of ’42, City of Angels (Tony), High Society, A Class Act, Fiddler on You Can Always Count On Me (City of the Roof (R), Angels) The Secret Garden, Show Boat (R), The Sound of Music (R), I Have Confidence (The Sound Of Music, The Music Man (R), Nine (R), Mary Poppins revival) She Loves Me (R), Urban Cowboy, Das Barbecu, Closer A Trip To The Library (She Loves Me) Than Ever Carousel (R), The Wild Party, Fiddler on the Roof (R), What’s The Use Of Wond’rin’ (Carousel, Bernarda Alba, A Man of No Importance revival) Spamalot (Tony), A Class Act, The Capeman Diva’s Lament (Whatever Happened To My Part) (Spamalot) The Phantom of the Opera Think of Me (The Phantom of the Opera) Taboo, The Light in the Piazza, Next to Normal The Joy You Feel (The Light In The (replacement) Piazza) Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Everyday Lovesick (Women on the Verge of a Rapture, The Little Mermaid, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Aida, Nervous Breakdown) The Who’s Tommy, The Last Five Years, Debbie Does Dallas Wicked (replacement), Hairspray, Godspell (R) Bless The Lord (Godspell, revival) The Little Mermaid, The Phantom of the Opera Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid) (replacement), Love Never Dies Avenue Q, I Love You Because There’s a Fine, Fine Line (Avenue Q) The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Boy from Oz, The Pirate The Writing On the Wall (The Mystery Of Queen, 9 to 5, Anything Goes (R) (replacement) Edwin Drood, revival) Beauty and the Beast, Triumph of Love, Cabaret (R) Anything (Triumph of Love) (replacement), Follies (R), Finian’s Rainbow (R), Barnum Necessity (Finian’s Rainbow, revival) Titanic, Queen of the Mist I Remember (The Frogs - Evening Primrose (2001 Studio Cast album) Caroline, or Change, The Wild Party, Jelly’s Last Jam Lot’s Wife (Caroline, Or Change) (Tony), Merrily We Roll Along Sondheim on Sondheim, Into the Woods (R), Kiss of the Last Midnight (Into The Woods, revival) Spider Woman (replacement) The Light in the Piazza (Tony), Cinderella, Sister Act, Dividing Day (The Light In the Piazza) Titanic, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (R), Guys and Dolls (R)
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Male Singers You Should Know Aaron Lazar
The Light in the Piazza, Les Miserables (R), A Tale of Two Cities, A Little Night Music (R) Catch Me If You Can, Next To Normal, Wicked (replacement) Rent, Aida, Memphis (replacement) Les Miserables (R), Sweeney Todd (R), Sunday In the Park With George (R), Assassins (R), The People in the Picture, Pump Boys and Dinettes (R), Road Show Oklahoma!, Beggar’s Holiday, Kiss Me, Kate, Kismet (Tony), Gigi Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony), Les Miserables, Marie Christine, Golden Boy (R), Evita (R) Godspell (R), Avenue Q (replacement) Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin (Tony), Grind, Jelly’s Last Jam, Fosse, Wicked ( replacement) Kinky Boots (Tony), Grease (R), Miss Saigon (replacement), It’s Only Life Big Fish, Ragtime (R), 110 in the Shade, A Minister’s Wife
In Praise of Women (A Little Night Music, revival) I’m Alive (Next To Normal) One Song Glory (Rent) Ladies in Their Sensitivities (Sweeney Todd, revival)
Rock of Ages, Jekyll & Hyde (R), The Wedding Singer (replacement) The Drowsy Chaperone, South Pacific (R), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Follies (R), Cabaret (R) Marie Christine, The Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythm, Kiss of the Spider Woman (replacement)
This is the Moment (Jekyll & Hyde, revival) The Right Girl (Follies, revival)
David Hyde Pierce Dick van Dyke
Spamalot, Curtains (Tony) Bye Bye Birdie (Tony), The Music Man (R)
Douglas Sills
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Little Shop of Horrors (R)
Coffee Shop Nights (Curtains) Put on a Happy Face (Bye Bye Birdie) Into the Fire (The Scarlet Pimpernel)
Aaron Tveit Adam Pascal Alexander Gemignani
Alfred Drake Anthony Crivello Barrett Foa Ben Vereen Billy Porter Bobby Steggert Boyd Gaines Brent Barrett Brent Carver Brent Spiner Brian d'Arcy James Brian Stokes Mitchell Brooks Ashmanskas Chad Kimball Cheyenne Jackson Chip Zien
Christian Borle Christopher Fitzgerald Christopher Sieber Chuck Cooper Chuck Wagner Colm Wilkinson Constantine Maroulis Danny Burstein Darius de Haas
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (Oklahoma!) Marta (Kiss of the Spider Woman) God Save the People (Godspell) Simple Joys (Pippin)
Hold Me In Your Heart (Kinky Boots) Shallops and Scrubbing Brushes (A Minister’s Wife) Gypsy (R) (Tony), Contact (Tony), Company (R), She Loves Tonight at Eight (She Loves Me, Me (Tony) (R) revival) Closer Than Ever, Silence! The Musical, Grand Hotel New Words (The Maury Yeston Songbook, recording) Parade (Tony), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony), My Life It’s Hard to Speak My Heart With Albertine, Jesus Christ Superstar (R), (Parade) Sunday In The Park With George, Big River, 1776 (R) Is Anybody There? (1776) Shrek, The Sweet Smell of Success, Titanic, The Apple Tree At the Fountain (The Sweet Smell (R), Giant, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (replacement) of Success) Ragtime, Kiss Me, Kate (R) (Tony), Man of La Mancha (R), Coalhouse's Soliloquy (Ragtime) Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Promises, Promises (R), On My Bedside Table (It’s Only Bullets Over Broadway, It’s Only Life Life) Memphis, Lennon, Good Vibrations, Into the Woods (R). My Memphis Lives In Me Life With Albertine, Godspell (R) (Memphis) All Shook Up, Xanadu, Finian’s Rainbow, Altar Boyz, Roustabout (All Shook Up) Into The Woods, Falsettos, The Boys From Syracuse (R), A No More (Into the Woods) New Brain, The People In the Picture, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Legally Blonde, Mary Poppins (replacement, Spamalot, When the Earth Stopped Turning Elegies, Prodigal, Jesus Christ Superstar (R) (Elegies) Finian’s Rainbow (R), Young Frankenstein, Wicked, Amour When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love (Finian’s Rainbow) Triumph of Love, Spamalot, Into the Woods (R), Shrek The Issue in Question (Triumph of Love) Musical, The Kid The Life (Tony), Finian’s Rainbow (R), Lennon, Caroline, The Bus (Carolin, Or Change) Or Change Into The Woods, Dracula, The Musical, Les Miserables Agony (Into the Woods) (replacement) Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar (West End) Bring Him Home (Les Miserables)
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In Whatever Time We Have (Children of Eden)
Eddie Korbich
Euan Morton Gary Beach Gavin Creel George Hearn
Gregg Edelman
Gregory Hines Gregory Jbara Harry Connick Hinton Battle Howard Keel Howard McGillin Hugh Jackman Hugh Panaro Hunter Foster
James Barbour James Naughton Jarrod Emick Jason Danieley Jason Graae
Jeff McCarthy Jeremy Jordan Jerry Orbach
The Little Mermaid, The Drowsy Chaperone, Carousel (R), Geraniums in the Winder (Carousel, Sweeney Todd (R), Assassins (R), Seussical, A Christmas revival) Story, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder Taboo, Sondheim on Sondheim Pretty Lies (Taboo) La Cage aux Folles (R), The Producers (Tony), Les Miserables Springtime for Hitler, Pt. II (The (R), Beauty and the Beast, Doonesbury, Somethin’s Afoot Producers) Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage aux Folles (R), Hair (R), What Do I Need With Love? Bounce (regional) (Thoroughly Modern Millie) La Cage aux Folles (Tony), Sunset Boulevard (Tony), Putting I Am What I Am (La Cage aux It Together, Wicked (replacement), Scandalous, Meet Me in St. Folles) Louis City of Angels, Anna Karenina, Passion, 1776 (R), Into the A Quiet Girl (Wonderful Town, Woods (R), Wonderful Town (R), A Tale of Two Cities, The revival) Mystery of Edwin Drood, Cabaret (R) Jelly’s Last Jam (Tony), Sophisticated Ladies, Eubie!, The Girl In My Day (Jelly’s Last Jam) in the Pink Tights Billy Elliot: The Musical (Tony), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Deep Into the Ground (Billy Elliot: Victor/Victoria, Damn Yankees (R) The Musical) The Pajama Game (R), On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Hey There (The Pajama Game, (R) revival) The Tap Dance Kid (Tony), Miss Saigon (Tony), Sophisticated Bui Doi (Miss Saigon) Ladies (Tony), The Wiz, Dreamgirls ( replacement) Carousel (R), Saratoga, Ambassador, Oklahoma! (replacement)Where is the Life That Late I Led? (Kiss Me Kate, film soundtrack) She Loves Me (R), Anything Goes (R), The Mystery of Edwin Ilona (She Loves Me, revival) Drood The Boy From Oz (Tony), Oklahoma (West End) The Lives Of Me (The Boy From Oz) Lestat, Side Show, Show Boat (R) (replacement), The Red Sail Me Away (Lestat) Shoes Urinetown, Million Dollar Quartet, Little Shop of Horrors (R), Run, Freedom, Run (Urinetown) Hands on a Hardbody, Happiness, The Bridges of Madison County, Frankenstein, a New Musical Jane Eyre, Assassins (R), A Tale of Two Cities, Cyrano—The As Good As You (Jane Eyre) Musical Chicago (Tony) (R), City of Angels (Tony), I Love My Wife Damn Yankees (Tony) (R), The Rocky Horror Show (R), The I Honesty Love You (The Boy From Boy From Oz, Ring of Fire Oz) The Full Monty, Curtains, Next to Normal (replacement), I Miss the Music (Curtains) Candide (R) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum (R), No, Mary Ann (Unsung Sondheim, Lucky Stiff, Falsettos (replacement), Do Black Patent Leather album) Shoes Really Reflect Up? The Pirate Queen, Urinetown, Side Show, Smile, Beauty and Only At Night (Anna Karenina) the Beast (replacement), Anna Karenina Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde, West Side Story (R) (replacement) Santa Fe (Newsies)
John Gallagher Jr.
Chicago, Promises, Promises (Tony), 42nd Street, The Fantasticks, Guys and Dolls (R), Carnival Cabaret (Tony), Chicago (Tony) (R), George M!, Wicked, Goodtime Charley, The Grand Tour, Anything Goes (R) Big River, The Secret Garden, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hello Again Shenandoah (Tony), On the Twentieth Century (Tony), Urinetown, 110 in the Shade (R), Scottsboro Boys, 1776 (replacement) Spring Awakening (Tony), American Idiot
John Lithgow
Sweet Smell of Success (Tony), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
John Raitt
Carousel, The Pajama Game, A Joyful Noise, Carnival in Flanders Pippin, Ragtime (replacement), Wicked (replacement)
Joel Grey John Cameron Mitchel John Cullum
John Rubenstein
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Half As Big As Life (Promises, Promises) Mister Cellophane (Chicago) Winter’s On the Wing (Big River) Molasses To Rum (1776, film soundtrack) Don’t Do Sadness (Spring Awakening) Love Sneaks In (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) Soliloquy (Carousel) Corner of the Sky (Pippin)
Keith Byron Kirk
Ken Page Kevin Chamberlin Kevin Earley Kevin Kline Larry Kert Lee Roy Reams Len Cariou Malcolm Gets Mandy Patinkin Marc Kudisch
Mark Jacoby Matt Cavanaugh Matthew Broderick
Matthew Morrison Michael Ball Michael Cerveris
Michael Crawford Michael McElroy Michael McGrath
Michael Rupert Nathan Lane
Norbert Leo Butz Norm Lewis
Raul Esparza Richard Kiley Robert Cuccioli
Robert Goulet Robert Morse
The Civil War, King David, Elegies, A New Brain
These Two (This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs of Georgia Stitt, album) Cats, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Guys and Dolls (R) My City (Page by Page, album) The Addams Family, Seussical, Triumph of Love, Chicago (R) The Moon and Me (The Addams (replacement) Family) A Tale of Two Cities, Death Takes a Holiday, Les Miserables I Thought That I Could Live (Death (replacement) Takes a Holiday) On the Twentieth Century (Tony), The Pirates of Penzance Oh, Better Far to Live and Die (The (Tony), The Beggar’s Opera Pirates of Penzance) West Side Story, Rags, Company (replacement) Side By Side Maria (West Side Story) By Sondheim, A Family Affair Hello Dolly!, Sweet Charity, Applause, Lorelei, 42nd Street, Dames (42nd Street) Beauty and the Beast, An Evening With Jerry Herman Sweeney Todd (Tony), A Little Night Music, Applause, Dance Epiphany (Sweeney Todd) a Little Closer Amour, A New Brain, Hello Again, The Story of My Life, And They’re Off (A New Brain) Juno (R) Evita (Tony), Sunday in the Park With George, The Secret Finishing the Hat (Sunday in the Garden Park With George) Bells are Ringing (R), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Assassins I Met a Girl (Bells are Ringing, (R), The Wild Party, The Apple Tree, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, revival) 9 to 5, A Minister’s Wife, The Glorious Ones, See What I Wanna See, The Thing About Men Show Boat (R), Ragtime, Sweeney Todd (R), Elf, Sweet Johanna (Sweeney Todd, revival) Charity (R), Man of La Mancha (R) West Side Story (R), Grey Gardens, Urban Cowboy, A Catered Something’s Coming (West Side Affair, Death Takes a Holiday Story, revival) How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Tony) I Believe In You (How To Succeed (R), The Producers, Nice Work If You Can Get It In Business Without Really Trying, revival) The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific (R), Hairspray Love To Me (The Light in the Piazza) The Woman in White, Aspects of Love, Les Miserables (West Empty Chairs and Empty Tables End) (Les Miserables) Sweeney Todd (R), Evita (R), LoveMusik, Assassins (R) Epiphany (Tony), Road Show, Titanic, Fun Home, Hedwig and the (Sweeney Todd. Angry Inch (replacement), The Who’s Tommy revival) The Phantom of the Opera (Tony), Dance of the Vampires Music of the Night (The Phantom of the Opera) The Wild Party, Big River (R), The Who’s Tommy, Violet Let It Sing (Violet) Nice Work If You Can Get It (Tony), Memphis, Spamalot, By Strauss/Sweet and Lowdown Little Me (R), The Goodbye Girl, My Favorite Year, Swinging (Nice Work If You Can Get It) on a Star Legally Blonde, Falsettos, Sweet Charity (Tony) (R), Putting It Marry Me a Little (Putting It Together, The Happy Time, Elegies, March of the Falsettos Together) The Producers (Tony), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way The King of Broadway (The to the Forum (Tony), Guys and Dolls (R), The Addams Family, Producers) The Frogs, Merlin Wicked, Big Fish, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony), Catch Me Moving Too Fast (Last Five Years) If You Can (Tony), Thou Shalt Not, The Last Five Years The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (R), Sondheim on Sondheim, I Got Plenty of Nothing (The The Little Mermaid, Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess) Who’s Tommy Company (R), Leap of Faith, Taboo, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Marry Me a Little (Company, The Rocky Horror Show, Tick, Tick... Boom! revival) Man of La Mancha (Tony), Her First Roman, Redhead (Tony), The Impossible Dream (Man of La No Strings, Kismet Mancha) Jekyll & Hyde, Les Miserables (replacement), Jacques Brel is This is the Moment (Jekyll & Hyde) Alive and Well and Living in Paris (R), The Threepenny Opera (R), And the World Goes ‘Round Camelot, The Happy Time (Tony), La Cage aux Folles C’est Moi (Camelot) (replacement) How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Tony), I Believe In You (How To Succeed Sugar, So Long, 174th Street, Take Me Along In Business Without Really Trying)
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Robert Preston Robert Westenberg Roger Bart Ron Bohmer Ron Raines Shuler Hensley Stephen Bogardus
Stephen Buntrock Steve Kazee Steven Pasquale Terrence Mann
Theodore Bikel Titus Burgess Tom Hewitt Tom Wopat Tony Yazbeck Tyler Maynard Victor Garber Will Chase Will Swenson Zero Mostel
The Music Man (Tony), Ben Franklin in Paris, I Do! I Do! I Won’t Send Roses (Mack & (Tony), Mack & Mabel Mabel) Into The Woods, The Secret Garden, Company (R), 1776 (R), Agony (Into the Woods) Zorba (R), Violet You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Tony), Triumph of Love, Go the Distance (Hercules, movie Young Frankenstein, The Frogs, The Producers soundtrack) The Woman in White, Ragtime (R), Fiddler on the Roof (R), Free, Easy Guy (The Thing About The Scarlet Pimpernel (replacement), The Thing About Men Men) Show Boat (R), Follies (R), Newsies (replacement), Annie (R) The Road You Didn’t Take (Follies) (replacement) Oklahoma (Tony) (R), Tarzan, Young Frankenstein, The Great No Other Way (Tarzan) American Trailer Park Musical Falsettos, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, King David, High You Got To Die Some Time Society, James Joyce’s The Dead, Man of La Mancha (R), (Falsettos) Falsettoland Jane Eyre, Oklahoma! (R) (replacement), Grease (R), A Little A Voice Across the Moors (Jane Night Music (R) Eyre) Once (Tony), 110 in the Shade (R), Spamalot (replacement) Gold (Once) A Man of No Importance, The Bridges of Madison County, FarThe Streets of Dublin (A Man of No From Heaven, The Spitfire Grill, The Wild Party, Little Fish, Importance) The Addams Family, Les Miserables, Pippin, Lennon, The Stars (Les Miserables) Rocky Horror Show, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Beauty and the Beast, Assassins, Rags, Cats, Barnum The Sound of Music Edelweiss (The Sound of Music) Guys and Dolls (R), The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, Good All I Need (Comfortable, album) Vibrations The Rocky Horror Show (R), The Boys from Syracuse, Quiet Life (Dracula, The Musical) Dracula, The Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar (R) Catch Me If You Can, Sondheim on Sondheim, A Catered I Stayed (A Catered Affair) Affair, Annie Get Your Gun (R) Gypsy (R), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, A Chorus Line All I Need is The Girl (Gypsy, (R) revival) The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, On a Clear Day You Can Epiphany (Altar Boyz) See Forever (R), The Kid, Miracle Brothers, Altar Boyz Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Little Me (R), Damn Yankees (R) Johanna (Sweeney Todd) High Fidelity, The Mystery of Edwin Drood (R), The Story of Top 5 Desert Island Breakups (High My Life, Lennon, Nice Work If You Can Get It ( replacement) Fidelity) Hair (R), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical, Murder Hair (Hair, Ballad, Little Miss Sunshine, Les Miserables (R) revival) Fiddler on the Roof (Tony), A Funny Thing Happened on the If I Were a Rich Man (Fiddler on the Way to the Forum (Tony), Beggar’s Holiday Roof)
Further Exploration: Who are you like? Research the performers of your gender and decide which ones you are most like. Your decision could be based on their personality type, skills or vocal type. Search for the songs they performed on stage. If you read and listen to interviews they’ve given, you might also be able to discover other songs they sang as well as songs they used in auditions.Watch as many videos of them as you can find. What can you learn by listening to them?
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Learning Songs The goal of this chapter is to give some helpful suggestions for preparing a song musically for performance or audition. The order of the steps you take as you begin exploring a new song is up to you but you must find a process that you are comfortable with and one that leaves no stone uncovered. There are those that advocate starting with music and those that say you must begin with the lyrics. My preference is to begin with learning the basics of the song (pitches, rhythms and form) before moving to the process outlined in the previous chapter. Then I like for singers to come back tothe music and work on things such as phrasing and exploring how the musical information in the song can inform the overall performance. I will describe learning a song from two perspectives. The first is for those who do not read music. The second is for those who understand basic music theory and have at least rudimentary skills at the piano. At whatever skill level you are currently, do your best to improve your skills and knowledge in music theory, musicianship and piano. It will benefit you greatly and make learning a new song much easier. Learning a new song for those who do not read music
Have a pianist record your melody on to a recording device at a moderate tempo and very precisely. Then have the pianist record the accompaniment. Oftentimes sheet music is published with the melody in the piano accompaniment. If that is the case, this accompaniment will be easier to follow as you will be able to hear the melody. If this is not the case, they should record the actual accompaniment or add some melody if they have that skill. Listen for a sense of style, beat, rhythm and tempo. You may want the pianist to record just the introduction to the song in addition so you can isolate the music you will hear before you sing. 1. On your own while looking at the sheet music, sing to the recording of the melody on a neutral syllable such as “lah” or “dee.” Choose an open vowel with a preceding consonant. We do this to separate music from lyrics and to concentrate solely on the melody. It is very easy to move too quickly and miss a step along the way. 2. When you have mastered this, begin singing the lyrics with the melody-only recording. 3. Now move to the recording of full accompaniment. Sing with this recording on a neutral syllable. 4. Then sing the lyrics with the full accompaniment. Additional activities with a pianist may include the following once you have done these steps: 1. Sing a word or syllable and have the pianist play the pitch on the piano after you sing it. Move to the next word or syllable, gradually increasing tempo. We do this to check pitch accuracy. 2. Explore singing the song at different tempos. Faster for ballads, slower for up tempo songs. Don’t go too fast or slow. We do this to make sure you musicianship is secure.
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Learning a song for those with moderate to advanced musical skills
When beginning a new song, I suggest starting with rhythm. Study the song in small chunks before doing the whole song. If anything is confusing for you, take the time to figure it out before moving on. You must be able to speak the rhythm in tempo. Many people find it helpful to study rhythms by assigning numbers corresponding to their placement in the bar such as 1, 2, 3, 4 in 4/4 time. Eighth-notes are subdivided by placing an “and” between each number. 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. Sixteenth-notes are further subdivided in this manner: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, and so forth.
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1. Speak the words in rhythm. 2. Write either numbers or Solfège syllables above the pitches. See below for using Solfège. Sing the pitches slower, out of tempo until you can do this easily. 3. Next, combine melody with rhythm, starting slowly for accuracy and building in tempo.
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4. Record or have a pianist record the accompaniment. Listen for a sense of style, beat, rhythm and tempo. Study, or better yet, play the introduction of the song so that you know what you will hear before you sing. 5. Sing the song with accompaniment on a neutral syllable. 6. Sing the song with accompaniment using the lyrics. Singing with Solfège or numbers
Space does not allow for a full investigation of Solfège but this system is not difficult. Essentially, every pitch of a scale has a Solfège syllable or number. I’m sure you know “Do-ReMi” from The Sound of Music which uses this system in a clever and memorable way. Use either Solfège or numbers, depending on which seems easier to you. Example 1 shows how the system works in different keys. Be sure to identify the correct key before numbering your music by examining the flats and sharps in the key signature. The chart will assist you.
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Example 2 offers some warm up exercises. Do these exercises slowly until you feel comfortable and can find the pitches easily. Check your accuracy at the keyboard.
Finally, example 3 is a song with Solfège and numbers. I hope the familiarity of the song might aid you in mastering this skill.
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You will notice that some of the pitches in this example have an accidental before it. The pitch and the syllable, but not the number change due to the accidental. I don’t think it too important to know these new syllables but if you’re interested, here is the full system Scale degree
Name
Pitch in C major
Pitch in Eb major
Pitch in A major
1 Raised 1 Lowered 2 2 Raised 2 Lowered 3 3 4 Raised 4 Lowered 5 5 Raised 5 Lowered 6 6 Raised 6 Lowered 7 7
Do Di Ra Re Ri Me Mi Fa Fi Se So Si Le La Li Te Ti
C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B
Eb E Fb F F# Gb G Ab A B-double flat Bb B Cb C C# Db D
A A# Bb B B# C C# D D# Eb E E# F F# F-double sharp G G#
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Scale degree
Name
Pitch in C major
Pitch in Eb major
Pitch in A major
8
Do
B
Eb
A
To practice these skills, choose songs that you know well and write the syllables above. This will help you connect the sound of the syllable to its name. Further Exploration 1. Choose a song and sit with the sheet music at the piano. Sing a word or syllable and play the pitch on the piano after you sing it. Move to the next word or syllable gradually increasing tempo. We do this to check pitch accuracy. 2. Explore singing the song at different tempos. Faster for ballads, slower for up tempo songs. Don’t go too fast or too slow. We do this to make sure you musicianship is secure. 3. If the sheet music has chord symbols that you can interpret, accompany yourself with simple chords.
More Solfege exploration: List some songs that are challenging to work on with solfege. “On the Steps of the Palace” is a good choice. Others “Anyone Can Whistle” Too often, singers do not take adequate time in learning a song accurately. It is crucial to your success that you do this. Directors and music directors have little patience with someone who should be ready to sing a song but is singing a passage with wrong notes. You will be working with professional musicians and you are expected to interact with them as colleagues and as the professional musician you need to be. Once you have successfully completed these activities, you will have the skill to tack le the challenges you will face once you begin your acting work.
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Musical Terms To Know Sheet music is populated with many different kinds of indications that the composer or editor has placed in the music to communicate how the song should go. In time, you will learn and memorize these terms, but for now, refer to this section anytime you see something in the music you don’t understand. Tempi Largo Larghetto Adagio Andante Moderato Allegretto Allegro Presto Maestoso
Very slow (quarter note c. 40-60) Less slow than Largo (c. 60-70) Slow (between Largo and Andante) a walking tempo (c. 76-108) Moderate tempo Moderately fast, often playful in nature Fast (c. 110-130) Very fast (c. 125-160) Majestic, usually medium slow
Tempo-related terms Lunga Long, generally referring to a long pause Caesura (//) Indicates a break or stop before proceeding L’istesso tempo The same tempo as before Ritardando Getting slower (rit.) Ritenuto (riten.) Getting slower but more sudden and extreme than rit. Rallentando (rall.) Gradual slowing of the tempo Accelerando (accel.) Gradually getting faster A tempo Returning to original tempo, usually after a rit. or rall. Alla Breve Two beats per measure with the half-note getting the beat (cut-time) Più mosso More motion Articulations Fermata Legato Staccato Accent Marcato Sforzando Tenuto Trill G.P. Arpeggio
Indicates a note is to be prolonged beyond its normal duration Smoothly, connected Detached (.) Emphasis, usually to play louder than the current dynamic (>) marked, stressed, emphasized Forced or accented. Stronger than an accent. (Sfz. or Sf.) (ten.) Held or sustained, a note is given its full value Rapid alternation between the note and the note above Grand pause. A complete stop The playing of successive members of a chord separately
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Form Da Capo
D.S. al Coda Coda Verse Refrain Vamp
Indication to return to the beginning (D.C.). D.C al Coda means go back to the beginning and then at the indication (to Coda), skip to the Coda. Dal Segno al Coda. Indication to return to the sign and then to Coda at the indication (to Coda). The ending of a piece indicated by the symbol below. The first part of a Standard song, setting up the dramatic situation The main body of a Standard song, almost always carrying the title A repeated accompanimental phrase
Symbols Fermata
Segno. Sign, or structural signpost used to indicate form. See Coda Style Con moto A piacere Ad libitum Risoluto Sempre Rubato Animato Con brio Dolce Divisi Molto Parlando
With motion Literally, as you please, similar to ad lib. but referring to tempo rather than pitch Left to the performer’s discretion (ad lib.), often implying improvisation Resolute, energetic Always Rhythmically free, literally means “robbed” Lively, spirited, animated With fire and dash, spirited Sweetly Divided, indication of divided parts, the opposite of unison Very (molto rit., becoming very slow) Indication that the singer should take on a more speech-like manner
Dynamics Forte Fortissimo Mezzo forte Piano Pianissimo Mezzo piano Crescendo Decrescendo Diminuendo Morendo A niente
f , loud ff , very loud mp,medium loud p , soft mp , very soft pp , medium soft getting louder getting softer (dim.) getting softer Dying away, getting softer Dying away to nothing 91
Other Terms Con Poco Moto Assai Hemiola
Colla Voce
With (con moto) moto) Little ( poco poco a poco crescendo) crescendo) motion Much, very much ( Allegro Allegro Assai) Assai) A musical gesture wherein a rhythmic figure with a duple metric pulse replaces one with a triple metric pulse. Literally Literal ly with the voice. voice. Indication that the accompaniment should allow freedom for the soloist
You may wish to purchase an a n inexpensive dictionary of musical terms such as The Hal Leonard Pocket Music Dictionary. Dictionary. New York: York: Hal Leonard, Le onard, 1993.
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Other Musical Considerations Form
An analysis of form in the songs you sing will help you in many ways. It will assist you in memorizing the song musically and lyrically an d it will help you to understand unde rstand and map out the dramatic arc of the song. Fortunately, Fortunately, most songs fall into two categories: 1. Verse/Refra erse/Refrain, in, the dominant dominant song form form from 1900 1900 through much much of the theatre theatre songs of today. 2. Pop form, or Verse/ Verse/Chorus Chorus/Brid /Bridge ge form. This This became the primary primary song organizing organizing form form for songs in the Rock and Roll era (1950s to today). Verse/Refrain Songs
For most songs in the so called Great American Songbook, the verse is the musical passage that sets up the dramatic action of the refrain. In many ways, this form owes its structure to the operatic convention of recitative and aria where the recitative advances the plot and the aria explores the emotions of the characters. In theatre music for most of the 20th century, the verse was used to help bridge the gap between spoken dialogue and full song. The verse lies someplace between speech and song and is often freer in rhythm. If you moved directly from dialogue to full song with no transition, the results may be laughable. The refrain always contains the title of the song, either at the beginning or at the end of the first section. It is also the melody one remembers most frequently. Here is an example, Rodgers and Hart’s Hart’s “You’re “You’re Nearer” from Too Many Girls (1939). (1939). VERSE Time Time is a healer but it cannot heal my heart. My mind says I've forgotten you and then I feel my heart. The miles lie between us, but your fingers touch my own. You're nearer far away from me, for you're too much my own. REFRAIN You're nearer than my head to my pillow. Nearer than the wind is to the willow willow.. Dearer than the rain is to the the earth below. below. Precious as the sun to the things that grow grow.. You're nearer than the ivy to the wall is. Nearer than the winter to the fall is. is. Leave me, but when you're away you'll know You're nearer for I love you so.
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Refrains are usually 32 bars and can usually be divided into four sections. The similarity or dissimilarity of the music in these sections helps us to determine the form. Most refrains are AABA or ABAB in form. This means that every A section is more or less the same music with only a few differences. The B sections are contrasting musically. musically. It is worth noting that the AABA form is perfectly suited to theatre music since composers assume that their audience does not know a song before entering the theatre thus you are given two chances to hear the same music (and often with a similar lyrical idea) before moving on to something contrasting. The B section introduces contrasting music material and is often a chance for a change in the dramatic action to occur. When the final familiar A section returns, a new resolve or change of perspective has occurred in the B section. This combination of familiar music with heightening of the dramatic arc is incredibly satisfying and a very useful tool in story telling.
Pop-inflected Song Forms
The basic building blocks of Pop-inflected song forms are the verse, chorus and bridge. Please note that the verse in this form functions differently than verse in the previous form. Obviously this form comes from popular music from the Rock era, beginning in the 1950s. 195 0s. It is the dominant form for most radio music to today. today. Often the verse presents the situation while the chorus presents the resolution of the situation. Then there is usually a repeated verse with the same music but with new lyrics. This is followed by a repeat of the chorus. A bridge may or may not be introduced in order to present new material. The difficulty with this form in a theatrical context is that we have been presented with the resolution of the situation early in the song—by the first chorus. The dramatic arc is somewhat disappointing when it comes so early. This is a challenge to the singer and one you must keep in mind when singing a song with this form. When recently seeing Rock seeing Rock of Ages, Ages, the jukebox musical of 1980s pop songs, I was pleased in the way the creators managed to keep songs from peaking too early through some ingenious methods such as introducing new singers into a song or by allowing the choruses to have different meanings and/or purposes. Musicality
After you have learned a song musically and done your actor’s homework, it is a good idea to go back to do some work on the musicality of your song. This may include working with a pianist to make sure that musical details de tails such as pitches and rhythm have not been lost as you were focusing on the acting work. wo rk. It will also mean looking at phrasing. It also may mean looking deeper in the musical information that the accompaniment and melody contain. Music, all music, contains many kinds of subjective e motional and story-telling information that is worth exploring. The music of a well-written song is the music of your character in the given situation. The music is you. You must take this into account when putting the finishing touches on your song. 94
For instance, the flowing music in “I Had a Dream About You” may represent the constant forward motion of a car ride. The repe ated two-note figure in “Just a Housewife” may be the boredom of the character. The accompanimental figure in “Talent” “Talent” may be both the motion of the train and the ambitious drive of the character. Arrangements of show music are set. The actor does not have the liberty of changing the accompaniment, the harmony or the style of a song in a musical. In cabaret styles, however, you are completely free to reinterpret songs in order to make them your very own. That is what we want in a cabaret setting and if you are fortunate enough to work with a talented pianist/arranger/ music director, you can do an infinite number of treatments to well-known songs and make them completely new. When you are asked to sing a song in a musical (i.e., not in a cabaret ca baret setting), you must look for the musical details that the composer has given you which inform both the character and the situation. It must appear as if you, the character, are spontaneously creating the words and the music in the moment as a result of the dramatic action. This idea will be explored in great detail in the song analysis chapter which follows. Phrasing
We use this term to refer to the small and large decisions a singer makes regarding how one sings the melody. melody. As well-phrased song communicates the character’s situation, their decisions, their tactics and their objective. We want everything that we do to cumulatively tell the same story. story. For instance, a breath in the middle of a phrase about a bout what a character wants may disrupt the thought and confuse the audience. Singing a song about one’s love of another with a staccato articulation may confuse the audience as this articulation communicates something different entirely. Some of the following steps may seem like a repeat from earlier activities but since our focus is now on phrasing, the steps are helpful to repeat. Steps toward creating a well-phrased song: 1. Silently read the lyric while making observations about rhyme and alliteration. These two devices serve to make these words more important. Is there a reason that these words are more important? Good lyricists don’t rhyme unimportant words. 2. You may wish wish to do the first first five five monologue monologue activitie activitiess on page 23??. 23??. 3. Without accompaniment, sing the song following the dramatic action of the lyric. If the action speeds up, allow the melody to speed up. If the action calls for a whispered tone, sing the melody with a whispered voice. The purpose of this activity is to match the action a ction of song with your vocal choices. At this point, it is a good idea to decide, if you haven’t haven ’t already, already, where you will breathe. Making choices cho ices based on the lyric rather than the necessity for air is preferable. an d the dramatic action. If the action is 4. Repeat this step asking the pianist to follow you and harsh, ask them to play harshly. If the action is gentle, ask them to play gently. 5. Sing the song again with the printed accompaniment while retaining all of the colors you have found in previous steps. The danger when doing this step is to lose all the subtle variations in timber and articulation you had e arlier. arlier. Do not allow the tyranny of the printed 95
page to overtake you. I like to refer to these changes in timbre and articulation simply as Vocal Color. You will find much more about Vocal Colors in a chapter to follow. Additional activities: 1.Imagine your song played by an instrument. What instrument would that be? What information about style and articulation does this give you? 2.Try singing your song at a different tempo or in a different style. This can help to free up your phrasing and/or give you different options.
Preparing your Music for a Pianist
• Music for audition and study should be placed in a moderately sized three-ring binder. You should not use a published book for an audition because often they do not stay open at the piano. • Please do not use the extremely large binders. • Music should be copied double-sided onto heavier paper or placed in plastic sheets. If you use plastic sheets, purchase non-glare sheets. • If the music is just two pages, present it such that the pianist does not need to turn pages. • Check the tops and bottoms of the page carefully to ensure that no music is cut off. Reduce the copy ratio as needed. 89% generally works. • If you are going to do a shortened cutting of a song, prepare this cutting such that there is no other music on the page. This will help avoid confusion at an audition. • Any cutting of a song should also include a separate copy of the full version of the song in case you are asked to sing the whole song. • Eliminate extraneous markings on your music. • Clearly indicate introductions and endings. • Create a table of contents and use tabs so that you can quickly find any song.
Cast Albums
I often find that singers adhere to one of these two extremes regarding listening to cast albums when preparing a song. The first extreme is to learn the song exclusively by listening. This is to be avoided because the singer on the recording may sing wrong notes or they may phrase the song differently than what is written on the page, or worse. You always need to go back to the printed music to see what that composer has written. This is your most important source. The other extreme is to avoid recordings all together for fear of imitation. This is understandable, but unnecessary. The best option is to learn a song musically and then listen to the cast album (or revivals or other great singers singing your song) for clues about performance practice such as style, tempo, and vocal timbre. Stay open to as many options as possible.
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Vocal Colors Someplace in this chapter I need to talk about the need for classical technique. You won’t be able to achieve as many colors as you will want without it. The human voice is an amazing instrument capable of a nearly infinite variety of sounds. Because of unique makeup of each persons anatomy, no two voices are acoustically alike. In addition to our physical makeup which would include each singer’s voice type (such as Lyric Soprano, Dramatic Soprano or Mezzo), our sound is influenced by the kinds of music we listen to, our favorite singers which we knowingly or unknowingly emulate and regionalisms. In classical singing, there is traditionally a focus on unity across registers with a similar color throughout that is fully vibrant and resonant. The b etter opera and art song singers are aware of the power of allowing the text and the music to influence subtle or not so subtle changes to the sound for the sake of better communication. These changes may include varying the rate of vibrato, the brilliance, prominence of consonants, the ratio of head voice to chest voice and any number of others ways. But, by and large, the classical Bel Canto aesthetic is conce rned with obtaining beauty and uniformity of sound above all else. But for the musical theatre singer, character, situation and text are of supreme importance—of perhaps more importance than beauty of sound. Beautiful singing is valued, even demanded, if the moment calls for it but there would be very little worse than singing a song like "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" or "You Can Always Count On Me" with the beauty you find in a classical art song or aria. More than anything, the singer must sing in a manner that is consistent with their character's truth in that moment. If the cha racter is fearful, or mocking, or in love, the voice can and should reflect that. If they are triumphant, hopeful, or in the pit of despair, the voice should reflect that. Vocal colors is a term I like to use when describing the virtually infinite ways the voice can produce sound. Imagine a simple song such as "Happy Birthday" sung by an operatic soprano, or as a young boy, or as a folk song, or as Marilyn Monroe famously sang to John F. Kennedy. The changes in dynamics, vibrancy, resonance, intention and host of other things create dramatically different versions of the song. In dramatic singing, vocal colors are an incredibly powerful tool in communicating meaning and subtext.
In my experience, it is common for singers to be handicapped if they begin to think too technically about the sounds they are making, especially in performance. Singing actors must give themselves over completely to the objective they are pursuing and not allow their brains and bodies to be divided by also thinking critically about the sounds they are making. I encourage you instead to think about the images and colors in the song's lyrics and music and allow those images and colors to influence the sounds you make.
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When describing a singers vocal colors , some people might choose to use actual colors like bright yellow, vibrant orange or deep navy blue. Or you might use words like bright, dark, warm, clear, brilliant, breathy, vibrant, crisp or accented. Both kinds of descriptors are perfectly valid. Use the words that are clearest and most meaningful to you. Further Exploration: Choose a recording by a singer you greatly admire of your gender. 1. What colors do you hear? 2. How easily do they change between colors or does the sound stay largely the same throughout? 3. Do color choices seem to correspond to images in the lyrics? To the tessitura? Do they correspond to something else? 4. Now answer the same questions for singers of the opposite gender or singers who a re not your favorite. I would like to discuss an example of excellent use of vocal color—”Gimme, Gimme”, sung by Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Lyric check punctuation
Vocal Color
Use of Vocal Color
A simple choice, nothing more. This or that, either or. Marry well, social whirl, business man, clever girl.
Head-heavy mix, nonThis is the verse of the song vibrato. Bright and clear. Soft and by keeping things very dynamic. Yellow simple, she helps set up the conflict of the song.
Or pin my future on a green glass love. What kind of life am I dreaming of?
The color grows richer here. Here there is a bit more chest voice in the mix. Just a bit louder.
The change of color helps to differ between to two options for love Millie is weighing.
I say gimme, gimme... gimme gimme.. gimme gimme.. that thing called love. I want it. gimme gimme.. that thing called love. I need it.
Softer, as before. Yellow or beige. Head-heavy mix. Very pale, slightly timid vocal color. A bit more vibrato, especially on longer notes.
At the beginning of the refrain, knowing that there is an epic journey ahead, she again is very simple and soft. The addition of vibrato helps to underscore the fact that’s she’s talking about the kind of love she most desires.
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Lyric check punctuation
Vocal Color
Use of Vocal Color
Highs and lows, tears and laughter, gimme happy ever after. Gimme gimme that thing called love.
More chest in the mix. Even more warmth. Blue.
The image of this love seems to warm the voice.
gimme gimme that thing called love. I crave it. gimme gimme that thing called love I'll brave it. Think 'n thin, rich or poor time. Gimme years, and I'll want more time. Gimme gimme that thing called love.
Soft Belt. More chest voice than head. Vibrato only on sustained notes. Louder dynamic.
Growing confidence in knowing what she wants.
Gimme gimme that thing called love. I'm free now. Gimme gimme that thing called love. I see now. Fly, dove! Sing, sparrow! Gimme cupid's famous arrow. gimme gimme that thing called love.
Full Belt. Red. Very warm.
I don't care if he's a nobody. In my heart, he'll be a somebody, somebody to love me!
Determination. Strength and confidence. Vibrato except for the notable straight-tone on the last word of this section over the instrumental.
I need it. gimme that thing called love. I wannit!
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Lyric check punctuation
Vocal Color
Use of Vocal Color
here I am, St. Valentine! My bags are packed; I'm first in line! Aphrodite, don't forget me, Romeo and Juliet me! Fly, dove! Sing, sparrow! Gimme fat boy's famous arrow! gimme gimme that thing called love! Of course, we can not know what Sutton Foster was thinking about when she recorded this. We can only speculate. But we can be fairly certain that she was imagining the difference between the two types of love that are possible in her life and the world she could imagine with the one she choose. Using imagery will help you find new colors and new ways to bring life to a song. Further Exploration: Examine the following songs for changes in vocal colors. What are the colors? How are they achieved? Speculate about why the colors are used. What do they communicate? 1.Painting Her Portrait - Maria Schaffel (Jane Eyre) 2.Simple Little Things - Audra McDonald (110 in the Shade) 3.At the Fountain - Brian d’Arcy James (Sweet Smell of Success) Some of the factors that influence vocal color are dynamics, resonance, nasality, diction, brightness/darkness, the amount of vibrancy and the amount of breath in the voice. As I mentioned earlier, there are some vocal attributes in very singer that are intrinsic to them based on anatomy. But every voice is capable of a wide variety of colors. Our goal at this point is to find more colors and to explore ways we can utilize them. Further Exploration: 1. Sing a passage softly then loudly. A song like “Oklahoma” or something similar uptempo is a good choice. 2. Sing a passage with no vibrancy (i. e. Straight-tone), then with minimal vibrancy then full vibrancy. Choose your favorite ballad like “Once Upon a Dream.” 3. Sing a passage at differing ages 5, 16, 25, 45, 65. A comedy song like “Broadway Baby” is a good choice. 4. Sing a passage with complete connection using the syllable, "loo." Then sing it with a "Tat" syllable. “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” a great o n to use for this. Try another ballad. With this exercise we are exploring articulation or how a note is attacked and whether it is sustained or not. 100
In these activities, you have explored many of the different kinds of colors that are possible. Altering the dynamics will affect resonance and possibly diction and vibrancy. In order to sing loudly, the voice will usually increase the amount of vibrato. Louder singing also tends to use a greater amount of diction as we do when we really want to be understood. Singing without vibrancy can also lead singers toward adding more breath in the sound. Singing at differing ages will affect articulation, vibrancy, breath/tone ratio, nasality , and resonance. Little kids tend to sing with more nasality. We're you more nasal when you sang like a 5 year old? Did you use less nasality when you sang as a 65 year old. Older singers, in general, tend to place the voice farther back with less nasality. The last exercise above is primarily about articulation--the ways that pitches are begun, end a nd the way they connect to each other. In ballads, the most common articulation is completely connected or legato. In up tempos, especially uptempos from 1910 to 1945, the articulation is often not legato or non legato. A legato articulation can communicate things like love or determination, while a non legato articulation ca n communicate such things as playfulness or anger. So, how do we apply this to our work as a singer? Do we decide to make the first passage orange and the next magenta? I don't think that this is the most productive way because it can put us in our head and be distracting. Instead, I think the better way is to examine the song for images and emotions. Let's look at “Much More”, the great ingénue song from The Fantasticks. What are the images you find? Do you see specific colors? What are the emotions in this song? Youtube: Much More The Fantasticks I'd like to swim in a clear blue stream Where the water is icy cold. Then go to town In a golden gown, And have my fortune told. Just once, Just once, Just once before I'm old. I'd like to be not evil, But a little worldly wise. To be the kind of girl designed To be kissed upon the eyes. I'd like to dance till two o'clock, Or sometimes dance till dawn, Or if the band could stand it, Just go on and on and on 101
Just once, Just once, Before the chance is gone! I'd like to waste a week or two And never do a chore. To wear my hair unfastened So it billows to the floor. To do the things I've dreamed about But never done before! Perhaps I'm bad, or wild, or mad, With lots of grief in store, But I want much more than keeping house! Much more, much more, much more. In this song you have two specific opening images with associated colors. A. Clear blue stream, icy cold B. Town, golden gown, fortune teller The first image could be sing with a sound that is brighter (suggested by ice), less vibrant (light blue), and legato (suggested by the flowing stream). The second image could be sung with a slightly darker tone (with the change of location from rural to urban and the color gold), more vibrant (suggested by royalty and worldliness). I think it too much for the singer to think about all these things technically. Instead, simply see the images and changes will naturally occur. Let's look for other clues in the lyric or music for colors. With the lyric, "I'd like to dance till two o clock" the music makes a dramatic shift from a flowing legato to more non legato, separated sound in the accompaniment. Also notice that the character of the melody transitions from a beautifully contoured tune to this passage that is largely on a single pitch. Why is that? I can only speculate that the notion of dancing suggests a more articulated, rhyming quality while the idea in this section of the lyric is about getting out of of her fantasies and into the world and more into her body. The melody is lower and rhythmic. What colors are consistent with these qualities. I would suggest a much less legato articulation with increased diction which will help to make the interesting, syncopated rhythm stand out. Further Exploration: List other songs to examine for vocal colors in the lyric. Questions: Who is the character? How old are they? Education? Life experience. (Contrast Louisa and Petra). What are you wearing? Where are you? Outside is a different color than in a library. Music. What does the music communicate? Soliloquy is a case study in this. There a many different colors in one song. 102
A. Questioning B. Playful C. Disgusted D. Loving E. Determined Images What are the images in the lyric and do they suggest specific vocal timbres? DISCUSS BELT AND MIX. I’M TALKING ABOUT THIS LAST BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THINK OF THIS FIRST.
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Creating Your Audition Book Part I In the twenty-five years I’ve been teaching, nearly every young artist has asked me some variation of this question at one time or another. “What kinds of songs should I put in my audition book?” or “How many different options should I have?” When creating your a udition book, you could rely on the songs you’ve studied in you voice lessons. After all you sing them well and you like them. Perhaps they are excellent for your voice. Or you could rely on the songs from the roles you've performed. The are time-tested and you know them like the back of your hand. But if you're under 25, you've probably been cast in roles that aren't the kind of roles you want to present in a professional setting. Maybe they aren't you anymore or maybe you’d never do that kind of role in a professional setting. I'm sure you know there are many different kinds of auditions. Here are the three most c ommon types. 1. Cattle calls for summer stock such as MidWest Theatre Auditions, Wagon Wheel Theatre, or The Muny. These auditions are for a season of specific shows or for a large number of summer stock companies. 2. You could be auditioning for a specific show. There are wide variety of shows that are done today, from Operetta (popular in medium sized summer stock companies), Early Musical comedy, Golden Age, then contemporary shows of all types. This could be at the professional or semi-professional like community theatre. 3. Agent calls where you've been called into an agents office to see if there's a place for you in their agency. How the heck could I ever possible hope to find the perfect song for all those situations? First off, don't try to imagine the 300+ auditions you might do in your first year and try to pick out songs that will suit all those crazy situations. Instead, let's look at a few of the most useful kinds of songs for a wide variety of situations and then when we're ready, we can go d eeper with more unusual songs and songs that are suited to your specific talent. This last quality is very important. You will want to find songs that show off who you are, your special attributes and skills. say more about thi s When you audition, try to imagine what are folks behind the table are looking for? A good voice? A good actress? The X factor? Let me state unequivocally that people are not looking just for the best singers. Why? Because a successful productions, even productions of warhorses like Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, or Brigadoon, require much more than pretty voices. The audience must be able to give themselves over to the belief that the person on stage IS Laurie or Curlie or
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whoever. This is a challenge in straight plays but it's even harder for musicals because we add the technically challenging aspect of singing which can make believability even tougher. Ultimately you want something between 10 and 18 songs. I've met with people who have a lot of experience that I respect who say you can get by with just a handful of songs. One very successful actress told me she got everything she ever got with "You Took Advantage of Me"by Rodgers and Hart. I say, if that works for you, "full steam ahead." For most of us, a bit more variety is going to serve us in several ways. Maybe the most important thing to think of is a variety of songs will help keep you from becoming bored with a song. It will also give is a variety of material to choose from so that what you present in this audition is specific to the show or shows. And last, it will provide us the opportunity to show different colors and skills. Imagine that after you sing, the director says, "That's great but do do you have something that's a little more lyrical? Or humorous? Or serious? Or higher? Or older? Or more contemporary? Or more classical? I could go on and on. In most cases, the people you audition for have a pretty good idea of what they are looking for as to skills that actor needs to possess but how those skills combine and in what proportion makes the process of carrying on an audition a difficult art. It's an art and not a science. Have I mentioned that you must love every song in your book? You MUST love every song in your book These songs are the tools that will get you hired but if you and your song aren't in a loving relationship, the chance of that song opening doors is much lower. I can help you by suggesting some starting points of the kind of songs everyone needs in their book. Then we can then go deeper by exploring some more specific types of songs that will work in specific instances. Are you ready? A Standard ballad about love or love lost. (Approximately 1920-1947) What is it? These beautiful songs are well known by the population at large and yet they are open to a vast variety of interpretations. That are called standards because they have been sung over and over again without loosing their charm and beauty. They have never left the literature. Some of them have verses while a few don't. I think choosing one with a verse is good because singing verses requires a great deal of sophistication. It's also a ch ance to show that you can handle both text and music with intelligence and grace. These songs are generally either from musical comedies or films.
Why should I sing it? By singing a well-known song, you will help the panel be able to hear how well you sing. Doing well known songs is important because you take center stage and not the song. How do I prepare it?
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That we have already looked at preparing Standards in an earlier chapter. Make sure you sing the song well with correct pitches and rhythms and do your acting homework. The EXCavATE work will help you discover nuances that are important for this song since they are so wide open for interpretation. Discuss singing verses. How do I use it? Because these songs are so well known and have strong melodies, they are great for a wide variety of auditions where you want the panel to hear that you are a good singer. I can imagine using this for an open call for singers for the Muny or Music Theatre of Wichita. Or perhaps it could also be used for a leading role in a golden age musical. Perhaps the best use of this kind of song is when after singing your first song and showing them that you are both a singer AND actor, the panel asks if you have something a little more simple or more lyrical. That's when you pull this bad boy out and let her rip. If you have the time, sing the verse too. In the verse, let your skills as an actor come to the fore and make it much more about the lyric. Then when the refrain begins, open up and sing it for all it's worth. They will be impressed with the levels in your performance and that you can sing simple material well. Here is a list of great standard ballads about love. Of these have verses. If you look hard, you will discover other ones by these same composers. See the Standard Ballads list in the appendix. Rock Uptempo from the 50s or 60s What is it? As the title says, this song is an energetic moderately fast or fast pop/rock song. The best songs will come between 1950 and 1967. The cut off date is approximately in the middle of the Beatles career-pre-St. Peppers lonely Hearts Club Band. Before this time, essentially The Beatles were doing great, though complex pop songs. After ST. Peppers their music and the music of the radio was either too experimental or too mature for the songs to be useful.
The energy of this genre is youthful, teenag e to early 20s. It is energetic, happy music where the subtext of sex is there but not as obviously as later in the late 60s. Space dies not allow me to list all of the possibilities but I will give you some e xamples that will lead you to the perfect song. Why should I sing it? So many musicals are inspired by this music that I believe that everyone needs to know it. Everything from little shop to smokey joes to hairspray to Memphis. Beehive. This is also the beginning of the rock era. Rock music has of course made a lasting imprint on musical theatre since Hair. Starting with one of these early rock songs will help you with the fundamentals of singing rock music and you'll have an easy transition into modern rock.
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List some songs. How do I prepare it? The groove of these songs is strong. You may not consider yourself a a rock singer but you can become one. It requires the involvement of your body and understanding where the backbeat is. Play a recording of your song and simply move to the music while clapping or snapping on beats 2 and 4. Getting the groove into your body is crucial because this music is physical. Springsteen famously said that the subtext of all rock music is "Will you pull your pants down?" That doesn't mean you have to put overt sex in every rock song but you must remember that rock is the music of discontent youth. I will add that the subtext, if it's not about sex it's "my parents are so stupid. They will never understand me."
http://immoderate.wordpress.com/2006/01/03/bruce-springsteen-on-rock-music/ recently listened to Terry Gross interview Bruce Springsteen, in which he said, “The subtext of all rock songs is, ‘Will you pull your pants down?’ ” It wasn’t one of her better interviews, she was atypically fawning. In addition, Gross never on ce mentioned whether her pants were up or down. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not asking you to play anger. Sherre Saunders wisely says, "anger is not an emotion." But there is a restlessness in rock music, even the innocent sounding 50s rock. How do I use it? You'll want to use it at auditions for the shows I mentioned above or anything like it. It might even be appropriate for modern rock shows if the character you're auditioning for has a similar story to the character in your song. Golden Age song sung by a character you could play What is it? As you probably already know, most people agree that the Golden Age begins with Oklahoma (1943), although some also include Show Boat (1927). The ending date is arguable. Some say Gypsy (1959), some say Hair (1968). Essentially you want to look for songs from a score from approximately 1943-1968 where the song advances the plot. Not only do the songs advance the plot but the music functions in complex ways to tell the story of the character and/or the situation. The music of "Lonely House" expresses the loneliness and frustration of Judd just as much as the lyric does. The music of "Will He Like Me" expresses the hesitant, halting hope of Amalia as much as the lyric.
Before 1943, composers weren't concerned with being a storyteller as much as they were with writing great songs, usually inspired by the popular music of the time. Well, it was often inspired but the pop music of the time but broadway music also influenced pop music. 107
Why should I sing it? It will let the panel know you are both an actor and a singer. How do I prepare it? You must understand the full range of the character within the scope of the entire show. Study the libretto and know how the moment of the song you are singing fits into the big picture of the character's story arc. Also analyze the musical structure of the song to see how the music and the lyric work to tell the story. The Golden Era singing style is much more complex than people often realize. Often folks think of the style simply as the one you would use when singing "If I Loved You" or "Some Enchanted Evening." Something more toward classical singing than the earlier shows and possibly a little more static physically. But wait a minute. In this period, you have a wide variety of characters. Think of contrasting characters of Laurie and Ado Annie in Oklahoma or Ruth and Eileen in Wonderful Town. Think of how different the voices of Lancelot a nd Mordrid need to be in Camelot or Curlie and Will in Oklahoma. I would say that in this period, the most important thing vocally is that the voice n eeds to sound like the character. If I'm playing Tevye, my voice should communicate paternal and middle aged. If I'm playing Curlie, my voice needs to communicate an honest, straight forward and unstudied quality. Before 1943, actors didn't need to think in this way. They just sang. For the original productions of the standard Golden Age shows like Oklahoma, I think it’s fair to say that actors were cast who naturally fit the role they would play. Their style and their vocal style created the model most productions still try to achieve . The model we must be aware of is the original cast recording, the OCR. The OCR is the closest we can get to productions dating from the 50s or before. Serious students of musical theatre know these recordings and probably own many of them. If you can't afford to purchase recordings, go to the library and check them out. The local St. Louis library has nearly everything. In today's world, it has become customary to rely on YouTube if you want to hear a recording of something, but most OCR are not on YouTube. I’ve called this section Golden Age song sung by a c haracter you could play, not sung by a character you could sing. Why is that? While the actual music of this style is quite important as well as good, stylistic singing, the most important thing is that eve rything, actor, singer and song all work together in a believable way to tell the same story. You should definitely sing all manner of songs in your voice lessons, but just because you sing it well doesn't mean it's a good choice for an audition. How do I unify my understanding of the character with my voice? First you must read the libretto and understand the character and their full story. Then listen to the OCR and several 108
other cast albums for comparison. Analyze the song for ways the music helps to tell the story. The question I always return to is, "what story is the music telling." Then think about the vocal colors that will be useful in telling that story. Full vibrato? Legato? Classical voice soprano? Etc. How do I use it?
The I Am song You may have never heard of his kind of song but essentially it is simply a song that says something true about you. Let me explain.The I am song doesn't need to "encapsulate your essence or be the definitive word about your personality. It just needs to say something true about you. Maybe just one thing. One thing is more than enough. The song could communicate your love for children (a song like children will listen, Sondheim), or your passion for peac e in the world ( a song like with god on our side, bob Dylan) or your love for your partner (something like the power of two, the indigo girls). Notice that the song is about something that's important without being specifically about you or your personality. By sharing just one aspect, you will be allowing an audience to get a glimpse into who you are without going too far. Surely you've seen a performance when the singer shares too deeply or exposes them self too much. If the subtext of the song is, "Look how great, or beautiful, or important I am," the song will fail it's intended purpose. There are a surprising number of contemporary pop songs that have just this as their subtext. (I'm a bitch, I'm a lover, I'm a child, I'm a mother/I'm a sinner, I'm a saint, I do not feel ashamed/I'm your hell, I'm your dream, I'm nothing in between/You know you wouldn't want it any other way)
I developed my thinking about this kind of song from two completely different locations and situations. The first was my desire to teach my students how to personalize a song to the degree that it seemed as if they were creating the song in the moment. I've been fortunate to witness very special moments of this in live professional theatre. (List a few, glocca mora, will you, mama who bore me etc, no more). You might say that these are simply examples of good performances by strong actors. I think there's a truth to that statement but I saw something above and beyond that which I wanted to quantify and understand. For me it came down to the sense that the actor, character, song and performance melded into one. It seemed as if the song I was hearing was being written on the spot, complete with full orchestration! In these rare and precious moments, time seems to stop and I become part of something bigger than myself. I feel as if I meld with the character and know the important things about him. That's quite a special thing when what we are talking about is standing onstage and singing a song that, truthfully, many other people could do. The second place that gave rise to the process was my work as a cabaret musical director. I was working with many pre-professional and professional singers who were putting togethe r shows. They wanted to sing songs as themselves onstage. This is a risky endeavor considering that most 109
of us are used to having a character that a playwright created between us and the audience. I wanted to understand and quantify why the cabaret singers I admire so much, Barbara Cook, Liz Callaway, Andrea Marcovicci, affected me the way the did. When they are onstage, the work they are doing seems like anything but work. It looks effortless. But if course it's not. They were essentially doing a special kind of performance style that, while related to acting technique I knew, was also quite different from it. The process I want to share with you is an approach to tackling this goal, but it is only one. My hope is that as you read it and begin working on the skills, that you personalize your technique as much as you personalize the material you sing. You might find other techniques that this process opens you to. It can work for either theatre songs that demand personalization or cabaret performances when it really is you, and not a character, that is delivering material before an audience.
Why should I sing it? How do I prepare it?
How do I use it?
Filling Out Your Book Look at the list of the kinds of songs you should have at the end of this book. It will guide you toward completing your book.
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Creating Your Audition Book Part II in this section, talk about moving on from the core pieces in your book and filling out the rest of the songs you’ll need. It’s going to be best to divide this into two sections. The search for a perfect audition song can seem an arduous task with so many songs to choose from. Do I choose a well-known song or an unfamiliar one? Do I choose an uptempo or a ballad? Do I choose a musical theatre song or a Pop/Rock song? This chapter will guide you through the steps of choosing an appropriate song in nearly every situation. Your job is to find the song that is perfect for you and one that will show that you are a smart singer and have carefully considered your song choice. This is your first chance to impress the folks behind the table. Choose wisely. Add this: Can I sing Sondheim? You’ll hear that you can’t sing Sondheim at auditions but don’t listen to them. Of course you can if it’s the right song for the right situation. Ask the right questions at the start
It is crucial that you ask the right questions before you start looking for a song. Consider these questions. 1. What are they looking for? Research the show or shows for the vocal style and range you should present. You will also need to know where the show falls historically and choose y our material accordingly. 2. Where do I fit in this production? In a lead, ensemble, or primarily as a dancer? If you are right for a lead in the musical you are auditioning for, you should choose a song that is similar in vocal demands and sung by a character that is similar (i.e. a romantic character, a comic character, an ingénue, a villain, etc.). If you a re a better singer than dancer auditioning for the ensemble, choose an uptempo song or ballad that matches the demands of the show. See below for more instructions on choosing songs in varying situations. If you are a better dancer than singer, choose an uptempo song that will allow your bod y to move, but not necessarily dance. 3. What are my strengths? What can I show them that will get their attention? What kinds of skills does the show require? If the show is an operetta or operetta-like musical where the singing is of highest priority, sing something that shows your best classical voca l skills. If the show is comedic, you might consider presenting something that shows your comedic chops if you have them. Note that this doesn’t mean that your song has to be an absolute comedy song, just something with a laugh or two. You get the idea. Look for what the show needs and how you fit into that need. Remember, you are there to solve their problem, not the other way around.
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4. Should I sing an uptempo, a ballad, a charm song, a rock song? This is not a question that can be answered easily. If you are a singer-singer (someone who sings very well), consider choosing a ballad if the show has a high degree of lyricism. If you are not a singer-singer, you might consider singing an uptempo. If you get to sing two songs, the primary thing you should concern yourself with is contrast. The contrast will come from the tempo change but it should also be in other areas too, such as a change in character between the two songs, a change in affect (comedy and serious, for example), a change in style (Standard musical theatre literature verses earlier musical comedy styles like George Gershwin verses rock styles). 5. What guidelines are given? Does the breakdown ask for a song from a certain period, a certain style or a certain length? It is unwise to go against these guidelines. Period. One qualification must be made when it comes to 16- and 32-bar cuttings. These numbers are, for most people, relative. Your cut needs to feel like a 16-bar cutting rather than be exactly 16 bars. One to three bars under or over is not a problem in most cases. Eight to ten bars over is a problem. Be aware that for songs in cut-time or in 2/4, if may be more appropriate to sing a cut that is double the length of your desired cut. You must use your discretion and, again, it must feel like a 16- or 32 bar cut. See “Finding Cuts” below. Starting Points
There are several places to begin your search. They are all useful in some circumstances but not all are useful in every circumstance. Never limit yourself to one of these starting points. You will become stuck very easily. Of course, the more research your do, the better your results. You must buy music and CDs and you must be familiar with a wide range of shows. This is simply part of being a professional. Over time, you will develop an audition book that will contain songs that you know and perform well at a moment’s notice that are appropriate for most auditions. However, no audition book contains something for every situation. You must continue to maintain and build your repertoire. Here are some of the starting points you can use to focus your research. • The same composer • The same vocal style • The same historical period or location that the show takes place in • The same show theme • Other roles that the originating actor played • A similar character A good first step is to look for material by the same composer. This is especially true for musical from the 20s to the 60s. During this time, the successful composers wrote many shows with similar styles and themes. Some even have similar characters. From the 70s on, there are a greater number of successful composers with smaller bodies of work. You must look for different 112
starting points for this period. Say you are auditioning for Hair . While there are other Galt McDermot shows, very little of this material is right for this audition. You should look for a song from another early Pop/Rock musical or even a Pop/Rock song not from a musical. If you are auditioning for Pippin, there are a number of shows by Stephen Schwartz to choose from but very little of it is right for the Pop/Rock sound of Pippin. Another good early starting place is to look for songs from musicals that share a similar musical style. You should be aware of the musical similarity between Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, between Rodgers and Hammerstein and Le rner and Loewe, and between Leonard Bernstein’s shows and Jule Styne’s. When auditioning for Kander and Ebb’s Chicago, however, it’s best not to do a song from a musical but instead to do a vaudeville song from the 20s since that is the music that is closest in style to Chicago. Look for songs from other musicals that share a similar musical style and esthetic. You can find a list of shows that are similar below. Shows that share a common musical style. Oklahoma!
Music Man
Legally Blonde
Carousel
Oliver!
The Wedding Singer
Brigadoon
Hello, Dolly!
Big
Finian’s Rainbow
Mame
Footloose
South Pacific
Fiddler on the Roof
Jane Eyre
Allegro
She Loves Me
Scarlet Pimpernel
Camelot
The Rothchilds
Cyrano
My Fair Lady
Plain and Fancy
King and I
Sound of Music State Fair
A Tale of Two Cities Phantom of the Opera
Martin Guerre
Jekyll and Hyde
Les Miserables
Wonderful Town
Sunset Boulevard
Miss Saigon
Bells are Ringing
Woman in White Lestat
Chess
Annie Get Your Gun Best Foot Forward
Evita Beauty and the Beast
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Jesus Christ Superstar
Call Me Madam
Little Mermaid
Meet Me in St. Louis
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Damn Yankees
Mary Poppins
Li’l Abner Pajama Game
Aida
Ragtime
Lion King
Titanic
Billy Elliot
Boys from Syracuse
Carnival
Can Can
Babes In Arms
Fantasticks
High Society
Good News
110 In the Shade
Kiss Me Kate
Crazy for You
Silk Stockings
Girl Crazy
DuBarry was a Lady
Lady Be Good
Anything Goes
Funny Girl
Pal Joey
Fifty Million Frenchmen
Gypsy
Strike Up the Band
Panama Hattie
Fade Out – Fade In
Mexican Hayride
Seesaw Sweet Charity The Life Little Me
A veritable treasure trove of ideas can open to you whe n you look at other musicals set in the same period or location. This could be Victorian London, late 19th- or early twentieth century American West, New York of the 20s or 30s. When auditioning for 1776, you might consider looking for a song from Ben Franklin in Paris since both musicals are concerned with historical figures from the same period. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and OKLAHOMA! are both about the settling of America. La Cage aux Follies, Falsettos, When Pigs Fly all concern gay characters in about the same historical period. Clue, Something’s Afoot, Sherlock Holmes: The Musical and Baker Street are all musical mysteries.
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You might also look for shows with a similar theme such as a tragic love, operatic love at a grand scale, a comic mismatch, historical shows, shows that use Coun try music, shows pertaining to sports, or shows for young audiences. You might find some interesting information by knowing the originating actor for the role you’re auditioning for and to research other roles that that actor played. It has been common for actors to play similar roles in their career unless their career is very long and by necessity change the kinds of roles they play. Ibdb.com is the best place to find this information. The last, and one of the best places to research is to look for another character with similar traits and characteristic. Most characters can be seen as an archetype. If you know your character’s archetype, you can find other songs sung by a character that shares the same archetype. Character Archetypes Describe each of these types and their characteristics
•Female ingénue (Laurey in OKLAHOMA!, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Julie in Carousel, Peggy in 42nd Street, Anne in A Little Night Music, Belle in Be auty and the Beast, Maria in West Side Story, Sally in Cabaret, Fiona in Brigadoon, Maria in The Sound of Music, Young Little Edie in Grey Gardens, Janie in Catered Affair, Sharon in Finian’s Rainbow, Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, Cosette in Les Miserables, Julia in The Wedding Singer, Elle in Legally Blonde) •Male ingénue (Matt in The Fantasticks, Billy in 42nd Street, He nrik in A Little Night Music, Lt. Cable in South Pacific, Robert in Drowsy Chaperone, Lun Tha in The King and I, Freddie in My Fair Lady, Arpad in She Loves Me, Marius in Les Miserables, Robbie in The Wedding Singer?) •Hero, how is he different from male ingénue? (Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, Tony in West Side Story, John Adams in 1776, Woody in Finian’s Rainbow) •Comic Villain or Villainess (Carl-Magnus in A Little Night Music, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Ursula in Little Mermaid, Fagin in Oliver!, Kodaly in She Loves Me, Bud Frump in How to Succeed, Thenardier and Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables, Glen in The Wedding Singer, Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde) •Dramatic Villain or adversary (Judd in OKLAHOMA!, Jigger in Carousel, Bill Sikes in Oliver!, Dickinson in 1776, Javert in Les Miserables, Chauve lin in Scarlet Pimpernel) •Temptress (Lola in Damn Yankees, Appassionata von Climax in Li’l Abner, The Baroness in Sound of Music, Linda Low in Flower Drum Song, Heddy in How to Succeed, Linda in The Wedding Singer) •Prince Charming (Beast/Young Prince in Beauty and the Beast, Lancelot in Camelot, Prince in Cinderella) •Trickster (Henry in The Fantasticks, Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees, The Emcee in Cabaret, Og in Finian’s Rainbow, Uncle Max in Sound of Music, The Leading Player in Pippin) •Girl back home (Meg in Damn Yankees, Helen Chao in Flower Drum Song, Eponine in Les Miserables) •Fool (Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Sipos in She Loves Me, Hines in Pajama Game, Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls, Sancho in Man of La Mancha) 115
•Storyteller (El Gallo in The Fantasticks, The Man in the Chair in Drowsy Chaperone) •Best friend also sometimes called Soubrette, often comic (Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA!, Carrie in Carousel, Ann in 42nd Street, Petra in A Little Night Music, Anita in West Side Story, Ilona in She Loves Me, Gladys in Pajama Game, Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly!, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Smitty in How to Succeed, Hildy in On the Town, Martha in The Secret Garden, Holly in The Wedding Singer. Paulette in Legally Blonde) •Leading lady (Dorothy in 42nd Street, Dolly in Hello, Dolly!, Fräulein Schneider in Cabaret, Anna in King and I, Mrs. Malloy in Hello Dolly!, Marin in Music Man, Gueneve re in Camelot, Rosie in Bye, Bye Birdie, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Fantine in Les Miserables, Mame in Mame, Rose in Gypsy, Fannie in Funny Girl) •Chorine, Female singer or dancer in a Musical Comedy, usually not bright and comedic. (Drowsy Chaperone, Adding Machine, Kiss Me Kate, Curtains) •Leading man (Curley in OKLAHOMA!, Billy in Carousel, Joe Boyd in Damn Yankees, Fredrik in A Little Night Music, Herr Schultz in Cabaret, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Harold Hill in Music Man, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Emile in South Pacific) •Antihero (Javert, Shrek, Sweeney, Carnival character) •Sidekick AKA Second Banana (Will Parker in Oklahoma!, Marcellus Washburn in Music Man, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Jeff Douglas in Brigadoon, Chip in On the Town) •Wise old man or woman or Earth mother (Aunt Eller in OKLAHOMA!, Nettie in Carousel, Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Mother Superior in Sound of Music, Lady Thiang in King and I, Ben in Secret Garden, Arvide in Guys and Dolls) •Child (Chip in Beauty and the Beast, Sad Girl in Bye, Bye Birdie, Amaryllis in Music Man, Gavroche in Les Miserables, Oliver in Oliver!, Annie in Annie, Colin in The Secret Garden, Louis in The King and I) You must know the age and sociological associations of the role you are auditioning for and choose material that is appropriate. Also be aware that casting in musicals doesn’t always follow the kind of casting your find most often in film. You don’t necessarily need to be 16 to play a 16 year-old. The material you choose needs to have the age of the character in mind, however. Locating Sheet Music
The first place to look for auditioning material is in the Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthologies published by Hal Leonard. Five volumes for each of the four voice types contain an amazing wide variety of literature. Consider these songs the standard literature. You must own these books and know these songs. It is crucial. These songs should be at the heart of your audition book. You might think that these songs are all overdone, and maybe they are, but they are the songs that the people behind the tables need to hear. There is another 2-volume collection for each voice type published by Alfred. There are some things in these that are not in the Hal Leonard books. Of course, you must also look beyond these songs to enrich your choices. These songs, depending on the situation, are going to be sung by many other people that day. It is prudent that 116
you find other resources. Large public and university libraries often have many musical theatre full scores, especially those from the 20s to the 70s. They also will have vocal selections. Vocal selections are the smaller folios that are published for the home consumer. These books will generally have only the most popular songs as they are for public consumption. If you are looking for more minor songs from shows, these songs may not be included. Vocal selections contain arrangements of the songs meant for amateur singers to sing at home or small gatherings. As such, the arrangements may differ from the show slightly or the keys may be altered to be easier to play on the piano. Vocal selections are nevertheless wonderful resources for audition material. For Pop/Rock songs, visit your local music store for individual sheets or collections by artist or theme (such as The Greatest Hard Rock Songs Ever or Great 80s Ballads). The other place to look is at sheet music websites such as musicnotes.com. You can buy single sheets and often transpose them to your key! If a song is not published, something that is often the case for more recent or less popular shows, you may be able to hire someone to transcribe the song from a recording or you might know someone who has done the show and has the score. Leave no stone uncovered. Finding the right song is worth searching for and it is rarely an easy task. Auditioning for the ensemble
If you believe that you will not be considered for a leading role, what do you sing? The first place to start is with the vocal demands and style of the show. Your choice or choices should help those you are auditioning for see you in the musical. Your choice should also consider the physical life of the characters in the ensemble. The ensemble for OKLAHOMA! and On the Town have very different expectations even though the shows opened less than a year apart. Remember that at a singing audition, the primary thing people are looking for is if you can sing the score and if you “fit” into the director’s vision of the show’s world. Finding cuts
Creating a great 16- or 32-bar cutting isn’t as difficult as you might think. The first thing to look for is the most musically or lyrically special or identifiable moments of the song. You will also most likely want to sing the song’s climax. The second thing is to sing the p arts of the song that are the best for your voice. If, however, you don’t sing the last high note well, you should probably choose a different song. The origin of the 16- or 32-bar cut comes from a time when most refrains were 32 bars long. A 32-bar cut then would mean to sing the refrain, but not the verse. A 16-bar cut would mean to sing the last half of the refrain. If your song is not in a standard form, as is the case for many
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contemporary songs, it is still preferable to start at the end of the song and work your way backwards. By the way, if the last note is sustained for several bars, only count that bar once. It is crucial that you mark your music clearly so that the pianist cannot be confused by your cut. The best way is to present your music with only the bars you are singing. Nothing else should be visible. This will take extra time on your part but it is worth it. An exception to this rule is when you are doing a standard that has a first and second ending at the conclusion of the piece. The pianist will assume that you are singing the second ending. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it a good idea to choose unknown material? Probably not in most situations. It may seem like a good idea to do a rare song to assure that you are unique, but it is often not a good idea. If you are singing a song from an unknown or rarely performed musical, the people behind the table may spend your audition wondering what the song is or why you chose this song. It may seem counterintuitive, but you want your audition to be focused on you, not your song. Most people do not tire of hearing “If I Loved You,” “Almost Like Being in Love” or “Unusual Way.” 2. Should I do a special fancy arrangement? Imagine that you have a friend who is a gifted arranger who has done a special treatment of your Standard Ballad or maybe you have found an interesting arrangement that a recording artist has done. It is not a good idea to do these arrangements because, again, you want the focus to be on you and not the song or arrangement. A traditional arrangement is preferred especially if you a re doing a so-called Standard or a musical theatre song. 3. Should I choreograph my audition? No. A singing audition’s primary purpose is to see if you sing well enough for the production and to see if you fit into the world of the musical. Leave your dance skills to the dance audition. You also should not have a great deal of movement in your audition. All movement should be based in the cha racter and situation and should not distract from your singing. 4. Are there certain composers I should avoid? If you are auditioning for a Sondheim show, it is acceptable to sing Sondheim. Otherwise, it’s probably not a good idea. His songs are complex for the singer, the pianist and the listener. Due to the difficulty of the piano part, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel and Michael John LaChiusa songs are probably not good ideas either. Their songs are often extended story songs as well. Choosing Pop/Rock songs for auditions
In increasingly greater situations these days, people would rather hear Pop/Rock songs rather than Musical Theatre songs. Everything from Hair to Les Miserables to Next to Normal to Rock of Ages to The Lion King to All Shook Up, Pop/Rock songs are being asked for. Here are some qualities that make a good Pop/Rock audition song:
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1. A good Pop/Rock song is melodic. If the song is pleasant to sing and recognizable withou t accompaniment, it is probably a good choice. Don’t choose a song with a limited pitch range. You want a song that can show off your voice. 2. A good Pop/Rock song should be well-known or at least somewhat well know. It is wise to choose a song that was released as a single and charted fairly highly. 3. A good Pop/Rock song should work with piano accompaniment only. Don’t choose songs whose best attribute is its groove. If the song’s best quality is rhythm, it’s likely not a good choice. Look instead for songs with a strong harmony. 4. A good Pop/Rock song has real Rock energy with a strong back-beat. The drums should be playing for most of the song. 5. A good Pop/Rock song is better if it is more positive than negative. You will need several Pop/Rock songs in your book. These include at least one uptempo song from the 50s or 60s with a fun Rock or Motown groove. You will also need an uptempo and a ballad from the 80s to today. It’s not a bad idea to look for piano-based songs by Billy Joel, Elton John, Carley Simon and Ben Folds. Guitar based songs can work as well if they are strong melodically and harmonically. The Beatles songs, although often guitar-based are wonderful because they are well-crafted and melodic with strong, interesting harmonies. Here is a short list of the artists that have a discography of great choices for auditions. Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Bonny Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Rick Springfield, Melissa Ethridge, Phil Collins, Queen, Donna Summer, Sheena Easton, Janis Joplin, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Kelly Clarkson, Diane Warwick, Tina Turner, Styx, Journey, Christopher Cross, Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins and Michael Jackson. In choosing a Country song, many of the same guidelines apply. Choose something with a good melody, something that charted and something that will sound good with a piano. Many of the Country songs of the last 15 years or so have much more in common with Pop/Rock songs. It is better if you find a song in a real Country style. Don’t neglect the songs from the early days of Country music. List artists. Special Situations
What if you are auditioning for a season of 5 or 6 musicals? The first thing to remember is that you cannot hope to show something for every show in a 16-bar cutting. If you will most likely be considered for the ensemble, follow the suggestions abov e for an ensemble audition. If there is a lead you are right for, follow the suggestions for auditioning for a lead above. What if you are doing an audition such as Midwest where you are auditioning for many different companies? Sing something that shows that you understand your type and how you will likely be cast. If you could fit into several types of shows easily, you must simply make a choice. You must also choose something that you sing extremely well.
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Audition Case Study Here are a few real life examples of finding the perfect audition song.
I was coaching a young women who was interesting Martha Jefferson in 1776. She was perfect. She had the classical acting background as well as the vocal power needed for “He Plays the Violin.” The challenge was finding the right song that would allow the panel to see and hear this. Since Martha Jefferson is a historical figure, we struggled with finding material that could fit into the world of Colonial America. The song is a sweeping, rapturous waltz of the character’s immense joy in the love she has for her husband. Martha’s essence is youthful but classic. We decided that the emotional sweep of the song was the primary thing we needed to capture. A waltz would be outstanding. And if it had the opportunity for high mix/belt, that would be even better. The song we landed on was “Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific. There were some things we had to look at with this song though to make it fit. In South Pacific, Nelly is running around the beach in 1944 in shorts. Martha would be wearing petticoats and her world would be more formal. The actor was able to live in the world of 1776 while singing “Wonderful Guy” by imagining herself in the surroundings and clothes of the character. Her body language would be different than Nellie’s but she could sing the song with the sound she wanted for “He Plays the Violin.” It worked beautifully. Auditioning for Sondheim
I was coaching a beautiful soprano with real comic abilities. She was interested in Cinderella in Into the Woods. Okay, let’s all stop and consider how difficult it is to audition for a Sondheim show. You can’t sing from the song you’re auditioning for and there are no two shows that have remotely similar sounds. So where do you start? You start with the character and then consider what she has to sing. This Cinderella is different from other Cinderellas. She’s more grounded and funnier. She’s a bit clumsy and seems to find herself in embarrassing situations. The role calls for a soprano, but a unique kind of soprano—one that has to sing quickly and make quick beat changes. We asked ourselves: What are the best Sondheim soprano songs? The most obvious is “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” but Johanna is very different—younger and less experienced. “I Remember” and “Take Me To the World” were also wrong. Does she panic? No. She knows she needs to be aware of the character above all else. She most wanted to find Cinderella’s strong desire for something better while at the same time questioning h erself. After singing nearly every female (and some male) Sondheim songs, the one she felt most related to her sense of the character was “Isn’t It?” from Saturday Night. The song is about the conversation two young people who are dancing have. The girl is trying to get to know the boy but she questions everything, mostly herself. The idea of meeting at a dance had, of course, immediate resonance. The challenge was to remove the song from suburban New York and put it into the world of Into the Woods. The range is lower than she wanted optimally and she considered raising it a step or two. But ultimately she decided she would just sing it as written. She sang with the voice she heard as
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Cinderella’s voice while seeing the character’s world around her. It couldn’t have been more Cinderella-ish. Of course, she could have decided not to sing a Sondheim song and that’s perfectly okay, though perhaps not ideal. The reason it’s not ideal is that there is very little out there that matches his quick wit and musical sophistication. But, I do believe that it is okay to not sing Sondheim for one of his shows if your best option is someone else’s music. Please do try to stop all the crazy thinking I’ve experienced when people talk about Sondheim. While his music is brilliant, we can’t, as his interpreters, actively worship his music while we sing. We will only get in our way. Love the music. For goodness sake, study it throughly to understand its intricacies. But just look at it as any other song you are to sing. Be smart about it but don’t worship it. Summary
Finding the perfect audition song is never easy. It is vitally important that you are familiar with as much of the repertoire as possible. Always be on the hunt for new songs. For Musical Theatre songs, you must be familiar with the original cast reco rdings for style and performance practice. That doesn’t mean you have to follow the cast album slavishly. It also doesn’t mean you should learn the song by listening to the cast album. For songs such as the so-called Post-millennium repertoire, the best place to go is YouTube. But YouTube shouldn’t be the place you go to to listen for original cast albums, unless you find those there. Choose many songs and try them all out with a friend or a teacher. While you may think a song is perfect, it is only perfect for you if it fits your voice, your personality and your type. Don’t put songs in your book unless you love them. Work diligently on developing an audition book that has songs for many, if not most, situations and do not forget to have a wide variety of songs. Include comedy songs, standards, uptempos and ballads, as well as the many types of contemporary literature. Overused Songs
Here is a list of overused songs. Overused songs come and go. What is fashionable one season may be okay in 4 or 5 years. Adelaide’s Lament All That Jazz Anthem Astonishing Big Spender Broadway Baby Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine Corner of the Sky Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
Guys and Dolls Chicago Chess Little Women Sweet Charity Follies Show Boat Pippin Evita
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Embraceable You Girl Crazy Gimme, Gimme Thoroughly Modern Millie Good Morning Baltimore Hairspray Gorgeous The Apple Tree I Don’t Know How to Love Him Jesus Christ Superstar I Enjoy Being a Girl Flower Drum Song I Get a Kick Out of You Anything Goes I Hate Men Kiss Me, Kate I Know Things Now Into the Woods I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out South Pacific of My Hair I’m Holding Out for a Hero Footloose I’m Not That Girl Wicked In My Own Little Corner Cinderella Let’s Hear It For the Boy Footloose Little Girls Annie Maybe Annie Music of the Night Phantom of the Opera My New Philosophy You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown New York, New York New York, New York (movie) Not for the Life of Me Thoroughly Modern Millie Over the Rainbow The Wizard of Oz Part of Your World The Little Mermaid Ribbons Down My Back Hello Dolly Seasons of Love Rent Shy Once Upon a Mattress Someone Like You Jekyll and Hyde Someone to Watch Over Me Oh, Kay! Somewhere That’s Green Little Shop of Horrors Summertime Porgy and Bess Take Me Or Leave Me Rent This is the Moment Jekyll and Hyde Tomorrow Annie What I Did For Love A Chorus Line You Can Always Count On Me City of Angels Some shows to avoid: Wicked Phantom of the Opera Cats Grease Les Miserables Annie Anything by Jason Robert Brown Jekyll and Hyde 122
Thoroughly Modern Millie Any show in the current season of the company you are auditioning for.
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Qualities of a Great Musical Theatre Performance During my years of teaching musical theatre and coaching actors, I began to compile what I consider the crucial attributes of a great performance. Use this list while preparing a song and evaluating a performance. A great musical theatre performance has these qualities. Musical •All pitches and rhythms are correct 4 •The performer is aware of indications such as fermatas, tenutos, caesuras and dynamics •The changes in the music are motivated by the actor •There is an absence of decrescendos at the end of a long pitches, especially at the end •The last note has length and is sung without a decrescendo •The ending of the song has a button, especially in up-tempos Vocal •Vocal colors change in response to the lyric and acting choices •The singer does not listen to themselves while singing. •The vocal energy affects the partner and, as a result, reaches the audience. •There is a clarity of diction that does not draw attention to itself •The singing style is appropriate to the song •When a spoken lyric happens during a song, the energy is greater than the sung lyric, not lesser. •When vocal licks are employed, there is a spontaneity in them and they support the lyric and moment. Text Analysis •There is specificity in the song’s story 5 •The phrasing takes the lyric’s punctuation into consideration •The performer knows their super-objective •The performer knows what the conflict of the song and their situation •The performer knows the journey of the song and is able to live the life of the song moment-to-moment •There is a beginning, middle and end 4 In 5
special cases, sometimes rhythms may be altered if the lyrical phrasing mandates a change
The listener may not know all the details of your situation, but they will understand the essentials.
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•There is knowledge of the song’s original context, even if the song is sung with a newly created situation •The images in the song are clear to the audience Physicality •There is physical energy •The energy of the performance matches the energy of the song •The physicality is that of the character, not the singer. •The physicality does not distract from the song •The arms are not disconnected from the body •There is breath in the body that supports the singing voice •The physicality is spontaneous and not choreographed • The action and physicality of the character is present and specific even if there is no singing •The physicality has variety •The moment before launches the song •The physicality does not distract or draw a ttention away from the face •There is a lack of tension, especially in the eyebrow, forehead, and hands Performance •The breaths that are the breaths of the character, not the singer •There is specificity in focus that is not too high, too low or too off center •There are changes in action that respond to and motivate the musical changes •Avoids finding the negative but instead fights for the positive outcome •Does not play emotion •There are a variety of emotions •The action precedes the corresponding lyric, not the reverse •Has proper scale, not too big for the song or too small •Has stakes that are appropriate for the song and situation •Energy and volume are not equated.6 •There is joy in the act of singing Other •Clothes do not distract from the song or performance •Hair is not allowed to distract from the face a nd eyes
•The eyes are not closed, except in special cases
6
Soft can be energetic and all moments do not need to be loud.
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Analytical Tools for Song Performance Parts of this chapter are in outline form only I. Introduction to Critical Listening and Thinking about music A. Why is it important? B. Where do I start? The best place to start is with listening with an open mind and attentive ears. It doesn’t require an advanced u nderstanding of music theory. II. Critical Listening: “Soliloquy” III. Musical Components A. Melody B. Tempo C. Rhythm D. Orchestration E. Form F. Harmony G. Musical symbols IV. Analysis: listening while looking at lyrics. Sample #1: “Will He Like Me?” V. Analysis: listening while looking at sheet music. Sample #2: “Painting Her Portrait” VI. Conclusions
Musical Components for Analysis
Use these Six components to guide you as you look for meaning in music. 1. Melody and melodic contour. This melody goes up while that melody goes down. This melody is high while this melody is lower. A melody can be considered “melodic” if there is a balance of contour (up motion and down motion) and step-wise motion contrasting with leaps. Sometimes, as in the opening of “Will He Like Me?”, there is a purposeful lack of traditional melody. 2. Tempo. This tempo is fast. This tempo is slower. 3. Rhythm can be predictable or smooth (“In My Own Little Corner” from CINDERELLA) or it can be unpredictable or syncopated (“Something’s Coming” from WEST SIDE STORY). The heartbeat rhythm is such a fundamental life-rhythm that when utilized can have powerful meanings in songs like “Tonight” (West Side Story) or “The Story Goes On” (Baby). Rhythm is an important component in understanding music that can sometimes be overlooked. 4. Orchestration can suggest moods and feelings. A flute can be sweet. A trumpet can be strong and powerful. Timpani drums can be suggest majesty. A saxophone often is used to suggest 126
the sexual. A lone, high violin can suggest a plaintive quality. Listen to “Peter and the Wolf” by Sergei Prokofiev for the ways that instruments can help to tell a story. 5. Form. Looking at the way a song unfolds in time with differing melodies and harmonies can be a powerful tool for understanding a song. Before 1943, songs were fairly simple in structure, usually in an AABA or ABAB form. After OKLAHOMA!, theatre songs like “Lonely Room” and “Soliloquy” were often more complex as the situations and story-telling grew in complexity. 6. Harmony. This can be intimidating to a lot of people but it doesn’t have to be. If you can do in depth harmonic analysis, that’s great. But start by observing things like, “This is in a minor mode” or “This music is dissonant” or “This music sounds exotic.” 7. Musical Symbols and representations. Music can represent or suggest things is time and space. For instance, music that sounds like a March can represent a parade while a Waltz can represent a genteel social gathering. A clock ticking can be represented in music because it is essentially a musical figure of pitch and rhythm.
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Will He Like Me? (She Loves Me) Lyric divided by beat
Will he like me when we meet? Will the shy and quiet girl he's going to see be the girl the he's imagined me to be? Will he like me?
Action
Amalia questions if she will be attractive to the man she has been writing.
Musical notes
The simple, non-melodic melody at the beginning is a perfect analogue to the questioning lyric. I’ll call the motive back and forth between D and E the “questioning motive”. She’s working out her problem. The melody opens up and encompasses a full octave. It moves from non-melodic to highly melodic within the span of only 8 bars! This soaring melody in the second half of this section is Amalia letting out her true feelings, desires and hopes out into the world.
Will he like the girl he sees? She re-states her question in a If he doesn't, will he know new way. enough to know that there's more of me than I may always show? Will he like me?
An exact melodic repeat. She goes back to the problem. The lyrics go deeper into her worries and fears. She puts the lid back on her hopes and goes back to working out the problem.
Will he know that there's a world of love waiting to warm him? How I'm hoping that his eyes and ears won't misinform him.
The B section starts with the same melodic motive but an octave higher. The melodic idea that was first presented at the beginning is now allowed to fully flower. It has grown into a fully developed melody.
She opens up her heart about what she has to offer the relationship and her wish that he will see that within her.
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Lyric divided by beat
Action
Musical notes
Will he like me, who can say? How I wish that we could meet another day. It’s absurd for me to carry on this way. I'll try not to. Will he like me? He's just got to. Will he like me? He's just got to.
She re-states her question and Back to the A material. The responds to the question for penultimate line in the A the first time. section, “Will he like me” is a fully step higher, intensifying the question. The end of the section, the melody is not allowed to resolve. “He’s just got to” ends on a dissonant note, the second scale degree of G major. A new accompanimental idea is introduced here, the steady 8th flow corresponds to the ease she has when she writes alone.
When I am in my room alone and I write, thoughts come easily, words come fluently then. That’s how it is when I’m alone, but tonight, there’s no hiding behind my paper and pen.
Amalia describes how easy it is to write when she’s by herself and faces the fact that things will be much different when she’s face to face with him.
Here, Amalia takes stock of the difference between the two situations, writing when she’s alone and the terrifying thought of actually talking to him. She’s much more at ease when she writes to him alone. “There’s no hiding behind my paper and pen” has a steady quarter note accompaniment. This leads her back into the last section of the song. The accompaniment leading us back is the questioning motive, this time used to broaden and expand.
Will he know that there’s a world of love waiting to warm him? How I’m hoping that his eyes and ears won’t misinform him.
She returns to her thoughts about how much she can offer this man.
Like before, the B section allows us to see and hear the full depth of her desires.
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Lyric divided by beat
Will he like me? I don’t know. All I know is that I’m tempted not to go. It’s insanity for me to worry so. I’ll try not to. Will he like me? He’s just got to. Will he like me? Will he like me?
Action
Back to the initial questions; questions that build in intensity to the end.
Musical notes
Back to questioning. The questions “Will he like me” get progressively higher in pitch, ending with the song’s apex, F#. This dissonant note helps to emphasize the lack of resolution in the song. This song has an “ending where you start” arc.
Analysis you can use
The “questioning motive” at the beginning should be performed parlando, in a rhythmically free, slightly non-legato manner. It’s a “non-melody” that opens up as she moves higher and the question gets more passionate. There is a return to the “questioning motive” as she goes back to working things out. Then there is a soaring melody as she expresses her deepest wishes which can be more legato and non rubato. The rhythm in the middle section is more flowing to express the ease she has when she’s alone. She allows herself to express a completely different side to her character. As it moves back to the low “questioning motive” we understand that she hasn’t really solved anything. This music tells us that the arc is a “returning back where you start arc” or “spiral arc.” Be aware that much of the melodic material is developed out of the two-note questioning motive, reminding us that this moment is about her questions.
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Lonely Room (Oklahoma) Lyric divided by beat
Action
Musical notes
The floor creaks, The door squeaks, There's a field-mouse a-nibblin on a broom And I sit by myself Like a cobweb on the shelf By myself in a lonely room
Judd describes his world.
There is a repeated half-step in the orchestra that suggests Judd’s conflict and tension supporting a small melodic range indicative of Judd’s world. There is a preponderance of downward melodic motion.
But when there's a moon in my winder And it slants down a beam'crost my bed Then the shadder of a tree starts a-dancin on the wall And a dream starts a-dancin in my head And all the things I wish fer Turn out like I want them to be And I'm better'n that smart aleck cowboy Who thinks he is better'n me!
“But” indicates that he has secret longings for something better than his hum-drum existence.
The accompaniment responds to these images with 16th notes. This is the dream dancing in his head.
And the girl that I want Ain't afraid of my arms, And her own soft arms keep me warm
He allows himself to verbalize the what he most wishes.
This new section becomes much more melodic, responding to the images of love and embracing Laurey.
And her long,yeller hair, falls a-crost my face, Jist like the rain in a storm!
This is the best thing he can imagine. It is a simple, human desire.
There is a swell in dynamics supporting the passion he feels. The melodic motive, F#, G, A B, ends on the melody’s apex, C#.
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Lyric divided by beat
The floor creaks, The door squeaks And the mouse starts anibblin on the broom And the sun flicks my eyes It was all a pack o'lies! I'm awake in a lonely room.
Action
Musical notes
But, here he is, as always, in Almost an exact repeat of the a drab room realizing that this first A section. He is back in dream is not a reality. his room, facing his existence.
I ain't gonna dream 'bout her He makes his decision: to no more! persue his heart’s desire and I ain't gonna leave her alone! not just dream about it. Goin' outside, Git myself a bride, Git me a womern to call my own.
Here, at the climax of the song, we hear new music. A melodic motive, (F#, G, A B), is used on “Goin’ outside/Git myself a bride,”. The song ends on the melodic apex, C#. This is a non-chord tone of the home key, B minor. The final chord is B, C#, F#, an incomplete triad corresponding to Judd’s emotional state.
Analysis you can use
The use the tension of the 1/2 steps and the non-melodic melody create Judd’s existence. Because the opening melody is a “non-melody”, it should be closer to speech. When the orchestra opens up in the B section, that’s a clue for a more expansive vocal production and active character choices. For the first time, we see Judd’s hopes and dreams. It builds to the first climax on “Jist like the rain in a storm.. There is then an important return to the initial emotion place–Judd’s life is the same as it always was. But after returning there for a little while, there’s an abrupt change with “I ain’t gonna dream ‘bout her arms no more!” Judd makes a decision to act on his wishes.
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Maybe This Time Analysis Kander and Ebb from the musical, Cabaret (movie, then revival)
In the sophomore Music Theory for Musical Theatre majors, I require students to write a short essay on a song of their choosing with these guidelines. What follows is an example I use in class and then a few sample essays from the students. Structure for your three-page paper 1. An introduction which gives a context for the song and gives us an overview of what your thesis is. 2. Supporting evidence for this thesis–the body of the paper. 3. A conclusion which gives specific ways you can use this analysis in a performance.
This song is a perfect pairing of music, lyrics, cha racter and situation. Sally Bowles is the cabaret singer who has had few breaks and fewer successes in her life. When she discovers she’s pregnant with Cliff’s child, she begins to believe that her life can turn around. The song’s vamp is a snapshot of her life to this place–it crawls up (by half-steps) and just as we think it’s going to continue, it returns to where it begins. But this is just the beginning of her “epic” journey.
Some points to consider: •The song is in an ABAC form. After a half-step modulation the second half of the song repeats. The song’s form helps to reinforce this journey by increasing the intensity little by little as the song progresses. •The quarter note in the bass suggests the Sally’s determination. •The first 4 bars are repeated in the next 4 bars at a higher pitch level, suggesting Sally’s success and determination •In the B section, “He will hold me fast” is supported by “embrace motive” of half-steps above and below “b3”
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•The C section is a development of the B material which takes the melody higher than before.
•There’s a half-step modulation to A-flat and the last two sections from before are repeated. •The vamp at the end changes to one of hopefulness by moving up to “f3” instead of down as before.
Analysis you can use
John Kander’s music and Fred Ebb’s lyrics are an especially strong example of a perfect marriage of the two components. The song was not part of the original production but was instead added for the movie, written specially for Liza Minnelli, and as such, is one of the rare cases where an added song is as unforgettable as the original material. “Maybe This Time” is essentially Sally’s “I Want” song and it’s surprising that there wasn’t a moment like this in the original production. Both the music and the lyrics tell the same story–the story of a person who has been down on her luck but is fighting to overcome the odds and will succeed.
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Audition Book Song Categories The following song types should appear in your well-organized audition book. 1. Operatic aria or classical art song. The piece should be something that shows technique and range. 2. Operetta. The Merry Widow, The Desert Song , The Student Prince and others by Romberg, Friml and Victor Herbert. 3. Gilbert and Sullivan. These songs show diction, vocal technique and a sense of humor. Women, select a song that fits your vocal range and color. Men, choose a p atter song and a ballad. Young mezzos can skip this category as all the mezzo arias are for the older, character actor. 4. Early Musical Comedy/Tin Pan Alley or a Vaudeville Novelty Song. Choose an up-tempo song that is catchy and straightforward that shows your charm, personality and sense of humor. This is especially important for character men and wo men. 5. Standard Ballad and Up-tempo, pre-1943. George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin are the places to start. You want to find something that you can both act and sing well…something that shows your voice and your “essence.” Up tempos should be something that allows your body to respond to the rhythm of the song. 6. Golden Age ballad and up tempo. Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Loesser, late Porter, late Irving Berlin and many, many others. Choose something from a book musical between 1943 and the late-1960s that fits your type. Depending on your type, it’s not a bad idea to have several in each category. 7. Top 40 songs from these eras not from musicals: A) Early Rock and Roll Uptempo. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Early Beatles, Girl Groups B) 1960s/1970s pop/rock. Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, mid- to late-Beatles and others. This category is not absolutely essential to yo ur book but is a helpful addition. C) Country. From any period, by keep it faithful to the original. Don't make fun of the style. Choose something that's “real” Country and not pop/rock Country of the last few years. That style should go into one of the next categories. D) 1980s Pop hit Uptempo and Ballad. Some suggestions include Elton John, BillyJoel,Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Bonny Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Rick Springfield, Melissa Ethridge, Phil Collins, Queen, Carly Simon, Don na Summer, Sheena Easton, Janis Joplin, Beach Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Diane Warwick, Tina Turner, Styx, Christopher Cross, Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins and Michael Jackson. 135
E) Contemporary Pop/Rock, two contrasting songs from the last 15 years or so. Perhaps one song is a Pop song from the radio and the other is from a less-popular Rock band. There are many, many modern shows that require a wide variety of different styles. Try to find songs that are suitable for shows such as Spring Awakening, Rent, High Fidelity, and American Idiot. 8. Sondheim. Choose a song that shows intelligence, maturity and strong musicianship. N.B. Funny Thing...Forum doesn't qualify for this category as it is so different from the style of the rest of his shows. 9. Rock Musical (Ballad and up-tempo)from the late 60s to the mid-80s. Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, Godspell, Hair, Dreamgirls, Chess, etc. This is about the combination of singing style and acting skills. This category is becoming less important as most Pop/Rock show auditions would prefer you to sing an actual Pop/Rock song. 10. 1960s/1970s Show tunes (Ballad and up-tempo, not pop/rock) Kander and Ebb, Cy Coleman, Jule Styne, Jerry Hermann. 11. Contemporary musical theatre (Ballad and up-tempo). Jason Robert Brown, William Finn, Ahrens & Flaherty, Andrew Lippa, Michael John LaChiusa and others. Choose songs that reveal something true about you. 12. Disney or film tune. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz songs are often over-sung. It’s better to choose an earlier Disney song like the Sherman Brothers or any great song from a movie (especially 1960s to 1980s). These songs are often very straightforward and well known. The point is to sing a well-known song well so that they can really hear the strength your voice. Avoid songs from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas. Look for songs from earlier Disney shows. Really well know Film tunes, like “Moon River” or “It Might Be You” can also be great for this category. 13. Contemporary Art Song. Ricky Ian Gordon, Adam Guettel, Georgia Stitt, John Bucchino. Something that shows both acting skills, singing skills and strong musicianship. 14. Post-millennium (since 2000). Please be aware that not everything since 2000 qualifies for this category. The Post-millennium style is best represented by folks like Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, Joe Iconis, Peter Mills, Seth Bisen-Hersh, Chris Miller, Scott Alan and many others. See Appendix 3. 15.Specialty number. This could be anything that shows something unique and special about your abilities. Yodel, high soprano, comedy, patter, super high belt are some possibilities. Be creative and outside the box. 16.African-Americans should have a Gospel song in their book. 17. The Money Cutting. Regardless of style or period, this short cutting (you n eed a 32-bar version, a 16-bar version and an 8-bar version) shows you at your very best vocally and matches your personality and strengths as a performer. Some final thoughts and instructions •Depending on your vocal and character type, it may not be necessary to have absolutely every one of these categories. Some exceptions can be made for having Gilbert and 136
Sullivan and/or Operetta. However, everyone should have something that allows your singing technique to shine. •Prepare each song in its complete form (60 to 120 seconds. You don't need to do repeats), a 32-bar cutting and a 16-bar cutting. •Music should be copied double-sided. If the music is on just two pages, present it in your book such that the pianist doesn't need to turn pages. •To avoid confusion, eliminate extraneous markings on your music. Clearly indicate introductions and endings. •None of the music should be cut off the page. Check the tops and bottoms of the pages carefully. Reduce the copy ratio as needed. 90% generally works.
Follow these guidelines with assembling your audition book. •Make all marks in dark pencil or black pen. Write legibly and do not use cursive as it can be difficult to read. •Audition books should be three-ring binders, no bigger than 2 inches wide. The super-large binders make turning pages difficult. •Write indications such as ritards and fermatas in the piano part, not the vo cal part. •Nothing should be cut off the page! This includes chords symbols at the top of the page and the left hand piano staff at the bottom of the page. •Reduce music, when copying from music books, to 90% to 92%. Most sheet music folios are larger that 8 1/2 X 11. •All music should be double-sided. If your c utting is only 2 pages, present the music without a page turn. •When making cuts in a song, present the music so the pianist sees on ly what she will be playing. In other words, don’t just make X’s through the music or draw arrows where the pianist needs to go. •Be sure that the title, show, tempo, style (such as Swing) and composer/lyricist are at the top of the page. This is especially important if you’ve made cuts where this information is left off. •When purchasing music from musicnotes.com or a similar website, make several copies so you will have a clean copy as a back up. •Use handwritten scores only when they are the only resource available. •You may be fortunate to have access to Piano/Conductor scores. Please use these only if they are not heavily marked up or if it is the only resources you can find. •The best way to double-side music is to place single-sided music, blank sides facing each other, taping the sides at the top and bottom and three-hole punching the music. •Please do not use staples. They make turning pages difficult.
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Advanced: Include different copies of each song you sing marked clearly with each cutting. Songs you sing frequently sing should have a 16-bar, a 32-bar and the full song as separate copies.
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Learning to Riff Learning to embellish on a melody, frequently called riffing, can be an intimidating thing to try but it’s not as difficult as you might think. Riffing has increasingly become a skill that is needed by the musical theatre performer as more and more shows are in a pop/rock style. This chapter will help you with the basics of riffing. It is important that you b egin slowly and resist the temptation to try to have a finished product too quickly. Riffing is a style of vocal embellishment that came out of African American work songs from the early 19th century as well as early Blues and black Gospel singers in the early part of the 20th century. It was further developed by R&B and Soul singers in the 50s and 60s. Elvis Presley famously took “Hound Dog,” first recorded by “Big Mama” Thornton, an African American Rhythm and Blues singer, and made it his own. The influence of an African American singing style was then employed by Pop and Rock singers in the 60s and 70s to today. It is crucial that the serious students listens to early great Blues singers such a s Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson, and Ma Rainey. Some of the great Gospel singers to listen to are Mahalia Jackson, Shirley Caesar, Bertha Houston and others. Soul singers to listen to are Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Eta James, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Fats Domino and James Brown. More recent Soul-inspired singers are Prince, Sade, Eryhah Badu, Macy Gray, India.Arie, Alicia Keys, Bettye LaVette, Maria Carey, Beyonce and Lauryn Hill. In the late 80s and 90s, a new kind of riffing occurs in pop music characterized by very fast vocal melismas done to the extreme. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys are examples. While this kind of riffing can be exciting, it can feel dated and minimize the importance of the lyric. Riffing should come from a need to express the text more fully. In Musical Theatre, most of the time you need to have a strong reason and need to embellish the melody. This isn’t always the case in purely pop music where riffing can sometimes be simply what is expected. The first step is to sing the melody softly, simply and accurately, without embellishments. It is only then will you know what to embellish on. Knowing what the actual melody is can sometimes be difficult because sheet music is often published today with the riffs written out. If you have learned a song by listening to a recording first, you must use your intuition and musical judgement to decide what the unadorned melody is. Try to simplify and smooth out the melody. For this chapter, we will begin with the Gospel song, “His Eye is On the Sparrow” (Fig. 1) because the melody is published and because so many singers have` found ways to make their performance unique. As you sing, have a pianist play simple chords. Sing slowly and notice which tones are chord tones and which are non-chord tones. The non-chord tones are labeled in the given example. 139
Learn the three primary types of non-chord tones as they will be useful to you as you create your version of the melody. A basic understanding of harmony and chords will be very helpful as you do this. •Neighbor tone - a non-chord tone which steps away from a chord tone and back to a chord tone •Passing tone - a non-chord tone which steps between two chord tones •Appoggiatura - a skip from one chord tone that resolves by step to a chord tone Fig. 1
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Once you have mastered the basic song, it is time to begin looking at some ways to change the melody. The most fundamental embellishments are found in Fig. 2.
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After you have mastered these six techniques, you can begin experimenting with free composition –a recomposition of the melody using the above techniques with additional liberties. Be careful that the new melody agrees with the harmony. Sing slowly and listen carefully. (Fig. 3)
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Notice that many of the original pitches are present at the same moments and that the shape of the melody stays largely the same.
In example 1, “eye is on the” is treated with simple neighboring tones, above and below, then “sparrow” moves downward like the original melody, but not as far. In example 2, “why should I feel” is recomposed by moving in the opposite direction. “Discouraged” is also recomposed. “Why should the shadows come” is first embellished by moving upward more quickly, and then reversing direction before moving up to C. “ Come” is treated with a simple neighbor tone. Blue Notes The flat 3rd, flat 5th (or sharp 4) and the flat 7th are pitches which give the Blues its flavor. In the key of “His Eye is On the Sparrow”, C major, the flat 3rd is E-flat, the flat 5th is Fsharp (or enharmonically G-flat) and the flat 7th is B-flat. You should always know the key you are singing in and know what the blue notes are as they are especially expressive. Theoretically, Blue Notes may be sung closer to a semitone away from their closest neighbor note. For example, the E-flats in Fig. 4 may be closer to the D neighbor tone than they would be in other situations. This alteration from standard tuning systems evokes the “pain” that is inherent in Blues.
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Figure 5 shows one possible “riff” melody created from the various techniques. Try to identify each of them. Notice that there are several places where a word or two has been added. Also notice the places where the melody stays the same but the rhythm has been changed slightly.
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Now it is your turn to create your own version of “His Eye is On the Sparrow.” Again, don’t try to go too quickly. Have a copy of Fig. 2 close by so that you can recall and incorporate each of the six techniques. Combining techniques will yield interesting and fresh results. Let your imagination and voice be free and don’t try to be too complex at first. Once you have done this, listen to the recordings of the song by Marvin Gaye, Mahalia Jackson, The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and Lauryn Hill.
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After doing this work, feel free to move on to these Musical Theatre songs. For women – “Whatever Happened To My Part?” (Spamalot), “Find Your Grail” (Spamalot), “I Am Changing” (Dreamgirls), “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” (Dreamgirls), “Too Beautiful For Words” (The Color Purple), “Raven” (Brooklyn: The Musical), “Once Upon a Time” (Brooklyn: The Musical), “Small Town Girl” (Debbie Does Dallas), “Feels Like Home” (Randy Newman’s Faust), “I Got Love” (Purlie), “I'm Just Movin'” (Working) “Take Me Or Leave Me” (Rent) and “I’m Not Alone” (Carrie). For men – “All Good Gifts” (Godspell), “Go the Distance” (Hercules), “Beethoven Day ” (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Revival), “Let Me Drown” (Wild Party), “Heaven on their Minds” (Jesus Christ Superstar), “Boy with Dreams” (Edges), “Lost in the Wilderness” (Children of Eden), “Memphis Lives in Me” (Memphis) and “Someone Else’s Life” (Tales From the Bad Years). Some pop songs that are especially good to explore riffing are Hero (Maria Carey), (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Aretha Franklin), If I Were a Boy (Beyoncé). I Believe I Can Fly (R. Kelly), Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) (Stevie Wonder), You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder) and I’ll Be There (Jackson 5).
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New and Notable Young Composers: The Post-Millennium Generation If you're under 25, I'm sure you're aware of the burgeoning, creative Musical Theatre scene centered in New York city. Much of this creativity comes out of the NYU musical Theatre writing program. There are hundreds even thousands o f great post-millennium videos on YouTube to watch. There are many many creative teams writing this music and producing showcases of their music Unfortunately not very much of this has made it to Broadway and only a few to Off-Broadway. YOUTUBE: Natalie Weiss, Pasek and Paul, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk The music of these composers represents a new style, a new stream, in musical theatre writing that, while sharing some commonalities with earlier styles, is unique. Some of these songs and composers might be lumped in with other contemporary composers like Jason Robert Brown or Andrew Lippa, but this music is a different kind of literature than composers of the preceding generation. It is often more a straight-forward, melodic pop style that tells stories of modern life. The vocal style is usually mix/belt for women and pop/rock for men. The best way to familiarize yourself with this music is by checking out the websites listed below and searching for their music on YouTube. When talking to my students about this music, it seemed important to come up with a term that differentiated it from other contemporary Musical Theatre, thus the label Post-Millennium was born. I do not consider every musical since 2000 to be Post-millennium. Addams Family, Memphis, Billy Elliot, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, Aida, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Producers, The Light in the Piazza, Wicked and others are a continuation of earlier musical traditions. Some of the Broadway and Off-Broadway shows that can be called Post-Millennium are Glory Days, Vanities, Summer of ’42, [title of show], Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, I L ove You Because and Ordinary Days. The Broadway show, A Christmas Story, was composed by the fabulous writing team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a team that has given us the incredible OffBroadway shows Edges and Dogfight . But this show draws upon the styles of earlier Broadway traditions. STYLE HERE Below is my master list of Post-millennium composers. Some were writing before 2000 but I use this term for its simplicity. Almost none of their music is published commercially but can be often be purchased from their website or from newmusicaltheatre com. The website contemporarymusicaltheatre com is a wonderful place to go to discover what’s hip and new.
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Post-millennium Composers Jack Aaronson Deborah Abramson Scott Alan Brad Alexander Mark Allen Gaby Alter Barbara Anselmi Michael Arden David A Austin Robert Bartley and Danny Whitman Neil Bartram and Brian Hill Rob Baumgartner Nick Blaemire Charles Bloom Jeff Blumenkrantz Eli Bolin Jeff Bowen Bobby Cronin David Dabbon Julianne Wick Davis Jared M Dembowski Chris Dimond and Michael Kooman Drew Fornarola Paul Fujimoto Jonathan Reid Gealt Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler Matt Gould Daniel Green Adam Gwon Rob Hartmann Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi Joe Iconis Aaron Jafferis and Ian Williams Stephanie Johnstone Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk Anthony King David Kirshenbaum Danny Larsen Brett Macias Michael Mahler Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen
www.aaronsonco.com www.deborahabramson.com www.scottalan.net www.bradalexander.com/ www.markallenmusic.com/ gabyalter.com/ www.michaelarden.net bartleywhitman.com/ www.bartramandhill.com robbaumgartner.com/ www.jamesandnick.com/ www.charlesbloomusic.com/ www.jeffblumenkrantz.com/ elibolin.net/ [ title of show] and Now.H ere.This. are published bobbycronin.com/ www.dabbonbruett.com/
www.drewfornarola.com www.jonathan-reid-gealt.com/ www.goldrichandheisler.com/ www.danielgreenmusic.com/ www.adamgwon.com/ robhartmann.com hilliardandboresi.com/ www.mrjoeiconis.com www.aaronjafferis.com www.stephaniejohnstone.com/ kerrigan-lowdermilk.com www.theanthonyking.com davidkirshenbaum.com www.reverbnation.com/brettmacias www.michaelmahler.com/ www.myspace.com/millerandtysen 148
J Oconer Navarro Ryan Scott Oliver Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Mike Pettry Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham Jeremy Schonfeld Georgia Stitt Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann Adam Wagner Sam Willmott
http://www.joconernavarro.com www.ryanscottoliver.com www.pasekandpaul.com/ www.mikepettry.com/ www.salzmanandcunningham.com/ www.jeremyschonfeld.com/ www.georgiastitt.com www.thomsonandmann www.adamjwagner.com www.samwillmott.com
Ask people if there are others I’m leaving out.
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Do characters know that they are singing? (I’m not sure where this should go)
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Musical Style through History Throughout the book, I’ve written with the assumption that you have a general understanding of musical theatre history and the styles associated with each period. But perhaps you’ve never had the chance to study this rich history. This chapter will give you a thumbnail sketch of the evolution of styles while leaving out historical details. It’s important for you to have, at least, a general understanding of how styles changed since 1900 so you can understand how the songs you sing relate to one another. This chapter can’t begin to give you a thorough knowledge of Musical Theatre history so I recommend that you pick up one of the histories listed in the bibliography. You will find a brief description of some of the major trends in Musical Theatre along with a description of some of the major composers. If you really want to learn this material, take the time to excavate the songs in order to see how they differ. Listen for the ways melody, harmony, rhythm, musical style and the relationship between lyric a nd music changes through time. Section 1–Early 20th C. to 1943: Operetta Victor Herbert (1859-1924) Babes in Toyland, Naughty Marietta, The Red Mill Rudolf Friml (1879-1972) Rose-Marie, The Vagabond King, The Three Musketeers Sigmund Romberg (1887-1951) The Student Prince, The Desert Song, The New Moon
Rather than talking about each of these composers separately, I will give you some stylistic traits for operetta in general. More than anything, operetta style is distinguished by its melody, often written fairly high, which is meant to be sung by classically-trained singers. The harmony is relatively simply in an early to mid-19th C. style. The rhythm of operettas is also often simple with frequent use of waltz and other European dance music incorporated. The lyrics are usually flowery, poetic and usually not very memorable, although Oscar Hammerstein contributed lyrics to some operettas. The music is often indistinguishable from European opera, but with this important difference–there is spoken dialogue between songs unlike Opera, which had sung recitatives. Listening Deep in My Heart, Dear. The Student Prince (Sigmund Romberg) Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life. Naughty Marietta (Victor Herbert) Indian Love Call. Rose Marie (Rudolf Friml)
Vaudeville and Very Early Musical Theatre
Before Musical Theatre developed its own musical style, the music of Broadway was quite similar to the popular music of its time. I’ve discussed Vaudeville in an earlier chapter. 151
The melody was very singable and and people bought the sheet music and sang the songs at home. As you can hear in “I Wanna Be Loved By You”, the vocal style associated with this kind of music was the opposite of operetta–untrained singers, belting out tunes. The harmony is straightforward and the rhythm borrows from ragtime. There were also quite a lot of sentimental ballads about love. The lyrics were about common people, often in humorous situations. In this early style, there wasn’t an effort to match the musical style to the character or situation. The composers were just trying to write warm and beautiful ballads or memorable, entertaining uptempos. Listening “I Wanna Be Loved By You” from the musical Good Boy ( 1928) by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby. “Shine On, Harvest Moon”, a vaudeville song by Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. “I Love a Piano” is one of Irving Berlin’s first hits (1915). Quintessential Tin Pan Alley
Early Musical Theatre Composers Jerome Kern Style •Kern’s style is exemplified by the importance of melody above harmony and rhythm. He stands at the cross-roads of operetta and the emerging American theatre style. His early works sound like operetta. •His melodies are unexpected. The melodies seems simple but rarely are. “All the Things You Are” includes all 12 chromatic tones and is in three different keys! • His songs are among the first to reflect the character that sings it. “Old Man River”, for instance, sounds like a spiritual and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” sounds like a Blues song. Listening “They Didn’t Believe Me” (The Girl from Utah, 1913) “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” (Showboat, 1927) “All The Things You Are” (Very Warm For May, 1939) “Ol’ Man River” (Showboat, 1927) George Gershwin Style •Rhythm and harmony are more important than melody •He often has melodies with repeated notes
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•He experimented with larger forms (Porgy and Bess, a piano c oncerto and orchestral music like Rhapsody in Blue and American in Paris). More than any one else of his time, wanted to be known as a serious composer. •He wanted to study composition with the French master Ravel, but Ravel said he couldn’t teach Gershwin anything. •He wanted to formalize the “American sound” based in jazz. •His melodies often contain blue notes. These are the special scale degrees, flat 3 and flat 7, that come from jazz and the blues. “The Man I Love” which we listened to earlier, is a great example of this.
Listening “I Got Rhythm” (Girl (Girl Crazy) Crazy) “Nice Work If You Can Get It” ( Damsel Damsel In Distress Distress,, film and Nice and Nice Work Work If You You Can Get It ) “Fascinating Rhythm” ( Lady Lady Be Good ) “Strike Up the Band” (Strike (Strike Up the Band)
Richard Rodgers (with Lorenz Hart) Style •Melody is more important than rhythm or harmony. •There are many melodic surprises •All of his songs are theatre songs, never pop songs. He is the standard bearer b earer for great theatre ballads. •He uses straight forward forms like AABA and ABAB. •His melodies are less Operetta-like Ope retta-like than Kern’s •He didn’t strive for “importance” like Gershwin. He just wanted to write great theatre songs.
Listening “Manhattan” (Garrick (Garrick Gaieties) Gaieties) “My Funny Valentine” ( Babes Babes in Arms) Arms) “My Heart Stood Still” ( A Connecticut Yankee Yankee)) “Bewitched” ( Pal Pal Joey) Joey) Section 2–1943 to the late 60s: The Golden Age of Musical Theatre
The first five song-writing teams are the most recognizable and identifiable. The teams listed in “Others” either have fewer major shows or don’t have a single, identifying style.
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Richard Rodgers (with Oscar Hammerstein II) Major Shows: Oklahoma, Shows: Oklahoma, Carousel, King and I, South Pacific, S ound of Music
•Simplicity and truthfulness •Music is always character based •No artifice •Hammerstein's humanity, humanity, plain-spoken lyrics where emotion is direct. •Full orchestra. Very little drums. •No Jazz influence. •Robert Russell Bennett's orchestration is a big part of the R & H sound. It is characterized by memorable countermelodies and lush strings. •Romantic, lush and designed to go directly to the heart •Melody based. Not rhythm or harmony •You •You leave whistling the tunes. •Lyrics came first and melody follows. •Many instances of hymn-like tunes. (This Nearly Was Mine, Bali Hai, Climb Every Mountain, You'll You'll Never Walk Alone, and an d Something Wonderful) •Almost in love song like “People Will Say We’re We’re In Love” and “If I Loved You” You” •Memorable Character numbers like “I Cain’t Say No” and “A Puzzelment” •Ballet music is important. •Big choruses. Listening “Oklahoma” (OKLAHOMA!) “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (Carousel) “Hello, Young Young Lovers” (The King and I) “A Wonderful Wonderful Guy” (South Pacific) Lerner and Loewe Major Shows: Brigadoon, Shows: Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, Camelot
•They are easy to confuse co nfuse with Rodgers and Hammerstein •You •You could many of the same things about about their music. •It's lush and orchestral. •Not jazzy. •Melody first. •Bennett also orchestrated for them so the sound is similar. •As compared to Rodgers and Hammerstein, their songs are more for the mind and less from the heart. Lyrics are witty and ironic. “Shall kith not kill their kin for me”, for example. •They seem less American because of o f the locations, both musically and lyrically.
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•Unlike Rodgers and Hammerstein, the songs feel less like they could fit only in their respective show. “Almost Like Being in Love” could fit in other shows. •Some choral work but less than Rodgers and Hammerstein. Listening Ascot Gavotte (My Fair Lady) I Could Have Dance All Night (My Fair Lady) The Simple Joys of Maidenhood (Camelot) Almost Like Being in Love (Brigadoon) Jule Styne (with various lyricists) Major shows: Gypsy, Funny Girl, Bells are Ringing
•The music is Jazz based. His songs really establishes the sound of the “show tune.” •More rhythmic than Rodgers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Loewe •Incorporates the sound of popular music •Songs tell the stories of their characters and eac h of his shows has their own world with internal style like Rodgers and Hammerstein. •Almost no choral singing. •Could possibly be confused with Loesser or Bernstein.
Listening “Some People” (Gypsy (Gypsy)) “Rose’s Turn” (Gypsy (Gypsy)) “I’m Going Back” ( Bells Bells are Ringing ) “Don’t Rain On My Parade” ( Funny Funny Girl ) Leonard Bernstein Major shows: West Side Story, On the Town, Wonderful Town Candide is Candide is unlike the others in style and scope
•Symphonic, big orchestra and bold orchestrations •Jazz based, with the exception of Candide. •Rhythm is the most important aspect but harmony and melody are complex and important. •His melodies are difficult to sing and the harmony is the most complex in musical theatre until we get to Sondheim. •His shows feel very New York. York. It’s quite sophisticated. •Could possibly be confused with Styne or Loesser Songs “I Can Cook, Too” (On (On the Town) Town) “Ohio” (W (Wonderful onderfu l Town) Town) 155
“Jet Song” (West (West Side Story) Story) “Somewhere” (West (West Side Story) Story) Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick Major shows: Fiorello, shows: Fiorello, Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me
•Almost as much as Rodgers and Hammerstein, their music is at one with the shows. Every show has a language of its own based on the location and the kind of story it is. •Songs come directly from the character. •Their music is less grand or formal than Rodgers a nd Hammerstein •High degree of emotionalism. •You •You can't imagine putting their songs in any other show. •Can be confused with Rodgers and Hammerstein •Frequent group numbers Listening “If I Were Were a Rich Man” ( Fiddler Fiddler on the Roof ) “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” ( Fiddler Fiddler on the Roof ) “When Did I Fall In Love” ( Fiorello) Fiorello) “Tonight “Tonight at Eight” (She Loves Me) Me) Others Adler and Ross ( Pajama Pajama Game and Game and Damn Damn Yankees Yankees)) Could be confused with Jule Styne or possibly Bock and Harnick Meredith Wilson (The (The Music Man and Man and The Unsinkable Molly Brown) Brown) Could be confused with with Rodgers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Loewe. Lots of group numbers. Charles Strouse (Major shows: Annie, shows: Annie, Bye, Bye Birdie, Applause, Rags) Rags) Burton Lane ( Finian’s Finian’s Rainbow, Rainbow, On a Clear Day, You You Can See Forever ) Could be confused with Lerner and Loewe. Finian’ Loewe. Finian’ss Rainbow could Rainbow could be confused with Brigadoon with Brigadoon and and On a Clear Day could be confused with Jule Styne or Bock and Harnick. Frank Loesser (Guys (Guys and Dolls, Most Happy Fella, How Ho w to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying ). ). Every show has a different style. The Golden Age style It's difficult to list traits that pertain to all shows from this era but here a few of them. •Big orchestra with lots of strings, brass and winds. •Songs which are always plot-based •An equality of importance between music and lyric •Vocal •Vocal styles are in generally one of o f two camps: Leading roles call for trained voices in a light classical/serious musical theatre style and supporting/comic roles for singing actors with less need for trained voices. As the period progresses there are times when leading characters have the voices usually associated with character roles.
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•Extended musical forms (beyond the usual verse/refrains of musical comedy) “Soliloquy” from Carousel and “ Lonely Room” from “Oklahoma” are quite complex. •Choral numbers The purpose is to give a broad sweep of musical styles so that students can identify composers or at least style periods by hearing. Section 3–1970 to the Present: Post-Golden Age Stephen Sondheim Major Shows: Company, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Passion Style •His songs set a high standard for theatre music and lyrics •Many of his musicals are concept musicals, i.e. they don’t tell a linear story from beginning to end. •The music and the lyrics are highly integrated and support each other. •Witty, smart lyrics and music that is more complex than the average Broadway show. •Irony is common •Musical dissonance is common and used for dramatic purposes. •Almost no musical allusions to Popular music •His songs are based first and foremost on the lyric with the music helping to communicate the lyric and its subtext. Listening “A Weekend in the Country” ( A Little Night Music) “Everybody Loves Louis” (Sunday in the Park With George) “No More” ( Into the Woods) “I Read” ( Passion) Kander and Ebb Major Shows: Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Curtains, Scottsboro Boys Style •The music of Kander and Ebb is frequently characterized by direct references to earlier styles (see below) •Black humor derived from cynicism, often pertaining to death (“Electric Chair”) but also to other taboo subjects like Menage a Trois (“Two Ladies”), is common. •Rhythm is the most identifying musical component. Listening
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“Two Ladies” from Cabaret . The music in Cabaret is modeled on the Weimar Cabaret sound exemplified by Threepenny Opera and Kurt Weill’s music. “Mister Cellophane” from Chicago. The show evokes the sound of Vaudeville. “Show People” from Curtains. The music of Curtains draws on the traditions of early Musical Comedy exemplified by the shows of Irving Berlin. “Electric Chair” from The Scottsboro Boys. The music of this show draws on the music of the Minstrel tradition. Jerry Herman Major shows: Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles Style •Lush, romantic music referencing earlier Musical Theatre styles. His songs are true Show Tunes! •He is most similar in sound to Jule Styne •The orchestra is characterized by lots of strings •There is strong female lead in most of his shows, or in the case of La Cage, a drag queen. •Herman’s songs are characterized by strong, singable melodies. Listening “Hello, Dolly” from Hello, Dolly “Bosom Buddies” from Mame “I Am What I Am” from La Cage Aux Folles Andrew Lloyd Webber (with various lyricists) Major Shows: Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera Style •His shows are grand with big themes in bold colors •The music often references Popular styles, especially rock, while at the same time, his melodies resemble the operatic arias of Puccini and Verdi •Webber’s soaring melodies are the most identifying musical component •Big orchestras with strings, brass (especially French horn) and synthesizers and electric guitars Listening “Buenos Aires” from Evita “Memory” from Cats “All I Ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera
Claude-Michel Schönberg (with various lyricists) Major Shows: Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Pirate Queen 158
Style •These shows are similar to the shows of Andrew Lloyd Webber in the importance of big melodies in a lush musical style •Vocal style for these shows is rich and bold with unique mixture of classical sound with slight pop inflection. •Frequent use of a modern recitative style (exemplified by the opening of “I Dreamed a Dream.” These recitatives are often on a single note. •Big orchestras with strings, brass, percussion and synthesizers Listening “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables “Do You Hear the People Sing” from Les Miserables “The Heat is On in Saigon” from Miss Saigon
Many great composers like Cy Coleman, whose career spanned over 30 years, and Stephen Schwartz, who started his Broadway career in 1971 and is still writing, have been left off of this list for the sake of brevity. Further Exploration: Make a list of the composers in the last 20 years that you think are the most important. Research their shows, styles and discover the shows that you don’t know yet.
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Hallmarks of Professionalism A professional in the performing arts... •has an endless curiosity about the world around them and the people with whom they share the planet. •has empathy for others. •is passionate about their work without becoming o bsessive and self-destructive. •has the ability to work when tired, angry, frustrated or distracted. •is capable of dealing with adversity in their career and relationships. •has strong opinions but is able to see another side of things without losing their own point of view. •seeks to find the positive in every experience. •has character. •is disciplined, even when they don't see immediate results. •is responsible and carries through on agreed tasks. Obviously, there are times when we don’t live up to these goals, but they will help to promote success and personal satisfaction.
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Musical Theatre Song Study and Audition Annotated Bibliography add history books and the ones listed at the end Alper, Steven M. Next! Auditioning for the Musical Theatre. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann, 1995. Extensive lists of dos and don’ts including what not to sing. Written by a working audition pianist. Very practical. Bell, John and Chicurel, Steven R. Music Theory for Musical Theatre. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press, 2008. A unique book that helps with the basic musical skills one needs. It includes interesting analyses of musical theatre songs. Brunetti, David. Acting Songs. New York: David Brunetti, 2006. Decent but slim book. There are more comprehensive books available. It contains short chapters on song as monologue, gestures and focus, and auditions. Caldarone, Marina, and Lloyd-Williams, Maggie. Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus. Hollywood: Drama Publishers, 2004. Essentially a thesaurus for finding the perfect actable verb for any situation. If you can come up with a verb that is close to what you want but not the perfect verb, look up that word and you’ll see others that may be better. For example, “Abolish” lists Annihilate, Destroy, Dismiss, Eradicate and Nullify. Cohen, Darren, and Perilstein, Michael. The Complete Professional Audition . New York: Back Stage Books, 2005. An incredibly helpful and exhaustive book for musical theatre auditions. It discusses such nuts and bolts as constructing the perfect 16-bar audition. Also helpful for choosing appropriate material for a specific role. Highly recommended. Craig, David. A Performer Prepares: A Guide to Song Preparation for Actors, Singers and Dancers. New York: Applause, 1993. Like Mr. Craig’s magnum opus, On Singing Onstage, this book takes the form of transcribed coaching sessions within various styles such as Narrative show ballad, Theatre blues, P atter song, etc. The best thing about this book for me is the way he is able to categorize songs by type. Recommended primarily for that reason. Craig, David. On Singing Onstage. New York: Applause, 1978. Mr. Craig’s book was the first of its kind and influences nearly everything that comes after it concerning theatrical song interpretation. The core of the book is a detailed process of five steps for preparing a song. We all are indebted to this book. Highly recommended.
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Deer, Joe and Dal Vera, Rocco. Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course. New York, Routledge, 2008. This is an extremely comprehensive textbook for the complete training of the musical theatre performer. It leaves no stone uncovered. Highly recommended. Kayes, Gillyanne, and Fisher, Jeremy. Successful Singing Auditions. New York, Routledge, 2002. The best part of this book for me is something she calls the “FOAL process”– “falling off a log.” It is a series of activities that help you to hone in on great material for you. The remainder of the book gives very solid and practical advice although her perspective is that of a West End professional. Kayes, Gillyanne. Singing and the Actor. New York: Theatre Arts, 2004. This is a vocal technique book for musical theatre singers. It comes highly recommended by voice teachers. Melton, Joan. Singing in Musical Theatre. New York: Allworth Press, 2007. A series of interviews with musical theatre educators from around the world. Merlin, Joanna. Auditioning: An Actor-Friendly Guide. New York: First Vintage Books, 2001. For my money, the best, most helpful, most humane, most sensible book on the subject. Incomparable. Moore, Tracey, and Bergman, Allison. Acting the Song. New York: Allworth Press, 2008. Essentially an handbook for musical theatre educators in teaching song interpretation. Clearly owes a debt to David Craig’s work but is less off-putting. This book may not be particularly helpful to the young professional. Oliver, Donald. How to Audition for the Musical Theatre: A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Preparation. Lyme, NH: Smith and Kraus, 1995. Ostrow, Stuart. Thank You Very Much. Hanover, NH: Smith and Kraus, Inc., 2002. A very slight book with a few lists of good songs to sing. Not particularly helpful in general. Ostwald, David. Acting for Singers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. A big fancy book published by a fancy company. The musical theatre singer may be put off by the fact that at least half of the book is about acting in opera. The technique here, however, is solid.
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Robison, Kevin. The Actor Sings. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann, 2000. Singing technique for the actor who has had little experience. Silver, Fred. Auditioning for the Musical Theatre. New York: Penguin Book, 1985. Another early book on the subject. While the book is fine, I think there are better things on the subject. Suskin, Steven. Showtunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway’s Major Composers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. An encyclopedic work about Broadway music. Indispensable. This is where I learned that Meridith Willson didn’t write “My White Knight”! For musical theatre nerds only.
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Repertoire
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Standard Ballads Standard Ballads are a must in everyone’s audition book. The first songs listed are the ones that are not overdone, are about love or love lost and have a verse. These are the ones you should look at first before looking at others. These are the qualities of a great ballad? Strong melody that will allow your voice to open up and soar It’s about something of emotional substance Lastly, I prefer standard ballads that have verses. When sung properly, verses do _______ . Rodgers and Hart With a Song in My Heart (M/F) 1929 My Heart Stood Still (M/F) It Never Entered My Mind (F) Spring is Here (M/F but probably better for a man) Have You Met Miss Jones? (M) My Romance (M/F) Isn't it Romantic? (M/F) I Could Write a Book (M/F) I Didn't Know What Time it Was (F) You're Nearer (M/F) Where or When (M/F) It's Easy To Remember (M/F) George Gershwin But Not For Me (F) A Foggy Day (M) Somebody Loves Me (M) Love is Here to Stay (M/F) Cole Porter You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To7 (M/F) Easy to Love (M) You Do Something to Me (M) Hoagy Carmichael The Nearness of You (M/F)
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women should change the lyric in the Verse to “lot of guys just a pleasing.”
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Irving Berlin* The Song is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On) (M/F) What'll I Do (M/F) *Others? Jerome Kern The Folks Who Live on the Hill (M) I'm Old Fashioned (F) Long Ago and Far Away (M/F) They Didn't Believe Me (M/F) Bill (F) Harry Warren I Only Have Eyes for You (M/F) 1934 You'll Never Know (M/F) 1943 The More I See You (M/F) 1945 I Wish I Knew (M/F) 1945*
James Van Heusen Darn That Dream (M/F) 1939 Imagination (M/F) 1940 Other Composers I Remember You (M/F) Music by Victor Schertzinger Lyrics by Johnny Mercer 1941
I Cover the Waterfront (M/F) Music by John Green Lyric by Edward Heyman 1933 I Can’t Get Started with You (M) Music by Vernon Duke Lyrics by Ira Gershwin 1935 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (M/F) Music by Manning Sherwin and Jack Strachey Lyrics by Eric Maschwitz 1940 As Time Goes (M/F) Music and Lyrics by Herman Hupfeld 1931 I'll be Seeing You (M/F) Music by Sammy Fain Lyrics by Irvin Kahal 1938 Can't We Be Friends (F) 166
Music by Kay Swift Lyrics by Paul James 1929 The Very Thought of You (M/F) Ray Noble 1934 September Song (M/F) Music by Kurt Weill Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson 1938 Fools Rush In (M/F) Music by Rube Bloom Lyrics by Johnny Mercer 1940 It's Magic (M/F) Music by Jule Styne Lyrics by Sammy Cahn (1947) It's You Or No One For Me I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU Can This Be Love? You were meant for me Too Overdone These songs are great Ballads by be aware that they are sung frequently.
Bewitched (Rodgers and Hart) My Funny Valentine (Rodgers and Hart) Someone to Watch Over Me (Gershwin) Embraceable You (Gershwin) The Man I Love (Gershwin) How Long Has This Been Going On (Gershwin) I've Got a Crush on You (Gershwin) Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye (Cole Porter) Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael) All The Things You Are (Kern) The Way You Look Tonight (Kern) Other Great Ballads Alone Together (Schwartz and Dietz) April in Paris (Harburg and Duke) Autumn in New York (Duke) Body and Soul (Green) Dancing in the Dark (Schwartz and Dietz)
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Day by Day Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread) I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Fields and McHugh) Secret Love (Fain) Skylark (Carmichael) Something to Remember You By (Schwartz and Dietz) Time After Time (Styne) What's New (Haggart) You and the Night and the Music (Schwartz and Dietz) You Are Too Beautiful (Rodgers and Hart) You Go to My Head (Coots) The Boy Next Door (Martin and Blane) Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen) He Loves and She Loves (Gershwin) I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan (Schwartz and Dietz) Love Walked In (Gershwin) The Song is You (Kern) Stardust (Carmichael) These Foolish Things Unforgettable (Gordon) Why Was I Born (Kern)
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Uptempo Standards True Uptempo standards are usually in 2 (with the time signature or 2 /4 or 4/4, never 3/4) and are not swung. The tempo is bright, with a metronome marking of at least 120 (which is the tempo of Stars and Stripes Forever). Charm songs can sometimes be confused for Uptempo Standards. A Charm song has a moderate tempo and is in a swing style. Here are some classic examples of Standards and their classification. Uptempo - I Got Rhythm, I Can’t Be Bothered Now, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off Charm Song - Singing' in the Rain, If I Only Had a Brain Ballad - Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Somebody Loves Me, The Man I Love Things to look for when choosing an uptempo Standard: 1. The music should make you want to dance. 2. It was probably written for either a Broadway show or movie. 3. It should be actable. These songs are not complex lyrically or contain deep thoughts, but it should be something that you can create a situation for. The greatest composers for Uptempos are Al Dubin Nacio Herb Brown Walter Donaldson Vernon Duke Duke Ellington Sammy Fain George Gershwin Irving Berlin Ray Henderson Herman Hupfeld Isham Jones Jerome Kern Jimmy McHugh Cole Porter Rodgers and Hart Gus Kahn Schwartz and Dietz Jimmy Van Heusen Harry Warren Richard Whiting Vincent Youmans 169
Here are some great Uptempos
Look in song books for more Gershwin Clap Yo' Hands Love is Sweeping the Country I Can't Be Bothered Now Swanee Lady Be Good Let's Call the Whole Thing Off Slap That Bass (it's swing, but it's fast swing) I Got Rhythm Fascinating Rhythm (it's swing, but it's fast swing) They All Laughed Could You Use Me Oh, Lady Be Good! 'S Wonderful Strike Up the Band Of Thee I Sing Who Cares? Could You Use Me? Rodgers and Hart Lady is a Tramp I Wish I were in Love Again Johnny One Note Ev'rything I've Got Thou Swell It's Got to Be Love (no verse) You Mustn't Kick it Around You Took Advantage of Me Mountain Greenery I'd Rather Be Right Dancing on the Ceiling The Most Beautiful Girl in the World Mountain Greenery This Can't Be Love Cole Porter Anything Goes Under My Skin Let's Do It
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I Get a Kick Out of You You're the Top Blow, Gabriel, Blow It's De-Lovely Just One of Those Things Begin the Bequine Night and Day You Do Something to Me From This Moment On Hugh Martin What Do You Think I Am The Trolley Song Pass That Peace Pipe Gotta Dance Irving Berlin Blue Skies I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket (This could be a Charm song) Let Yourself Go Top Hat, White Tie and Tails Cheek to Cheek Puttin' on the Ritz I Used To Be Color Blind No Strings (I'm Fancy Free) Steppin' Out With My Baby When Winter Comes I Love a Piano Harry Warren Chattanooga Choo-Choo Lulu's Back in Town You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me Forty-Second Street I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store) Lullaby of Broadway Young and Healthy We’re In the Money Harold Arlen Get Happy It's Only a Paper Moon That Old Black Magic 171
Down With Love I've Got the World on a String Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Let's Fall in Love Others You Make Me Feel So Young (1946) (Myrow) High Hopes (Van Heusen) (1958) On the Sunny Side of the Street (McHugh) I'm Just Wild About Harry (is there a verse?) (Blake) Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart (is there a verse?) (Hanley) Pick Yourself Up (Kern) I Want to Be Happy (Youmans) Who (Kern) I Want to Be Bad (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) Varsity Drag (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) Button up Your Overcoat (DeSylva, Brown and Henderson) Fine and Dandy (James and Swift) Lullaby of Birdland (Shearing) Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (Stept) I Won't Dance (Kern) I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter (Ahlert) I'm Just Wild About Harry (Sissle and Blake) Who? (Kern) Charm Songs Am I Blue? (Akst and Clarke) Singin’ in the Rain (Nacio Herb Brown) If I Only Had a Brain (Arlen) Others? Jazzy Songs that could that could be considered an Uptempo It Had to Be You (Jones)—This is more a jazz song than and Uptempo Lullaby of Birdland (1952) (Shearing) Ain't Misbehavin (Waller) (no verse?) I'm Beginning to See the Light (no verse) (Ellington) It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got that Swing) (Ellington)
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Gilbert And Sullivan Arias The operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan present a unique performance style that you may be called upon to master. You may wonder why Gilbert & Sullivan operettas continue to be performed regularly in mainstream musical theater venues when most others have been relegated to the sideline as curiosities. It’s probably a combination of factors: music of substance, genuinely clever lyrics, and general audience accessibility certainly help. But probably the madcap absurdity of the settings (what they called “TopsyTurvy”) removes them from the strictly Victorian context in which they were written and make them oddly universal. It is claimed that The Mikado is the most performed work in the history of theater, but whether that is strictly true or not, the thirteen Gilbert and Sullivan shows remain an absolutely essential part of the musical theater world. To be more accurate, one should say that just three Gilbert and Sullivan works remain essential. These are often referred to as “The Big 3” and are HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado. You will find these included regularly in season offerings by regional theater companies. Three other shows, Iolanthe, The Yeomen of the Guard, and The Gondoliers surface in general productions from time-to-time so it is worth being familiar with these as well. The remainder of their shows, Patience, The Sorcerer, Princess Ida, Trial By Jury, Ruddigore, The Grand Duke, and Utopia, Limited, while possessing many pleasures, are not likely to b e performed except by the specialty G&S companies that thrive in cities across the country, chief of which is the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. It is worth becoming familiar with some of the principal arias from the lesser-performed works as audition pieces. In terms of performance style and requirements for performers, each of these works is built on a remarkably uniform model. These shows really do call for “types” and it is nearly impossible for a successful production to vary from these types. Because The Big 3 are performed so frequently, directors often try add a new twist by changing the setting: HMS Pinafore aboard the Starship Enterprise, The Mikado populated by modern, Hello Kitty! obsessed schoolgirls, Pirates of Penzance modified to fit a Pirates of the Caribbean sensibility, to name just a few. But even in the most absurd settings, the musical treatment and demand s on the singers remain essentially the same. Here are the types. Your first task is to understand which type suits you. It unlikely for a single performer to fit comfortably into more than one type. The Hero (lyric tenor): Virtuous, earnest, handsome. (Ralph in Pinafore, Frederick in Pirates, Nanki-Poo in Mikado) His Love Interest (soprano): Legit soprano with coloratura opportunities. This character could be thought of as the ingénue, except that due to oddities in performance style, older performers
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are often cast here, as long as they are thin. (Josephine in Pinafore, Mabel in Pirates, Yum-Yum in Mikado) Baffled Lyric Baritone (baritone): This character is usually the girl’s father or is some other way linked to the hero and often is one of the central characters in the standard triple wedding scene which brings the action to a close. Even though he is always a comic character, his songs are among the most melodic and memorable of the score. (Captain Corcharan in Pinafore, The Pirate King in Penzance, Pooh-Bah in Mikado) Older Woman with a Bold Presence (mezzo): Imposing mezzo. Very often these roles are given to larger women for the comic effect of matching them with the Patter-Singing Character (see below) who is traditionally small. (Buttercup in Pinafore, Ruth in Pirates, Katisha in Mikado) Patter-singing Character (baritone): Always a comic character whose comic skills are more important than singing voice. Main requirement is the ability to throw off the patter song quickly with excellent diction. (Sir Joseph in Pinafore, Major General in Pirates, Ko-Ko in Mikado)
Those five are absolutely essential. In addition, these types also always appear, but sometimes with varying levels of significance or duplication: Soubrette (mezzo): friend or confidant to the leading lady. Usually has a solo but provides a voice in the trios and quartets as the plot allows. These often come in pairs! (Edith and Kate in Pirates, Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo in Mikado) Villain (bass): Classic villain type; can almost be considered as a male counterpoint to the Older Woman with a Bold Presence. (Dick Deadeye in Pinafore, Sergeant of Police in Pirates, The Mikado in Mikado) Male Side Kick (baritone): Roughly the male equivalent of the soubrettes, usually friend or companion to the Hero. Like the soubrette, this character has a minor feature and then fills out the various small ensembles. (Boatswain in Pinafore, Samuel in Pirates, Pish-Tush in Mikado)
Arias Soprano / Love Interest
Big 3: Sorry Her Lot Who Loves Too Well (HMS Pinafore) A Simple Sailor Lowly Born (HMS Pinafore) Poor Wand'ring One (The Pirates Of Penzance) The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze (The Mikado)
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The Others: When He Is Here (The Sorcerer) Happy Young Heart (The Sorcerer) I Cannot Tell What This Love May Be (Patience) Love Is A Plaintive Song (Patience) Nay, Tempt Me Not (Iolanthe) Oh, Goddess Wise (Princess Ida) A Lady Fair Of Lineage High (Princess Ida) I Built Upon A Rock (Princess Ida) If Somebody There Chanced To Be (Ruddigore) In Bygone Days I Had Thy Love (Ruddigore) Tis Done! I Am A Bride (The Yeomen Of The Guard) Kind Sir, You Cannot Have the Heart (The Gondoliers) How Would I Play This Part (The Grand Duke) So Ends My Dream (The Grand Duke) Mezzo / Older Woman with a Bold Presence
The Big 3: I'm Called Little Buttercup (HMS Pinafore) When Frederic Was A Little Lad (The Pirates Of Penzance) Alone, And Yet Alive (The Mikado) The Others: My Child, I Join in These Congratulations (The Sorcerer) Silver'd Is The Raven Hair (Patience) Oh, Foolish Fay (Iolanthe) Come Mighty Must! (Princess Ida) Sir Rupert Murgatroyd (Ruddigore) When Our Gallant Norman Foes (The Yeomen Of The Guard) On The Day When I Was Wedded (The Gondoliers) Come, bumpers – aye, ever-so-many (The Grand Duke) When But A Maid Of Fifteen Years (Utopia Limited)
Mezzo/ Soubrette
The Big Three: Braid the Raven Hair (The Mikado) The Others:
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When He is Here (The Sorcerer) My Lord, A Suppliant At Your Feet (Iolanthe) A Lady Fair Of Lineage High (Princess Ida) Were I Thy Bride (The Yeomen Of The Guard) When Maiden Loves, She Sits And Sighs (The Yeomen Of The Guard) Cheerily Carols The Lark (Ruddigore) To A Garden Full Of Posies (Ruddigore) When A Merry Maiden Marries (The Gondoliers) Tenor / Hero
The Big 3: A Maiden Fair To See (HMS Pinafore) Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast (Pirates) A Wand'ring Minstrel I (The Mikado) The Others: Oh, Gentlemen, Listen, I Pray (Trial By Jury) When First My Old, Old Live I Knew (Trial By Jury) For Love Alone (The Sorcerer) It Is Not Love (The Sorcerer) Spurn Not The Nobly Born (Iolanthe) Twenty Years Ago (Princess Ida) Would You Know The Kind Of Maid (Princess Ida) I Shipped, D'ye See (Ruddigore) Free From His Fetters Grim (The Yeomen Of The Guard) Is Life A Boon? (The Yeomen Of The Guard) Rising Early In The Morning (The Gondoliers) baritone Take A Pair Of Sparkling Eyes (The Gondoliers) A Tenor , All Singers Above (Utopia Limited) Were I a King, in Very Truth (The Grand Duke) Lyric Baritone/ Baffled Lyric Baritone
The Big 3: Fair Moon, To Thee I Sing (HMS Pinafore) tenor I Am The Captain of the Pinafore (HMS Pinafore) I Am A Pirate King (The Pirates Of Penzance) The Ohers: Time Was, When Love And I (The Sorcerer) A Magnet Hung in a Hardware Shop (Patience) I’m a Waterloo House Young Man (Patience) 176
Comic Baritone/ Patter-singing Character
The Big 3: When I Was A Lad I Served A Term (HMS Pinafore) I Am The Very Model (Pirates Of Penzance) As Some Day It May Happen (The Mikado) Tit-Willow (The Mikado) The Others: When I, good friends, was called to the bar” (Trial By Jury) My Name Is John Wellington Wells (The Sorcerer) Am I Alone and Unobserved (Patience) When You're Lying Awake With A Dismal Headache (Iolanthe) When I Went to the Bar (Iolanthe) If You Give Me Your Attention (Princess Ida) Whene'er I Spoke (Princess Ida) My Boy, You May Take It From Me (Ruddigore) Henceforth all the crimes that I find in the Times (Ruddigore) My Eyes are Fully Open to My Awful Situation (Ruddigore) I've Jibe And Joke (The Yeomen Of The Guard) Oh! A Private Buffoon is a Light-Hearted Loon (The Yeomen of the Guard) In Enterprise of Martial Kind (The Gondoliers) Bass / Villain
The Big 3: The Policeman's Song (The Pirates Of Penzance) A More Humane Mikado (The Mikado) The Others Engaged To So-And-So (The Sorcerer) When All Night Long A Chap Remains (Iolanthe) When the Night Wind Howls (Ruddigore) No Possible Doubt Whatever (The Gondoliers)
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Vaudeville Songs Beginning in the 1880s and continuing through the 1920s, Vaudeville was America’s entertainment. A typical vaudeville show included such acts as comedians, singers, platespinners, contortionists, jugglers, ventriloquists, dancers, musicians, animal acts—nearly anything that could hold the audience’s attention. After the Civil War, entertainments intended exclusively for male audiences were filled with bawdy jokes and off-color stories, making them unsuitable for children and sensitive women. Tony Pastor, the so-called “Father of Vaudeville,” saw an economic opportunity if the shows were more suitable for the entire family. Throughout its history, Vaudeville was important socially in that it gathered people from different cultures and backgrounds under one roof. It had its share of racial stereotypes and prejudice but, by and large, the world it presented lovingly accepted cultural differences. Woven into the fabric of Vaudeville are the theatre traditions of the English Music Hall, minstrel shows of antebellum America and the Yiddish theatre tradition. There were Vaudeville houses spread across the country, some small and some large, from little houses in Peoria, Illinois and Iowa City, Iowa to the Palace Theatre in New York. Eventually the popularity of Vaudeville gave way to film and the most famous performers, Al Jolson, Fanny Brice, Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope, Judy Garland among others found making films more lucrative. In New York, the comical, light-hearted songs of Vaudeville evolved into more sophisticated songs with musical Revues and Musical Comedies becoming vogue in the late 20s and 30s. Before the wide spread popularity of radio and recorded music, sheet music sales were the measure of a song’s popularity. Thousands of songs were published and sold to home consumers who sang the songs around the parlor piano. Tin Pan Alley, the collection of New York City publishers who dominated the sheet music market, was located in at West 28th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue. Here pianists would play all day long to demonstrate the latest songs for potential costumers. The music of vaudeville consists of many types of songs: sentimental ballads, foot-tapping Uptempos, charm songs, Blues, Torch songs and marches. There were also a sizable number of novelty numbers and comedic songs. Performed by singers today, these songs maintain a great deal of charm and wit, and audiences continue to enjoy them. Playful innuendo is common with titles like “If You Talk In Your Sleep (Don’t Mention My Name)” and lyrics like "Take a little wife/but when you take a little wife be careful whose wife you take.” I recommend that todays singers have at least one of these songs in their audition book. I know one Tony-nominated actor who regularly used Vaudeville material in auditions when he first 178
started out. These songs are especially suitable for character men and women “song and dance” gals and women who can play the chorine. Titles such as “Take Your Girlie to the Movies, If You Can’t Make Love at Home,” “How ‘Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down On the Farm (After They’ve Seen Paree)” and “He’d Have To Get Under—Get Out and Get Under (To Fix Up His Automobile)” still work well. ,
The good news is that this music is easily available in the invaluable libraries across the coun try that have made them available online. All it takes is a little patience and good internet search skills to find them. Below are some of the primary sources I’ve discovered that contain a wealth of material. Google these. Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection Indiana State University Cunningham Memorial Library Popular Song Index Duke University Historic American Sheet Music Library of Congress Historic American Sheet Music Frances G. Spencer Collection of American Popular Sheet Music University of Oregon Historic Sheet music collection UT Sheet Music Collection Houston Area Digital Archives Sheet Music Collection You can also listen to many of these songs by visiting this URL: www.loc.gov/jukebox/ When searching for songs, your search terms should include the title, composer and the phrase “sheet music.” Clicking Google images often brings up the file for download. Sometimes you can download the full PDF and sometimes you have to download it a page at a time. I’ve listed some of my favorites which I believe work well still. With time and perseverance, you may discover others that work even better for you. Avoid most songs in a waltz 3/4, sentimental ballads, and songs in an operetta style. I must also ask that you avoid songs that include offensive caricatures of people including African-Americans, Germans and others. Feel free to have a professional copyist transpose the songs as many are probably too high for women. Women Title Coffee in the Morning and Kisses in the Night Go Into Your Dance I’m Just Wild About Harry I’ve Got To Sing a Torch Song If I Had a Talking Picture of You My Man Or What Have You Put On Your Slippers and Fill Up Your Pipe
Composer Harry Warren Harry Warren Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake Harry Warren Buddy DeSylvia, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson Maurice Yvain Morris Hamilton Albert Von Tilzer
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Style Charm Song Uptempo Uptempo Torch Song Uptempo Torch Song Charm Song March
Title Second Hand Rose Some of These Days The Broadway Blues You Made Me Love You
‘Cause My Baby Says It's So ‘N' Everything Aba Daba Honeymoon Ala Moana Song of Hawaii Always Leave Them Laughing When You Say Goodbye Baltimore Buzz Beatrice Fairfax Tell Me What To Do Before I Met You Can You Tame Wild Wimmen? Dames Flippity Flop Good Evening, Caroline He'd Have to Get Under-Get Out and Get Under Hello Ma Baby Holding Hands and Don't Say Nothing At All How Do You Do, Miss Josephine? How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm I Found a Four Leaf Clover I've Taken Quite a Fancy to You I’ll Be Back in My Low Back Car I’ll String Along With You I’ve Got Rings on My Fingers If I Find a Girl In Honeysuckle Time In My Merry Oldsmobile It All Belongs to Me Jeepers Creepers Mandy Snookey Ookums Some Sunny Day Sweeter Than Sugar Sweeter Than Sugar (Is My Sweetie) Take a Little Wife
Composer Grant Clarke, James F. Hanley Shelton Brooks Carey Morgan James V. Monaco
Style Uptempo Blues Blues Blues
Men Harry Warren Buddy DeSylvia, Gus Kahn, Al Jolson Walter Donaldson Johnny Noble, Bob Lukens George M. Cohan
Charm Song Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song March
Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake Jimmie Monaco Jerome Kern Harry Von Tilzer Harry Warren Albert Von Tilzer Albert Von Tilzer Maurice Abrahams
Charm Song March March March Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song March
Joseph E Howard and Ida Emerson Albert Von Tilzer
Uptempo Charm Song
Albert Von Tilzer Walter Donaldson
Uptempo March
George Gershwin Theodore Morse Walter Donaldson Harry Warren Maurice Scott Jerome Kern Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake Gus Edwards Irving Berlin Harry Warren Irving Berlin Irving Berlin Irving Berlin Irving Berlin Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
Uptempo Charm Song March Ballad Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song Waltz Uptempo Charm Song Charm Song Uptempo Charm Song Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song
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The Lady Who Couldn’t Be Kissed The Yankee Doodle Boy This is the Life Toot, Too, Tootsie! When You You See Another Sweetie Hanging Around You Ain’t He Heard No Nothing Yet You May Hold a Million Girlies In Your Arms
Harry Warren George M. Cohan Irving Berlin Gus Kahn, Ernie Erdman, Dan Russo Walter Donaldson
Charm Song March March Uptempo Uptempo
Al Jo Jolson, Gu Gus Ka Kahn, Bu Buddy De DeSylvia Uptempo Fred Fischer Charm Song
Women or Men After You Get What You Want Want You Don’t Want It After You’ve Gone Ain’t We Got Fun Alexander's Ragtime Band An Earful of Music Anything You Want to Do Dear Bird on Nellie's Hat Blow Your Horn Bring Back Those Wonderful Days Bump, Bump, Bump, In Your Your Automobile Carioca Climbing Up the Scale Dancing My Worries Away Everybody's Doing It Now Fair and Warmer Forty-Second Street Hang Out the Front Door Key He's Getting Too Darn Big for a Small Town Honolulu How'd You Like to Spoon With Me I Love Somebody and Somebody Knows I’ll Be Happy When the Preacher Makes You Mine I’ve Got a Pocket Full of Sunshines If You Talk In Your Sleep (Don’t Mention My Name) Little Rover (Don’t Forget To Come Back Home) Pretty Baby
Irving Berlin
Uptempo
Creamer and Layton Richard A. Whiting Irving Berlin Walter Donaldson Louis A. Hirsch Alfred Solman Irving Berlin Nat Vincent Albert Von Tilzer
Uptempo Uptempo Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song Story Song Uptempo Charm Song Uptempo
Vincent Youmans Irving Berlin George M. Cohan Irving Berlin Harry Warren Harry Warren Benj. Hapgood Burt Irving Berlin
Uptempo March Uptempo Uptempo Charm Song Uptempo March Charm Song
Harry Warren Jerome Kern Harry Von Tilzer
Uptempo Charm Song Charm Song
Walter Donaldson
Charm Song
Arthur Johnston Nat D. Ayer Ayer
Uptempo Charm Song
Walter Donaldson
Uptempo
Tony Jackson, Egbert Van Alstyne
Charm Song
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Since Mother Goes To Movie Shows Take Your Girlie to the Movies The International Rag The Razzle Dazzle Glide The Syncopated Walk Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday on Saturday Night? Who’s Who With You Yip-I-Addy-I-Ay You’re Here and I’m Here
Albert Von Tilzer Pete Wendling Irving Berlin J. Walter Leopold Irving Berlin George W. Meyer
March Uptempo Uptempo Uptempo Uptempo March
Vincent Youmans John H. Flynn Jerome Kern
Charm Song Waltz March
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Standard Repertoire Text Soprano Song A Call From The Vatican A Little Bit In Love A Little Bit Of Good A Lovely Night A Quiet Thing A Very Special Day Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life All Through The Night And This Is My Beloved Another Suitcase In Another Hall Another Winter In A Summer Town Anything Can Happen Around The World Art Is Calling For Me Barbara Song Baubles, Bangles And Beads Before I Gaze At You Again Begin The Beguine Bewitched Bill Bride's Lament Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man Children Of The Wind Children Will Listen Christmas Lullaby Climb Ev'ry Mountain Come Home Cry Like The Wind Daddy's Girl Dear Friend Fable Falling In Love With Love Far From The Home I Love Fascinating Rhythm
2 4 3 4 4 2 3 2 2 2 5 5 5 2 1 5 3 5 4 1 5 1 4 4 3 1 1 5 5 2 5 1 1 5
Volume
Show Nine Wonderful Town Chicago Cinderella Flora, the Red Menace Me and Juliet Naughty Marietta Anything Goes Kismet Evita Grey Gardens Mary Poppins Grey Gardens The Enchantress The Threepenny Opera Kismet Camelot Jubilee On Your Toes Show Boat The Drowsy Chaperone Show Boat Rags Into the Woods Songs for a New World The Sound of Music Allegro Do, Re, Mi Grey Gardens She Loves Me The Light In The Piazza The Boys from Syracuse Fiddler on the Roof Lady Be Good
Genre Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Operetta Musical Comedy Golden Age Poperetta Modern Modern Modern Operetta Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Musical Comedy Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Golden Age Modern Sondheim Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Musical Comedy
Feelings Follow Your Heart From Chopin To Country Getting To Know You Glad To Be Unhappy Glitter And Be Gay Gooch's Song Goodnight, My Someone Green Finch And Linnet Bird Gypsy In Me He Loves And She Loves He Plays The Violin He Was Too Good To Me Hello, Young Lovers Home How Can I Lose You? How Could I Ever Know?
3 4 3 3 1 5 2 1 1 2 5 4 4 1 4 5 2
The Apple Tree Urinetown! Cowgirls The King and I On Your Toes Candide Mame The Music Man Sweeney Todd Anything Goes Funny Face 1776 The Boys from Syracuse The King and I Phantom Myths and Hymns Secret Garden
Golden Age Modern Modern Golden Age Musical Comedy Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Sondheim Musical Comedy Musical Comedy Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Modern
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Song How Long Has This Been Going On? How Lovely To Be A Woman How Many Tears? I Could Be Happy With You I Could Have Danced All Night I Do Not Know A Day I Did Not Love You I Don't Know His Name I Feel Pretty I Hate Men I Have Confidence I Have Dreamed I Have To Tell You I Like Him I Loved (J'aimais) I Loved You Once In Silence I Remember I Whistle A Happy Tune I Wonder What Became Of Me I'll Follow My Secret Heart I'll Know I'll Show Him I'm Leaving You I've Got A Crush On You If I Loved You If I Were A Bell In His Eyes In My Life In My Own Little Corner Is It Really Me? It Never Was You It Wonders Me It's A Most Unusual Day It's Nicer In Nice Italian Street Song Just You Wait Let Us Be Glad Like A Woman Loves A Man Look For A Sky Of Blue Love Makes Such Fools Of Us All
5
Volume Funny Face
Show
Genre Musical Comedy
4 3 4 1 2
Bye, Bye Birdie Martin Guerre The Boy Friend My Fair Lady Two by Two
Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age
2 5 2 3 4 4 4 2 1 3 2 4 2 2 4 5 5 1 2 3 3 3 2 3 2 4 4 3 3 5 2 2 5
She Loves Me West Side Story Kiss Me Kate The Sound of Music The King and I Fanny Drat! The Cat! Jacques Brel Camelot The Evening Primrose The King and I St. Louis Woman Conversation Piece Guys and Dolls Plain and Fancy The Life Strike Up the Band Carousel Guys and Dolls Jekyll and Hyde Les Miserables Cinderella 110 in the Shade Kickerbocker Holiday Plain and Fancy A Date With Judy The Boy Friend Naughty Marietta My Fair Lady Wicked The Most Happy Fella Little Mary Sunshine Barnum
Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Operetta Golden Age Other Golden Age Sondheim Golden Age Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Poperetta Poperetta Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Other Golden Age Operetta Golden Age Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern
Love, Don't Turn Away Love, Look Away Lovely
4 1 4
Lover, Come Back To Me Make Believe Many A New Day Matchmaker Migratory V Mister Snow Moonfall Mr. Right Much More My Favorite Things My Funny Valentine My House My Lord And Master My Ship My True Love My White Knight Nelson
4 4 1 5 4 1 2 3 1 3 1 5 1 1 2 1 4
110 in the Shade Golden Age Flower Drum Song Golden Age A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sondheim Forum The New Moon Operetta Show Boat Golden Age Oklahoma! Golden Age Fiddler on the Roof Golden Age Myths and Hymns Modern Carousel Golden Age The Mystery of Edwin Drood Modern Love Life Golden Age The Fantasticks Golden Age The Sound of Music Golden Age Babes in Arms Musical Comedy Peter Pan Golden Age The King and I Golden Age Lady in the Dark Golden Age Phantom Modern The Music Man Golden Age A Day in Hollywood/A Hollywood/A Night in the UkraineModern
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Song Never No More Candy No Other Love Nobody Makes A Pass At Me Not A Day Goes By Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True Oh, Goddess Wise Old Maid On The Steps Of The Palace Once Upon A Dream Once You Lose Your Heart One Boy (Girl) One Life To Live One More Kiss Out Of My Dreams People Will Say We're In Love Pirate Jenny Poor Wand'ring One Practically Perfect Raunchy Ribbons Down My Back Rosa's Confession Show Me Simple Simple Little Things Smoke Gets In Your Eyes So Far So In Love So Many People Solomon Song Some Things Are Meant To Be Somebody, Somewhere Somehow I Never Could Believe Someone To Watch Over Me Something Good Something Wonderful Somewhere Sons Of (Fils De) Speak Low Stay Well Still Summertime Surabaya Johnny Sweet Thursday Take Care Of This House Take Me To The World Ten Minutes Ago Thank Goodness That'll Show Him
Volume
3 1 4 3 3 4 3 1 1 5 1 2 5 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 3 1 5 1 1 3 3 1 5 3 4 3 3 1 1 3 5 2 1 5 1
The Beauty Is The Flagmaker, 1775 The Girl In 14G The Girls Of Summer The Glamorous Life The Golden Ram The Greatest Of These The Light In The Piazza The Man I Love The Saga Of Jenny The Secret Service The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood
5 5 5 3 2 1 2 4 5 1 5 1
5 5 1 4 1 5
Show On the Twentieth Century She Loves Me Me and Juliet Pins and Needles Merrily We Roll Along Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Genre Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Sondheim Modern
Princess Ida Operetta 110 in the Shade Golden Age Into the Woods Sondheim Jekyll and Hyde Poperetta Me and My Girl Golden Age Bye, Bye Birdie Golden Age Lady in the Dark Golden Age Follies Sondheim Oklahoma! Golden Age Oklahoma! Golden Age The Threepenny Opera Operetta Pirates of Penzance Operetta Mary Poppins Modern 110 in the Shade Golden Age Hello Dolly Golden Age The Mystery of Edwin Drood Modern My Fair Lady Golden Age Nine Modern 110 in the Shade Golden Age Roberta Musical Comedy Allegro Golden Age Kiss Me Kate Golden Age Saturday Night Sondheim The Threepenny Opera Operetta Little Women Modern The Most Happy Fella Golden Age Street Scene Operetta Oh Kay! Musical Comedy The Sound of Music Golden Age The King and I Golden Age West Side Story Golden Age Jacques Brel Other One Touch of Venus Golden Age Lost in the Stars Golden Age Titanic Modern Porgy and Bess Golden Age Happy End Golden Age Pipe Dream Golden Age 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Golden Age The Evening Primrose Sondheim Cinderella Golden Age Wicked Modern A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sondheim Forum The Light In The Piazza Modern Songs for a New World Modern Modern Marry Me a Little Sondheim A Little Night Music Sondheim Two by Two Golden Age Philemon Golden Age The Light In The Piazza Modern Strike Up the Band Musical Comedy Lady in the Dark Golden Age Mr. President Musical Comedy Camelot Golden Age
185
Song The Song Is You The Song That Goes Like This The Sound Of Music The Sun, Whose Rays Are All Ablaze The Woman In His Room There's A Small Hotel Think Of Me This Place Is Mine Till There Was You Too Much In Love To Care Trouble Man Under The Tree Unexpected Song Unusual Way (In A Very Unusual Way) Vanilla Ice Cream Vilia Waitin' For My Dearie Warm All Over We Kiss In A Shadow What Does He Want Of Me What Good Would The Moon Be? What Makes Me Love Him? What Will It Be For Me? What's The Use Of Wond'rin' When Did I Fall In Love Where Or When Whispering Whistle Down The Wind Who Am I? Why Do I Love You? Why Was I Born? Will He Like Me? Will You? Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again Without You Wouldn't It Be Loverly Yesterdays You'll Never Walk Alone Your Daddy’s Son
4 4 2 2
Volume
Show Music in the Air Spamalot The Sound of Music The Mikado
Genre Operetta Modern Golden Age Operetta
3 3 3 2 1 5 3 1 3 2
Where’s Charley On Your Toes Phantom of the Opera Phantom The Music Man Sunset Boulevard Lost in the Stars Celebration Song and Dance Nine
Golden Age Musical Comedy Poperetta Modern Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age Golden Age Poperetta Modern
4 2 3 2 4 4 1 5 2 1 2 1 5 3 5 4 4 2 5 3
She Loves Me The Merry Widow Camelot The Most Happy Fella The King and I Man of LaMancha Street Scene The Apple Tree Regina Carousel Fiorello! Babes in Arms Spring Awakening Whistle Down the Wind Peter Pan Show Boat Sweet Adeline She Loves Me Grey Gardens Phantom of the Opera
Golden Age Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Poperetta Golden Age Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Poperetta
2 3 4 1 4
My Fair Lady My Fair Lady Roberta Carousel Ragtime
Golden Age Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern
Mezzo/Belter Song A Change In Me A Cockeyed Optimist A New Life A Trip To The Library Adelaide's Lament Adventure Ah, But Underneath Ain't There Anyone Here For Love? Always A Bridesmaid Always True To You In My Fashion An Old Man And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going Angels, Punks And Raging Queens Another Hundred People Anyone Can Whistle Anything But Lonely
Volume Show Genre 3 Beauty and the Beast Poperetta 1 South Pacific Golden Age 3 Jekyll and Hyde Poperetta 2 She Loves Me Golden Age 2 Guys and Dolls Golden Age 3 Do Re Mi Golden Age 3 Follies Sondheim 1 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Musical Comedy 3 I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Modern 1 Kiss Me, Kate Golden Age 1 Two by Two Golden Age 5 Dreamgirls Modern 4 Elegies for Angels...Queens Modern 2 Company Sondheim 1 Anyone Can Whistle Sondheim 4 Aspects of Love Poperetta
186
Song As If We Never Said Goodbye As Long As He Needs Me Broadway Baby But Not For Me By The Sea Cabaret Can You Find It In Your Heart? Children Of Eden City Lights Class Come To Your Senses Could I Leave You? Dance: Ten; Looks: Three Defying Gravity Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend Doin' What Comes Natur'lly Don't Call Me Trailer Trash Don't Cry For Me Argentina Don't Cry Out Loud Don't Rain On My Parade Don't Tell Mama Everybody Loves Louis Everything's Coming Up Roses Fifty Percent Find Your Grail For Good Freddy, My Love Funny Honey Gimme Gimme Good Morning Baltimore Gorgeous Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm Hard Candy Christmas He Wasn't You Heads Or Tails Heaven Help My Heart Here I Am Hit Me With A Hot Note Hold On Honey Bun How Are Things In Glocca Morra How Did We Come To This? Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here! I Ain't Down Yet
Volume Show 3 Sunset Boulevard 2 Oliver 1 Follies 3 Girl Crazy 1 Sweeney Todd 1 Cabaret 3 Footloose 5 Children of Eden 5 The Act 3 Chicago 5 Tick, Tick, Boom 1 Follies 1 A Chorus Line 5 Wicked 1 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1 Annie Get Your Gun 3 Cowgirls 1 Evita 4 The Boy from Oz 3 Funny Girl 1 Cabaret 2 Sunday in the Park 3 Gypsy 2 Fifty Percent 5 Spamalot 5 Wicked 5 Grease 1 Chicago 4 Thoroughly Modern Millie 5 Hairspray 3 The Apple Tree 1 How to Succeed 4 Best Little Whorehouse in Texas 1 On a Clear Day... 3 Cowgirls 4 Chess 5 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 5 Swing 2 The Secret Garden 3 South Pacific 1 Finian’s Rainbow 4 Wild Party 5 On a Clear Day... 1 Unsinkable Molly Brown
Genre Poperetta Golden Age Sondheim Musical Comedy Sondheim Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Musical Comedy Musical Comedy Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Modern Sondheim Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Poperetta Modern Revue Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Golden Age Golden Age
I Am Changing I Cain't Say No
5 1
Dreamgirls Oklahoma
Modern Golden Age
2 5 4 4 2 1 2 4 1 3 4 2 2 4 4
On the Town The Last Five Years Hairspray Jesus Christ Superstar Les Miserables Flower Drum Song Anything Goes Annie Get Your Gun Annie Get Your Gun St. Louis Woman Aida House of Flowers Follow Through Grand Hotel I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Golden Age Modern Modern Poperetta Poperetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Modern
I Can Cook Too I Can Do Better Than That I Can Hear The Bells I Don't Know How To Love Him I Dreamed A Dream I Enjoy Being A Girl I Get A Kick Out Of You I Got Lost In His Arms I Got The Sun In The Morning I Had Myself A True Love I Know The Truth I Never Has Seen Snow I Want To Be Bad I Want To Go To Hollywood I Will Be Loved Tonight
187
Song I Wish I Were In Love Again I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You I'd Give My Life For You I'm Going Back I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy I'm Not That Girl I'm Still Here If He Really Knew Me If He Walked Into My Life If My Friends Could See Me Now In Buddy's Eyes It's A Business It's A Helluva Way To Run A Love Affair It's A Perfect Relationship It's An Art Johnny One Note Just A Housewife Just One Step Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now Let Me Finish Life Is Life With Harold Long Before I Knew You Look At Me Now Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee Look To The Rainbow Losing My Mind Mama Who Bore Me Maybe This Time Meadowlark Mein Herr Memory Miss Baltimore Crabs Miss Marmelstein My Body My Child Will Forgive Me My Heart Belongs To Daddy My Husband Makes Movies My New Philosophy Never Never Land Not F or The Life O f Me Nothi ng Nothi ng Rea lly Ha ppene d Now You Know Nowad ays On My Own One Hundr ed Easy Ways To Lose A Man Our Kind Of Love Paris Makes Me Horny Popular Rose's Turn Roxie See I'm Smiling Send In The Clowns Shadowland Shopping Around Show Off Shy Small World So What?
Volume Show 2 Babes in Arms 2 Evita 3 Miss Saigon 4 Bells are Ringing 1 South Pacific 4 Wicked 4 Follies 2 They’re Playing Our Song 2 Mame 5 Sweet Charity 1 Follies 5 Curtains 2 Plain and Fancy
Genre Musical Comedy Poperetta Poperetta Golden Age Golden Age Modern Sondheim Modern Golden Age Modern Sondheim Modern Golden Age
5 5 2 3 4 5 3 5 4 2 4 2 1 1 5 3 5 3 1 4 3 5 3 3 2 3 2 5 3 3 2 4 2 4
Bells are Ringing Working Babes in Arms Working Songs for a New World Ain’t Misbehavin’ Song and Dance Zorba Full Monty Bells are Ringing Wild Party Grease Finian’s Rainbow Follies Spring Awakening Cabaret The Baker’s Wife Cabaret Cats Hairspray I Can Get it For You Wholesale The Life Parade Leave it To Me Nine You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Peter Pan Thoro ughly Moder n Millie A Chorus Line Is There Life After High School? Merril y we R oll Along Chicag o Les Miserables Wonderful Town
Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Modern Modern Musical Comedy Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Golden Age Sondheim Modern Modern Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Musical Comedy Modern Modern Golde n Age Modern Modern Modern Sond heim Modern Poperetta Golden Age
4 2 4 3 4 4 1
Beautiful Game Victor/Victoria Wicked Gypsy Chicago The Last Five Years A Little Night Music
Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Sondheim
4 4 5 2 2 3
The Lion King Wish You Were Here The Drowsy Chaperone Once Upon a Mattress Gypsy Cabaret
Modern Musical Comedy Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern
188
Song Volume Show Some People 1 Gypsy Someone Else's Story 2 Chess Someone Like You 3 Jekyll and Hyde Special 5 Avenue Q Stars And The Moon 3 Songs for a New World Stepsisters' Lament 1 Cinderella Still Hurting 4 The Last Five Years Take Back Your Mink 1 Guys and Dolls Take That Look Off Your Face 5 Song and Dance Teaching Third Grade 3 Ruthless: the Musical Tell Me On A Sunday 2 Song and Dance The Cake I Had 5 Grey Gardens The Colors Of My Life 5 Barnum The Dark I Know Well 5 Spring Awakening The Gentleman Is A Dope 2 Allegro The Hostess With The Mostes' On The 1 Call Me Madam Ball The Ladies Who Lunch 3 Company The Lady Is A Tramp 1 Babes in Arms The Man That Got Away 4 A Star is Born The Miller's Son 1 A Little Night Music The Music And The Mirror 4 A Chorus Line The Music That Makes Me Dance 2 Funny Girl The Party's Over 2 Bells are Ringing The Past Is Another Land 4 Aida
Sondheim Musical Comedy Golden Age Sondheim Modern Golden Age Golden Age Poperetta
The Sweetest Sounds The Wages Of Sin The Winner Takes It All The Wizard And I The Worst Pies In London There Are Worse Things I Could Do There Won't Be Trumpets There's A Fine, Fine Line They Say It's Wonderful Thinking Of Him Third Letter Home Too Beautiful For Words Turn Back, O Man Uptown, Downtown We Deserve Each Other What Did I Have That I Don't Have? What I Did For Love What Would You Do? What You Don't Know About Women Whatever Happened To My Part? When You Come Home To Me When You Got It, Flaunt It When You're Good To Mama Where Am I Going Who Knows Who Will Love Me As I Am? Why Can't You Behave? With One Look Without You Woman You Can't Get A Man With A Gun You Don't Know This Man You'll Be In My Heart
Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Sondheim Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Golden Age Poperetta Modern Poperetta Golden Age Modern Modern
2 2 5 4 1 4 2 4 3 5 3 5 1 3 2 1 2 1 5 4 5 4 3 5 2 3 1 3 5 5 3 3 5
No Strings The Mystery of Edwin Drood Mamma Mia Wicked Sweeney Todd Grease Anyone Can Whistle Avenue Q Annie Get Your Gun Curtains Song and Dance The Color Purple Godspell Follies Me and Juliet On a Clear Day... A Chorus Line Cabaret City of Angels Spamalot The Last Five Years The Producers Chicago Sweet Charity I Can Get it For You Wholesale Side Show Kiss Me, Kate Sunset Boulevard Rent The Pirate Queen Annie Get Your Gun Parade Tarzan
189
Genre Golden Age Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Golden Age Poperetta Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Musical Comedy
Tenor Song 30/90 A Bit of Earth A Man Could Go Quite Mad A New Love is Old A Wond’ring Minstrel I Alas for You Alive! All Good Gifts All I Need is the Girl All Kinds of People Almost Like Being In Love Alone at the Drive-in Movie Amsterdam Anthem Any Dream Will Do Asking for You At the Grand Hotel Awaiting You Barrett’s Song Beautiful Girls Beauty School Dropout Beethoven Day Being Alive Bigger Isn’t Better Body Beautiful Beale Boy For Sale Breeze Off the River Bring Him Home Buddy’s Blues Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You Close Every Door Coffee (in a Cardboard Cup) Come with Me Corner of the Sky Dancing Through Life December 1963 Drift Away Easy Street Easy to Love Endless Night Fanny Fifty Million Years Ago Finishing the Hat Fortune Favors the Brave Free Geraniums in the Winder Giants in the Sky Go the Distance Goodnight Saigon Great Big Stuff Hairspray Heaven on their Minds Hell Myself Hero and Leander Hey There High Flying, Adored How Glory Goes I am Aldolpho I Am in Love
Show Tick, Tick, Boom The Secret Garden Edwin Drood The Cat and the Fiddle The Mikado Godspell Jekyll and Hyde Godspell Gypsy Pipe Dream Brigadoon Grease Jacques Brel Chess Joseph Do Re Mi Grand Hotel Myths and Hymns Titanic Follies Grease You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Company Barnum Grey Gardens Oliver The Full Monty Les Miserables Follies Jersey Boys Joseph 70, Girls, 70 Boys from Syracuse Pippin Wicked Jersey Boys Grey Gardens Annie Anything Goes Lion King Fanny Celebration Sunday in the Park Aida A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Carousel Into the Woods Hercules Miss Saigon Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Hairspray Jesus Christ Superstar The Producers Myths and Hymns Pajama Game Evita Floyd Collins The Drowsey Chaperone Can-Can
190
5 2 4 1 1 5 3 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 4 3 2 4 4 1 5 5 2 4 2 3 5 2 3 1 3 4 5 5 5 3 4 1 1 1 4 4
Volume
Genre Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy Operetta Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Other Poperetta Poperetta Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Poperetta Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Musical Comedy Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy Modern Golden Age Modern Sondheim Poperetta Sondheim
2 4 3 4 5 5 4 5 5 3 2 4 5 1
Golden Age Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Poperetta Modern Modern Musical Comedy
Song I Believe in You I Can Do That I Can’t Stand Still I Could Write a Book I Do Not Know a Day I Did Not Love You I Don’t Care Much I Have Written a Play I Know About Love I Like You I Met a Girl I Need to Know I Only Want to Say (Gethsemane) I Will Follow You I’ll Be There I’m Martin Guerre I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket If You Could See Her If You Were Gay Il Mondo Era Vuoto Isn’t it a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain It Don’t Get Better Than This It Takes Two Jasper’s Confession Johanna Kansas City King Herod’s Song King of the World Ladies and their Sensitivities Left Behind Let Me Drown Like a God Lonely House Lost in the Wilderness Love Can’t Happen Love Changes Everything Love to Me Love, I Hear
How to Succeed Chorus Line Footloose Pal Joey Two by Two
Show 2 4 3 1 1
Genre Golden Age Modern Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age
Cabaret On the Twentieth Century Do Re Mi Fanny Bells are Ringing Tarzan Jesus Christ Superstar Milk and Honey Pirate Queen Martin Guerre
3 5 2 2 2 4 2 2 5 3 3
Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Poperetta Golden Age Poperetta Poperetta Musical Comedy
Cabaret Avenue Q Light in the Piazza
1 4 5 3
Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy
5 4 2 1 1 1 4 1 5 4 2 1 5 2 4 4 1
Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Golden Age Poperetta Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Sondheim
2 1 3 3 4 4 1 2 5 2 2 3 5 5 3 3 4 1 3 2 2 1
Musical Comedy Golden Age Sondheim Modern Modern Modern Modern Operetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Sondheim Operetta Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age
Urban Cowboy Hairspray Edwin Drood Sweeney Todd Oklahoma! Jesus Christ Superstar Songs for a New World Sweeney Todd Spring Awakening The Wild Party Flower Drum Song Street Scene Children of Eden Grand Hotel Aspects of Love Light in the Piazza A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Lucky In Love Good News Make Someone Happy Do Re Mi Make the Most of Your Music Follies Mama Says Footloose Mama, Look Sharp 1776 Man The Full Monty Many Moons Ago Once Upon a Mattress Margot The Desert Song Maria West Side Story Maybe I Should Change My Ways Beggar’s Holiday Miracle of Miracles Fiddler on the Roof Mister Cellophane Chicago Mooning Grease Moving Too Fast The Last Five Years Night of My Nights Kismet No Moon pro Nobody Needs to Know The Last Five Years Not While I’m Around Sweeney Todd Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast Pirates of Penzance Old Devil Moon Finnian’s Rainbow On the Night of a Thousand Stars Evita On the Street When You Live My Fair Lady
191
Volume
Song Once Upon a Time Today One More Beautiful Song One Song Glory One Track Mind Passeggiata Prologue: The Old Red Hills of Home Quasimodo Saturn Returns Seeing is Believing Serenade She Cries She Loves Me She Wasn’t You She’s Got a Way Shiksa Goddess Shipoopi Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat Sitting Pretty Someone is Waiting Something’s Coming Springtime for Hitler Stay Stay With Me Steppin’ Out With My Baby Stranger in Paradise Strangers Like Me Summer, Highland Falls Sunday Sunset Boulevard Take a Chance on Me Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes Take the Moment Tango Tragique That Face That’s the Way It Happens The Apple Tree (Forbidden Fruit) The Ballad of Billy M’caw The Big Black Giant The Breeze Kissed Your Hair The Day After That The Mason The Music of the Night The Nicest Kids in Town The Only Home I Know The Proposal The Wild Justice This is Not Over Yet This is the Moment Til Him Tomorrow Belongs to Me Tonight at Eight Tschaikowsky (and other Russians) Two Worlds What Can You Lose? What Do I Need With Love? What Have I Done? What is It About Her? What You Own What You’d Call a Dream When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love Where I Want to Be Who am I?
Show Call Me Madam A Class Act Rent Sweet Smell of Success The Light in the Piazza Parade When Pigs Fly Myths and Hymns Aspects of Love The Student Prince Songs for a New World She Loves Me On a Clear Day Movin’ Out The Last Five Years The Music Man Guys and Dolls Cabaret Company West Side Story The Producers Do I Hear a Waltz? City of Angels Kismet Tarzan Movin’ Out Tick, Tick, Boom Sunset Boulevard Little Women Gondoliers Do I Hear a Waltz? She Loves Me The Producers Me and Juliet The Apple Tree Cats Me and Juliet The Cat and the Fiddle Kiss of the Spider Woman Working Phantom of the Opera Hairspray Shenandoah Titanic Lost in the Stars Parade Jekyll and Hyde The Producers Cabaret She Loves Me Lady in the Dark Tarzan Dick Tracy Thoroughly Modern Millie Les Miserables The Wild Party Rent Diamonds Finnian’s Rainbow Chess Les Miserables
192
2 4 3 4 5 3
Volume
Genre Musical Comedy Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern
3 5 1 2 5 2 2 5 5 4 2 1 1 5 5 4 5 3 1 5 5 5 3 5 3 5 2 4 1 2 1 1 1 4 3 2 5 1 3 1 3 2 4 3 2 4 5 3 5 4 4 5 3 1 2 4
Modern Modern Poperetta Operetta Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Sondheim Golden Age Modern Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Modern Golden Age Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Modern Golden Age Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Poperetta Poperetta
Song Show Why tick, Tick, Boom Why God Why Miss Saigon Willkommen Cabaret Winter’s on the Wing The Secret Garden Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here You are Beautiful Flower Drum Song You are Never Away Allegro You Walk With Me The Full Monty You’re Devastating Roberta You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught South Pacific Young and Foolish Plain and Fancy Younger Than Springtime South Pacific Your Eyes Rent
Volume
Genre Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern
Volume
Genre Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy Operetta Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Other Poperetta Poperetta Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Poperetta Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Musical Comedy Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy Modern Golden Age Modern Sondheim Poperetta
4 2 2 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 3
Baritone Song 30/90 A Bit of Earth A Man Could Go Quite Mad A New Love is Old A Wond’ring Minstrel I Alas for You Alive! All Good Gifts All I Need is the Girl All Kinds of People Almost Like Being In Love Alone at the Drive-in Movie Amsterdam Anthem Any Dream Will Do Asking for You At the Grand Hotel Awaiting You Barrett’s Song Beautiful Girls Beauty School Dropout Beethoven Day Being Alive Bigger Isn’t Better Body Beautiful Beale Boy For Sale Breeze Off the River Bring Him Home Buddy’s Blues Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You Close Every Door Coffee (in a Cardboard Cup) Come with Me Corner of the Sky Dancing Through Life December 1963 Drift Away Easy Street Easy to Love Endless Night Fanny Fifty Million Years Ago Finishing the Hat Fortune Favors the Brave
Show Tick, Tick, Boom The Secret Garden Edwin Drood The Cat and the Fiddle The Mikado Godspell Jekyll and Hyde Godspell Gypsy Pipe Dream Brigadoon Grease Jacques Brel Chess Joseph Do Re Mi Grand Hotel Myths and Hymns Titanic Follies Grease You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Company Barnum Grey Gardens Oliver The Full Monty Les Miserables Follies Jersey Boys Joseph 70, Girls, 70 Boys from Syracuse Pippin Wicked Jersey Boys Grey Gardens Annie Anything Goes Lion King Fanny Celebration Sunday in the Park Aida
193
5 2 4 1 1 5 3 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 4 3 2 4 4 1 5 5 2 4 2 3 5 2 3 1 3 4 5 5 5 3 4 1 1 1 4
Song Free Geraniums in the Winder Giants in the Sky Go the Distance Goodnight Saigon Great Big Stuff Hairspray Heaven on their Minds Hell Myself Hero and Leander Hey There High Flying, Adored How Glory Goes I am Aldolpho I Am in Love I Believe in You I Can Do That I Can’t Stand Still I Could Write a Book I Do Not Know a Day I Did Not Love You I Don’t Care Much I Have Written a Play I Know About Love I Like You I Met a Girl I Need to Know I Only Want to Say (Gethsemane) I Will Follow You I’ll Be There I’m Martin Guerre I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket If You Could See Her If you Were Gay Il Mondo Era Vuoto Isn’t it a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain It Don’t Get Better Than This It Takes Two Jasper’s Confession Johanna Kansas City King Herod’s Song King of the World Ladies and their Sensitivities Left Behind Let Me Drown Like a God Lonely House Lost in the Wilderness Love Can’t Happen Love Changes Everything Love to Me Love, I Hear Lucky In Love Make Someone Happy Make the Most of Your Music Mama Says Mama, Look Sharp Man
Show A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Carousel Into the Woods Hercules Miss Saigon Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Hairspray Jesus Christ Superstar The Producers Myths and Hymns Pajama Game Evita Floyd Collins The Drowsey Chaperone Can-Can How to Succeed Chorus Line Footloose Pal Joey Two by Two
Volume
Genre
4
Sondheim
2 4 3 4 5 5 4 5 5 3 2 4 5 1 2 4 3 1 1
Golden Age Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Poperetta Modern Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age
Cabaret On the Twentieth Century Do Re Mi Fanny Bells are Ringing Tarzan Jesus Christ Superstar Milk and Honey Pirate Queen Martin Guerre
3 5 2 2 2 4 2 2 5 3 3
Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern Poperetta Golden Age Poperetta Poperetta Musical Comedy
Cabaret Avenue Q Light in the Piazza
1 4 5 3
Modern Modern Modern Musical Comedy
Urban Cowboy Hairspray Edwin Drood Sweeney Todd Oklahoma! Jesus Christ Superstar Songs for a New World Sweeney Todd Spring Awakening The Wild Party Flower Drum Song Street Scene Children of Eden Grand Hotel Aspects of Love Light in the Piazza A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Good News Do Re Mi Follies Footloose 1776 The Full Monty
5 4 2 1 1 1 4 1 5 4 2 1 5 2 4 4 1
Modern Modern Modern Sondheim Golden Age Poperetta Modern Sondheim Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Sondheim
2 1 3 3 4 4
Musical Comedy Golden Age Sondheim Modern Modern Modern
194
Song Show Many Moons Ago Once Upon a Mattress Margot The Desert Song Maria West Side Story Maybe I Should Change My Ways Beggar’s Holiday Miracle of Miracles Fiddler on the Roof Mister Cellophane Chicago Mooning Grease Moving Too Fast The Last Five Years Night of My Nights Kismet No Moon pro Nobody Needs to Know The Last Five Years Not While I’m Around Sweeney Todd Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast Pirates of Penzance Old Devil Moon Finnian’s Rainbow On the Night of a Thousand Stars Evita On the Street When You Live My Fair Lady Once Upon a Time Today Call Me Madam One More Beautiful Song A Class Act One Song Glory Rent One Track Mind Sweet Smell of Success Passeggiata The Light in the Piazza Prologue: The Old Red Hills of Parade Home Quasimodo When Pigs Fly Saturn Returns Myths and Hymns Seeing is Believing Aspects of Love Serenade The Student Prince She Cries Songs for a New World She Loves Me She Loves Me She Wasn’t You On a Clear Day She’s Got a Way Movin’ Out Shiksa Goddess The Last Five Years Shipoopi The Music Man Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat Guys and Dolls Sitting Pretty Cabaret Someone is Waiting Company Something’s Coming West Side Story Springtime for Hitler The Producers Stay Do I Hear a Waltz? Stay With Me City of Angels Steppin’ Out With My Baby Stranger in Paradise Kismet Strangers Like Me Tarzan Summer, Highland Falls Movin’ Out Sunday Tick, Tick, Boom Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard Take a Chance on Me Little Women Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes Gondoliers Take the Moment Do I Hear a Waltz? Tango Tragique She Loves Me That Face The Producers That’s the Way It Happens Me and Juliet The Apple Tree (Forbidden Fruit) The Apple Tree The Ballad of Billy M’caw Cats The Big Black Giant Me and Juliet The Breeze Kissed Your Hair The Cat and the Fiddle The Day After That Kiss of the Spider Woman The Mason Working The Music of the Night Phantom of the Opera The Nicest Kids in Town Hairspray The Only Home I Know Shenandoah The Proposal Titanic The Wild Justice Lost in the Stars
195
1 2 5 2 2 3 5 5 3 3 4 1 3 2 2 1 2 4 3 4 5 3
Volume
Genre Modern Operetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Modern Modern Sondheim Operetta Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Modern Modern Modern Modern
3 5 1 2 5 2 2 5 5 4 2 1 1 5 5 4 5 3 1 5 5 5 3 5 3 5 2 4 1 2 1 1 1 4 3 2 5 1 3 1
Modern Modern Poperetta Operetta Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Modern Golden Age Golden Age Modern Sondheim Golden Age Modern Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Modern Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Operetta Golden Age Golden Age Modern Golden Age Golden Age Poperetta Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Modern Poperetta Modern Golden Age Modern Golden Age
Song This is Not Over Yet This is the Moment Til Him Tomorrow Belongs to Me Tonight at Eight Tschaikowsky (and other Russians) Two Worlds What Can You Lose? What Do I Need With Love? What Have I Done? What is It About Her? What You Own What You’d Call a Dream When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love Where I Want to Be Who am I? Why Why God Why Willkommen Winter’s on the Wing Wish You Were Here You are Beautiful You are Never Away You Walk With Me You’re Devastating You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught Young and Foolish Younger Than Springtime Your Eyes
Show Parade Jekyll and Hyde The Producers Cabaret She Loves Me Lady in the Dark Tarzan Dick Tracy Thoroughly Modern Millie Les Miserables The Wild Party Rent Diamonds Finnian’s Rainbow Chess Les Miserables tick, Tick, Boom Miss Saigon Cabaret The Secret Garden Wish You Were Here Flower Drum Song Allegro The Full Monty Roberta South Pacific Plain and Fancy South Pacific Rent
196
Volume 3 2 4 3 2 4 5 3 5 4 4 5 3 1 2 4 4 2 2 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 3
Genre Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Golden Age Musical Comedy Modern Sondheim Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Modern Golden Age Poperetta Poperetta Modern Poperetta Modern Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Modern Musical Comedy Golden Age Golden Age Golden Age Modern
Choice Songs For over 10 years I've been curating a list for my students of outstanding musical theater songs (as well as contemporary art songs that are e specially useful for theatre singers) that are not in the standard repertoire. Because I have gone to great lengths to choose songs that I feel are excellent but under-sung, I call them Choice Songs. Many are great for auditions while others are better for your development as a singing actor, either because they are challenging vocally or dramatically. I will let you decide, based on your needs, intuition and the guidelines I’ve given you in the book, whether a song is right for your audition book. Maybe it goes without saying but, a song could be perfect for one performer but completely wrong for another. I’m excited to share this list with you because I think that you will find many wonderful songs you didn’t know. I encourage you to scan through the comments and the voice type sections to see which songs suit your needs. I’m saving all Sondheim songs for the Sondheim list which follows. I’ve limited the number of Post-millennium songs as there is no chance, with the frequency that they are written, that I can keep the list current. I’m only including songs from what I would consider the biggest, most successful Post-millennium shows like Edges, Ordinary Days and I Love You Because. A word about sources: P/C signifies the Piano/Conductor score. I’ve used this designation if the song is unpublished and the Piano/Conductor score is the only place to find it. Piano/Conductor scores are a challenge to locate but not impossible by any means. Talk to musical directors you know. Most keep a library of a wide array of scores. Vocal Selections are available commercially. When the vocal selections are not available or you simply want one song, you are likely to find the song at one of the sheet music sites like musicnotes.com or sheetmusicplus.com. Google the title, composer and show title with the phrase “ sheet music” in order to locate it. I’ve classified the songs by voice type. This is a subjective labeling system but I think it will be helpful in finding the right kind of song for the right situation. As I’ve mentioned before, in today’s world, singers are expected to sing a wide range of material. The day s of making your career singing only legit are past. Sopranos, for instance, should sing songs labeled soprano, soprano mix, mix/belt and possibly belt. Belters should not only sing belt songs but also mix/belt and possibly soprano/mix songs. •Soprano—more or less classical technique and production (Dawn Upshaw to Rebecca Luker) •Soprano mix—mix of head and chest with more prominence given to head voice (Barbara Cook to Liz Callaway) •Mix/Belt—the most prominent vocal approach in modern musical theatre characterized by easy transition from low to high with the ability to sing powerfully, yet beautifully. (Kate Baldwin to Sherie Rene Scott) •Belt—chest dominated powerful singing (Ethel Merman to Mary Testa)
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•Legit Mezzo—a more or less classical technique and production in the lower register. Not common in musical theatre. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is perhaps the best example of the use of this voice type in musical theatre. •Tenor—obviously, a higher male voice. •High Baritone—these songs could have been classified as Tenor songs but because the tessitura is lower they really belong in a different category. Sometimes the term, Baritenor is used to indicate a higher baritone voice type, a voice that is quite common in modern literature, especially in Rock musicals. •Baritone—a lower male voice. Earlier in the 20 th C. and before, this voice type is for older men and villains (or anti-heroes). That is not necessarily the case since 197 0 or so. Along with title, show and composer, songs are categorized by style and voice type. The comments column describes attributes such as time period (Golden Age , 70s and 80s, and Modern), tempo and the nature of the song with adjectives like charm, disclosure and comedic. Guide to Comments: •Disclosure-Songs of disclosure are ones where the character reveals something which is unknown to the audience or to the world in general. So called “I Want” songs, like “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid are a special kind of disclosure song. But to be a Song of Disclosure, the nature of the information being disclosed doe s not have to be what the character wants. •Ballad-Generally, any song that is slow or moderately slow. •Moving Ballad-a ballad that is more rhythmically complex and generally has more forward momentum than most ballads. •Rhythm Ballad-a ballad where the rhythm section keeps a steady groove, either in a jazz or pop style. “Crazy” by Patsy Cline is a famous rhythm ballad. •Dramatic-I use this term when the song is not ab out romantic love nor is it comedic. •Charm-A loose term meaning that the purpose of the song is to charm the audience or other characters. Traditionally, charm songs are neither fast, nor slow with a triplet feel. “Singing in the Rain” is the classic example but I’ve used the term when this isn’t the musical style, yet the objective of the song is to charm. •Romantic-I use this term when the song is abo ut romantic love or the character is romantic. •AA-I use this designation when the song is sung by an African-American character. Use your judgement when choosing one of these songs if you are not an African-American.
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Choice Songs for Women •AA Title
Show
A Horse with Wings
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Golden Age comedic Belt uptempo
A Little Girl From Little Rock
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Jule Styne
A Part of That
Last Five Years
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
A Place Called Home
A Christmas Carol Alan Menken
A Stranger
Giant
A Way Back to Then Ain’ Got No Tears Left
Soprano
Source
A Horse with Wings folio P/C Score
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Modern lyrical disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Alan Menken Songbook
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Title of Show
Jeff Bowen
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
On the Town, cut
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age bluesy ballad
Legit Mezzo
Bernstein Theatre Songs: Low Voice
Ain’t Nothing But a Kiss Memphis
David Bryan
Modern rock uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
All Fall Down
Make Me a Song
William Finn
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
The William Finn Songbook
All the Men in My Life
Evil Dead
Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, George Reinblatt
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
P/C Score
All Things to One Man
Grind
Larry Grossman
70s and 80s dramatic Belt rhythm ballad
Vocal Selections
Almost Everything I Need
Alphabet City Cycle
Georgia Stitt
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano/Mix
Composer website
William Bolcom
Contemporary Art song uptempo
Soprano
Cabaret Songs
Andrew Lippa
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Mix/Belt
The Jason Robert Brown Collection
Amor An Old-Fashioned Love Story
The Wild Party
And I Will Follow
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic ballad
Angels Punks and Raging Queens
Elegies for Angels, Janet Hood Punks and Raging Queens
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
The Contemporary Singing Actor, Women Vol. 2
Anything
Triumph of Love
Jeffrey Stock
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Belt
P/C Score
Anytime
Elegies
William Finn
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Are You Still Holding My Hand
Bright Lights, Big Paul Scott Goodman Modern dramatic City ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Around the World
Grey Gardens
Scott Frankel
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
At the Glen
Dessa Rose
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic ballad
Autumn in Connecticut
Far From Heaven
Scott Frankel
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
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Vocal Selections Soprano
P/C Score
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Back To Before
Ragtime
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Be On Your Own
Nine
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s dramatic Belt moving ballad
P/C Score
Beautiful
Marie Christine
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Bitch/Slut/Liar/Whore
Toxic Avenger
David Bryan
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt, High Belt
Vocal Selections
Blame it On the Summer Rags Night
Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Breathe
In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda Modern dramatic moving disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Burden of Life
A Man of No Importance
Stephen Flaherty
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
But the World Goes ‘Round
And The World Goes ‘Round
John Kander
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Kander and Ebb Collection
Calm
Ordinary Days
Adam Gwon
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Carrie
Carrie
Michael Gore
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Celebrate
Elegies for Angels, Janet Hood Punks and Raging Queens
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Contemporary Singing Actor, Women Vol. 2
Chain of Love
The Grass Harp
Claibe Richardson
70s and 80s Romantic ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano
P/C Score
Change
A New Brain
William Finn
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
The William Finn Songbook
Chanson
The Baker’s Wife
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s Romantic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Coffee
See What I Wanna Michael John See LaChiusa
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Colored Lights
The Rink
John Kander
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt disclosure moving ballad
Vocal S elections
Colored Woman
Memphis
David Bryan
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Colors of the Wind
Pocahontas, film
Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Come Down From the Tree
Once on This Island, cut
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
County Fair
Das Barbecu
Scott Warrender
Modern Country disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Crimson Kiss
Lestat
Elton John
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Crossword Puzzle
Starting Here, Starting Now
Maltby/Shire
70s and 80s comedic Soprano uptempo
Vocal Selections
Dancing
Lavender Girl
John Bucchino
Modern romantic waltz
Soprano/Mix
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Dancing All the Time
Big: The Musical David Shire
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
200
Mix/Belt
Source
Vocal S elections
Title
December Snow
Show
December Songs
Departure
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Maury Yeston
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
December Songs folio
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Disneyland
Smile
Marvin Hamlisch
70s and 80s dramatic Mix ingénue disclosure ballad
P/C Score
Dogs Versus You
Lucky Stiff
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic uptempo
Vocal S elections
Don’t Wanna Be Here
Ordinary Days
Adam Gwon
Dream With Me
Peter Pan
Leonard Bernstein
Dreaming, Wide Awake
Mix/Belt
Golden Age romantic Mix ingénue ballad
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic ballad
Bernstein Theatre Songs: High Voice
Mix/Belt
The Jason Robert Brown Collection
Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad
Bonnie and Clyde Frank Wildhorn
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
Easy As Life
Aida
Elton John
Modern dramatic disclosure moving ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Easy Money
The Life
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Even Though
I Love You Because
Joshua Salzman
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Every Story Is a Love Story
Aida
Elton John
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Everybody’s Girl
Steel Pier
John Kander
Modern comedic disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Everyday is Night
Birds of Paradise
David Evans
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt ballad
P/C Score
Everything Else
Next to Normal
Tom Kitt
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Everything I Know
In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Fair Warning
Destry Rides Again
Harold Rome
Golden Age dramatic Belt uptempo
Vocal Selections
Feels Like Home
Randy Newman’s Faust
Randy Newman
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Randy Newman Anthology
First You Dream
Steel Pier
John Kander
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Kander and Ebb Collection
Fly Away/Never Never Land
Piece, the musical Scott Alan
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Composer website
Fly Into the Future
Vanities
David Kirshenbaum Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Fly, Fly Away
Catch Me If You Can
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
Forgiveness
Jane Eyre
Paul Gordon
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Gainesville
Randy Newman’s Faust
Randy Newman
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Randy Newman Anthology
201
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
High Belt
Source
Get Out and Stay Out
Nine to Five
Dolly Parton
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Vocal Selections
Goodbye, Emil
Romance, Romance
Keith Hermann
70s and 80s dramatic Soprano uptempo
Grateful
Urban Myths
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix, Grateful: The Songs transpose the of John Bucchino key lower
He Wanted a Girl
Giant
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
He’s Here
How Now, Dow Jones
Elmer Bernstein
Golden Age comedic Belt patter
Vocal Selections
Hold Down The Fort
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Holding to the Ground
Falsettos
William Finn
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
How ‘Bout a Dance
Bonnie and Clyde Frank Wildhorn
Modern dramatic ingénue rhythm ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
How Can I Lose You?
Myths and Hymns Adam Guettel
Modern comedic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
How Can I Win?
The Goodbye Girl Marvin Hamlisch
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Vocal Selections
Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
How Did I Get to Where Marguerite I Am
Michel Legrand
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
How Will I Know?
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern ingénue disclosure uptempo
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
I Am Longing
December Songs
Maury Yeston
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
December Songs folio
I Am Playing Me
[title of show]
Jeff Bowen
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
I Couldn’t Be With Anyone But You
A Wonderful Life
Joe Raposo
70s and 80s romantic Soprano/Mix disclosure ballad
Individual sheet from musicnotes
I Don’t Know How to Help You
Elegies for Angels, Janet Hood Punks and Raging Queens
Modern dramatic ballad
P/C Score
I Got Love
Purlie
Gary Geld
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt pop disclosure uptempo
Vocal S elections
I Had a Dream About You
December Songs
Maury Yeston
Contemporary Art song moving ballad
December Songs folio
I Hate Him
Destry Rides Again
Harold Rome
Golden Age dramatic Belt uptempo
P/C Score
I Hate the Bus
Caroline, Or Change
Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
I Have Found
Make Me a Song
William Finn
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
The William Finn Songbook
Craig Carnelia
70s and 80s pop dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Craig Carnelia Songbook
Tom Kitt
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Mark Schoenfeld
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
I Met a Man Today I Miss the Mountains
Next to Normal
I Never Knew His Name Brooklyn
202
Mix/Belt
Soprano
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
I Resolve
She Loves Me
Jerry Bock
Golden Age dramatic Belt disclosure uptempo
P/C Score
I Slept With Someone Who Handled Kurt Cobain’s Intervention
High Fidelity
Tom Kitt
Modern comedic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
I Speak Six Languages
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
William Finn
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The William Finn Songbook
I Still Believe in Love
They’re Playing Our Song
Marvin Hamlisch
70s and 80s Romantic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
I Sure Like the Boys
A, My Name is Alice
Joan Micklin Silver and Julianne Boyd
70s and 80s Romantic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
P/C Score
I Wanna Be a Rockette
Kicks, the Musical Alan Menken
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Alan Menken Songbook
I Want More
Lestat
Elton John
Modern dramatic disclosure moving ballad
Belt
P/C Score
I Want You
My Life With Albertine
Ricky Ian Gordon
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
I Wish It So
Juno
Marc Blitzstein
Golden Age ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano
The Marc Blitzstein Songbook Vol. 1
I Won’t Mind
The Other Franklin
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
I’d Rather Watch You
The Adding Machine
Joshua Schmidt
Modern comedic disclosure charm
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
I’ll Be Here
Ordinary Days
Adam Gwon
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
newmusicaltheatre.c om
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again
Promises, Promises
Burt Bacharach
Golden Age dramatic Mix ballad
Vocal Selections
I’ll Never Have That Chance
Lestat
Elton John
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
P/C Score
I’m a Part of That
The Last Five Years
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
I’m Breaking Down
Falsettos
William Finn
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Belt
The William Finn Songbook
I’m Free
Precious Little Jewel
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
I’m Gonna Be Like an Eagle
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
I’m Just Movin’
Working (Revival) Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
P/C Score
I’m Leaving You
The Life
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Contemporary Singing Actor, Women Vol. 1
I’m Not
Little By Little
Brad Ross
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Contemporary Singing Actor, Women Vol. 1
I’m Not Afraid
Songs For a New World
Jason Robert Brown Modern moving disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
203
Title
Show
Composer
I’m Not Alone
Carrie
I’m Not At All in Love
The Pajama Game Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
I’m Not Waiting
Michael Gore
Comments
Voice Type
Source
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt pop disclosure ballad
P/C score
Golden Age dramatic Mix/Belt disclosure waltz
P/C Score
Andrew Lippa
Modern moving disclosure ballad
Composer website
Mix/Belt
I’ve Never Said I Love You
Dear World
Jerry Herman
Golden Age romantic Mix/Belt disclosure ballad
Vocal S elections
If I Ever Loved Him
Angel
Gary Geld
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt ballad
Vocal S elections
If I Told You Now
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
The Jason Robert Brown Collection
Mix
Vocal Selections*
If Only
The Little Mermaid
Alan Menken
Modern romantic disclosure ballad
If You Hadn’t But You Did
Two On the Aisle
Jule Styne
Golden Age comedic Belt uptempo
Individual sheet from musicnotes
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song ballad
Mix
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
P/C Score
In a Restaurant By the Sea In Short
Edges
Ireland
Legally Blonde
Lawrence O’Keefe
Modern comedic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
Is It Too Late
My Life With Albertine
Ricky Ian Gordon
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Isn’t This Better?
Funny Lady
John Kander
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Kander and Ebb Collection
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano/Mix
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
It Feels Like Home It Hurts to Be Strong
Carrie
Michael Gore
70 and 80s dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
P/C score
It Might As Well Be Spring
State Fair
Richard Rodgers
Golden Age ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
It Would Have Been Wonderful
Annie Warbucks
Charles Strouse
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
P/C Score
It’s Won’t Be Long
In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Journey To the Past
Anastasia, film
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song uptempo
Soprano
Genius Child
Joy Just Like That
A Christmas Story Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Just Like You
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern moving ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Just Not Now
I Love You Because
Joshua Salzman
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Kindness
Bright Lights, Big Paul Scott Goodman Modern folk rock City moving ballad
Mix
P/C Score
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Kander
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
The Kander and Ebb Collection
Knowing When To Leave
Promises, Promises
Burt Bacharach
Golden Age pop uptempo
Mix
Vocal Selections
204
Title
Show
Lament
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Lay Down Your Head
Violet
Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix
P/C Score
Lion Tamer
The Magic Show
Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Listen To Your Heart
Young Frankenstein
Mel Brooks
Modern romantic 1930s beguine
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Little Known Facts
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Clark Gesner
Golden Age comedic Belt patter
Vocal Selections
Lonely Pew
Reefer Madness
Dan Studney
Modern Country ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Look At All the People
Chaplin
Christopher Curtis
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Look At Me Now
The Wild Party
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Losing Roberto
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano
Vocal Selections
Lost and Found
City of Angels
Cy Coleman
Modern romantic jazz Belt ballad
Vocal Selections
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
John Bucchino
Modern romantic moving ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Composer website
Love Is Not All
Love Quiz
It’s Only Life
Lovely Lies Lovesick
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
David Yazbek
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Lying There
Edges
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Mama Will Provide
Once on This Island
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic pop Belt uptempo
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Man Wanted
Copacabana
Barry Manilow
Modern dramatic 1930s disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Maybe I Like it This Way
The Wild Party
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Mira
Carnival
Bob Merrill
Golden Age ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano
Vocal Selections
Miss Byrd
Closer Than Ever
David Shire
70s and 80s comedic Soprano/Mix disclosure uptempo
Vocal Selections
Missing You (My Bill)
The Civil War
Frank Wildhorn
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Vocal Selections
Mistress of the Senator
Hello Again
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Man in the Moon
205
Soprano/Mix
The Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Model Behavior
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
David Ya Yazbek
Modern co comedic patter
Belt
Vocal Selections
More To the Story
Shrek
Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix
Individual sheet from musicnotes
My Big Mistake
The Will Rogers Follies
Cy Coleman
Modern Romantic Jazz disclosure ballad
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song comedic uptempo
Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x
The The Jeff Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
My Brother Lived In San Elegies for Angels, Janet Hood Francisco Punks and Raging Queens
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x
The The Cont Contem empo pora rary ry Singing Actor, Women Vol. 1
My House
Peter Pan
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age ingénue ballad
Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x
Bern Bernst stei ein n on on Broadway
My Mother’s Wedding Day
Brigadoon
Frederick Loewe
Golden Age comedic Mix/Belt uptempo
Vocal S el elections
My Own Space
The Act
John Kander
70s and 80s dramatic Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix disclosure ballad
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
My True Love
Phantom
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s romantic Soprano waltz
The Maury Yeston Songbook
My Unknow Unknown n Someo Someone ne
The Will Will Rogers Rogers Follies
Cy Coleman
Modern 1930s romantic disclosure ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Namely You You
L’il Abner
Gene De Paul
Golden Age ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano
Vocal Selections
Never Again Again
King David
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic pop ballad
My Book
Vocal Selections
P/C Score
Next Best Thing Thing To To Love A Class Class Act
Edward Kleban
No Man Left for Me
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic rhythm ballad
Belt
Vocal Selections
Nobody Does It Like Me Seesaw
Cy Coleman
70s and 80s comedic Belt rhythm disclosure ballad
Vocal Selections
Nobody’s Side
Chess
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt pop disclosure uptempo
Vocal S el elections
Nothing Like You’ve Ever Known
Song Song and and Danc Dancee
Andr Andrew ew Lloy Lloyd d Webber
70s and 80s dramatic Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix ballad
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Nothing Short of Wonderful
Dogfight
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
newmus newmusica icalth ltheat eatre. re.cc om
Nothing Stops Another Day
Ghost
Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
Now and Then
People in the Picture
Mike Stoller
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Oh, To Be a Movie Star
The Apple Tree
Jerry Bock
Golden Age ingénue disclosure charm
Mix
Vocal Selections
On My Way
Violet
Jeanine Tesori
Modern ingénue disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
The Will Will Rogers Follies
206
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
On My Way To You
Michel Legrand
Modern dramatic pop Soprano uptempo
Once I Was
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
A Horse with Wings folio
Once Once Upon Upon a Dece Decemb mber er
Anas Anasta tasi sia, a, film film
Step Stephe hen n Flah Flaher erty ty
Mode Modern rn dram dramat atic ic ballad
Mix
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Once Upon a Time
Brooklyn
Mark Schoenfeld
Modern dramatic ingénue pop disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
One Life to Live
Lady in the Dark
Kurt Weill
Golden Age dramatic Belt uptempo
One Perfect Moment
Bring It On
Lin-Manuel Miranda Modern dramatic and Tom Kitt ingénue disclosure ballad
One Step Ahead of Goodbye
High Fidelity, cut
Tom Kitt
Modern dramatic pop Mix/Belt ballad
The BMI Workshop Songbook
One White Dress
A Catered Affair
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure charm
Composer website
Ooh, My Feet
The Most Happy Fella
Frank Lo Loesser
Golden Age dramatic Mix/Belt uptempo
P/C Score
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
A Tale of Two Cities
Jill Sa Santoriello
Modern dr dramatic moving ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Out of the Blue
The Wild Party
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Painting Her Portrait
Jane Eyre
Paul Gordon
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Passover
Elegies
William Finn
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Patience
Illyria
Pete Mills
Modern dramatic ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
newmus newmusica icalth ltheat eatre. re.cc om
Patterns
Baby
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix disclosure ballad
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Perfect
High Fidelity, cut
Tom Kitt
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Composer website
Perfect
Edges
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Peter, Peter
Peter Pan
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age ingénue ballad
Soprano
Please, Let’s Not Even Say Hello
December Songs
Maury Yeston
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
December Songs folio
Pretty Funny
Dogfight
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure moving ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
newmus newmusica icalth ltheat eatre. re.cc om
Princess
A Man of No Importance
Step Stephe hen n Flah Flaher erty ty
Mode Modern rn dram dramat atic ic ingénue moving ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Pulled
The Addams Family
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Raise the Roof
The Wild Party
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
207
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Mix/Belt
P/C Score Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Raven
Brooklyn
Mark Schoenfeld
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
Ready to Settle
High Fidelity
Tom Kitt
Modern comedic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Reflection
On the Record
Matthew Wilder
Modern ingénue dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Individual sh sheet from musicnotes
Remember Me
Little Fish
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
Right In Front of Your Your Eyes
The Wedding Singer
Matthe tthew w Skyl Skylaar
Mode odern com comedi edic pop pop Mix/Belt disclosure uptempo
Vocal S el elections
Rita’s Tune
The Sweet Smell of Success
Marv Marvin in Haml Hamlis isch ch
Mode Modern rn dram dramat atic ic charm ballad
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Safer
First Date
Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner
Modern dramatic pop Mix/Belt moving ballad
Vocal S el elections
Say Goodbye
Piece, the musical Scott Alan
Modern dramatic uptempo
Composer website
Schroeder
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Gary Geld
Golden Age comedic Mix/Belt ballad
Vocal S el elections
Screw Loose
Cry Baby
David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger
Modern comedic disclosure rhythm ballad
Belt
P/C score
Second Hand White Baby Grand
Smash, TV show
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix
musicnotes.com
See See Wha Whatt I Wan Wanna na See See
See See Wha Whatt I Wan Wanna na Michael John See LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
Selective Memory
People in the Picture
Mike Stoller
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Serenity
Triumph of Love
Jeffrey Stock
Modern dramatic waltz
Mix/Belt
P/C score
Shine
The Spitfire Grill
James Valcq
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
P/C Score
Shine Like the Sun
Nine to Five
Dolly Parton
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt, High Belt
Vocal Selections
Simple Creature
Little Fish
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Mix/Belt
Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Since You Stayed Here
Brownstone
Peter Larson
70s and 80s romantic Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x disclosure ballad
Indi Indivi vidua duall shee sheett from musicnotes
Sister Act
Sister Act
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Vocal S el elections
Sleepy Man
Robber Bridegroom
Robe Robert rt Waldm aldman an
70s 70s and and 80s 80s roma romant ntic ic Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x disclosure ballad
P/C P/C scor scoree
Small Town Girl
Debbie Does Dallas
Tom Kitt
Modern dramatic pop Mix/Belt disclosure uptempo
P/C score
So Much Better
Legally Blonde
Lawrence O’Keefe
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Someday
The Wedding Singer
Matthew Sk Skylar
Modern ro romanti ntic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
208
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Belt
Mix/Belt
Title
Something of My Own
Show
Dessa Rose
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Somewhere Somewhere That’ That’ss Green Little Little Shop of Horrors
Alan Menken
70s and 80s romantic Mix/Belt disclosure ballad
Vocal S el elections
Song of Me
Starting Here, Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s ingénue disclosure ballad
Sopran Soprano/M o/Mix ix
Vocal ocal Select Selection ionss
Spark of Creation
Children of Eden
Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Speaking French
Lucky Stiff
Stephen Flaherty
Modern comedic uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Stop and See Me
Weird Romance
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Stranger to to the Rain
Chil hildre dren of of Ed Eden
Stephen Sc Schwa hwartz
Modern dr dramatic disclosure moving ballad
Mix/Belt
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Sunday Light
Alphabet City Cycle
Georgia Stitt
Contemporary Art song moving ballad
Sopr Sopran ano/ o/Mi Mix x
Comp Compos oser er websi website te
Surabaya-Santa
Songs For a New World
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Sweet Dreams
It’s Only Life
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song ballad
Mix
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Sweet Liberty
Jane Eyre
Paul Gordon
Modern ingénue disclosure moving ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
Dan Martin
Modern comedic uptempo
Mix/Belt
The BMI Workshop Songbook
Table Three
Take Care Of This This House 1600 Pennsylvani Pennsylvaniaa Leon Leonar ard d Berns Bernste tein in Avenue
Gold Golden en Age Age dram dramat atic ic Mezzo ballad
Bernstein Theatre Songs: Low Voice
Take the Filter Off
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Modern comedic uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Take The World Away
Little By Little
Brad Ross
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
The Co Contemporary Singing Actor, Women Vol. 1
Tell Me Why
A Man of No Importance
Step Stephe hen n Flah Flaher erty ty
Mode Modern rn dram dramat atic ic ballad
Belt
Vocal Selections
Temporary
Urban Myths
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
That Mister Man of Mine Dames at Sea
Jim Wise
Golden Age comedic Belt ballad
P/C Score
That’ll Never Be Me
Now.Here.This
Jeff Bowen
Modern dramatic ballad
Vocal S el elections
The Boy From
The Mad Show
Mary Rodgers
Golden Age comedic Mix/Belt uptempo
P/C score
The Da Dark I Know Well
Spring Awakening Duncan Sh Sheik
Modern dr dramatic rock uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
The Finer Things
Jane Eyre
Paul Gordon
Modern dramatic waltz
Soprano
Vocal Selections
The Fire Within Me
Little Women
Jason Howland
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S el elections
The Greatest Practical Joke
See What I Wanna Michael John See LaChiusa
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
209
Mix/Belt
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
The History of Wrong Guys
Kinky Boots
Cindi Lauper
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
The Life I Never Led
Sister Act
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure moving ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
The Life Of the Party
Wild Party
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
The Love Of My Life
Brigadoon
Frederick Loewe
Golden Age dramatic Mix/Belt uptempo
Vocal S elections
The Night It Had to End Romance, Romance
Keith Hermann
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
The Other Side of the Tracks
Little Me
Cy Coleman
Golden Age disclosure uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
The Road Ends Here
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
The Smile of Your Dreams
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
Vocal Selections
The Song With the Violins
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song comedic uptempo
Soprano
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
The Spring and The Fall
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt ingénue disclosure ballad
Vocal S elections
The Story Goes On
Baby
The Usher From the Mezzanine
Fade Out, Fade In Jule Styne
Golden Age charm uptempo
Belt
P/C Score
The Wanting of You
Alphabet City Cycle
Georgia Stitt
Contemporary Art song uptempo
Soprano/Mix
Composer website
The World Above
The Little Mermaid
Alan Menken
Modern ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
The World She Writes
The Glorious Ones Stephen Flaherty
Modern ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
The Writing on the Wall
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt uptempo
Vocal S elections
There Will Be a Miracle See What I Wanna Michael John See LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
There’s a World Out There
Little Women
Kim Oler
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
The BMI Workshop Songbook
They Don’t Know
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Jeanine Tesori
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Think Positive
Angry Housewives
Chad Henry
Modern dramatic/ comedic uptempo
Mix/Belt
P/C score
Thinking Of Him
Curtains
John Kander
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Jeff Bowen
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
This Moment This Time
Now.Here.This
Rupert Holmes
210
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Through The Mountain
Floyd Collins
Adam Guettel
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Time Does Not Bring Relief
The Other Franklin
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Times Like This
Lucky Stiff
Stephen Flaherty
Modern comedic ingénue disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song moving ballad
Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
Toll
Tom
Hello Again
Too Much
Stepping Out-The Denis King Musical
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
P/C score
Too Much in Love To Care
Sunset Boulevard
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Modern romantic ingénue ballad
Soprano
Vocal Selections
Tuesdays, Thursdays
Far From Heaven
Scott Frankel
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano
P/C Score
John Bucchino
Contemporary Art song ballad
Mix/Belt
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic ingénue disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano/Mix
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Unexpressed Waiting for Life
Once on This Island
Walking the Wrong Way
Wanting
Rags
Charles Strouse
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Watch What Happens
Newsies
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Watching the Big Parade Starting Here, Go By Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt march
Vocal S elections
We Had a Dream
The Life
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Welcome Home
Johnny Guitar
Martin Silvestri
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
West End Avenue
The Magic Show
Stephen Schwartz
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Mix/Belt
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
What a Mother Does
A Christmas Story Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
What About Today
Starting Here, Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic Belt pop disclosure ballad
Vocal Selections
What Did I Have That I Don’t Have?
On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever
Burton Lane
Golden Age dramatic Mix/Belt rhythm ballad
Vocal S elections
What Only Love Can See
Chaplin
Christopher Curtis
Modern dramatic ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
When Hope Goes
The Spitfire Grill
James Valcq
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Mix
P/C Score
When I Look at You
Scarlet Pimpernel
Frank Wildhorn
Modern romantic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
211
Title
When It Ends
Show
The Wild Party
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic ballad
Belt
Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
When the Earth Stopped Elegies Turning
William Finn
Modern dramatic ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Whenever I Dream
A New Brain
William Finn
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
Where is the Warmth?
The Baker’s Wife
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s dramatic Mix/Belt ballad
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Who Is This Man?
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern ingénue disclosure ballad
Soprano/Mix
Vocal Selections
Who Wears These Clothes?
The Times
Brad Ross, Joe Keenan
Modern comedic uptempo
Belt
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Why Did I Choose You? The Yearling
Michael Leonard
Golden Age romantic Soprano disclosure ballad
Individual sheet from musicnotes
Why Not Me?
Carrie
Michael Gore
Modern moving ballad
P/C score
Wild and Reckless
Drat, the Cat
Milton Schafer
Golden Age comedic uptempo
Will There Really Be a Morning?
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Soprano
A Horse with Wings folio
With Every Breath I Take City of Angels
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic ballad
Belt
Vocal Selections
With You
Ghost
Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard
Modern romantic disclosure ballad
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
Words, Words, Words
The Witches of Eastwick
Dana P. Rowe
Modern comedic patter
Mix/Belt
Vocal S elections
You’ll Never Be Alone
A Tale of Two Cities
Jill Santoriello
Modern romantic ballad
Soprano
Vocal Selections
You’ve Got Possibilities
It’s a Bird...It’s a Plane...It’s Superman
Charles Strouse
Golden Age dramatic Belt uptempo
Belt
Vocal Selections
STILL MORE TO ADD Edges
212
Vocal Selections
Choice Songs for Men Title
Show
A Horse with Wings
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Baritone
A Horse with Wings folio
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Modern comedic uptempo
Baritone
P/C Score
A Piece of the Action
The Life
A Very Single Man
Five Course Love
Absalom
The Glorious Ones
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic folk ballad
Baritone
P/C Score
Alive
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern dramatic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Alone in the Universe
Seussical
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
An Ordinary Guy
Amour
Michel Legrand
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
High Baritone
P/C Score
And They’re Off
A New Brain
William Finn
Modern dramatic/ comedic disclosure uptempo
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Anytime
Elegies
William Finn
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Tenor
The William Finn Songbook
As Good As You
Jane Eyre
Paul Gordon
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
P/C Score
At the Fountain
Sweet Smell of Success
Marvin Hamlisch
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad/ uptempo
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Back Home
Back Home: The Christopher Berg War Brides Musical
Modern dramatic romantic ballad
High Baritone
BMI Workshop songbook
Bailout Song #1
First Date
Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner
Modern comedic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Beautiful City
Godspell (Revival)
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Tenor
Revised Vocal Selections
Better Than I
Joseph, film
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Boy With Dreams
Edges
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern disclosure pop uptempo
Tenor with low range
Richard Rodgers
Golden Age romantic ballad
Baritone
Modern comedic pop uptempo
Tenor
Boys and Girls Like State Fair You and Me But I Don’t Want to I Love You Because Talk About Her
P/C Score
Bye Room
John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern comedic uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Call of the Sea
No, No, Nannette
Vincent Youmans
Golden Age dramatic uptempo
Baritone
P/C Score
Central Park
See What I Wanna See
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Baritone
P/C Score
Centuries
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern dramatic moving ballad
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Charlie's Soliloquy
Kinky Boots
Cindi Lauper
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
213
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Coffee Shop Nights Curtains
John Kander
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Cold Enough To Snow
Life With Mikey, film
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Cold Feets
The Drowsy Chaperone
Lisa Lambert, Greg Modern comedic Morrison uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Colors Of My Life
Barnum
Cy Coleman
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Different
Honk
George Stiles
Modern disclosure ballad
Baritone
P/C Score
Double Talk
City of Angels
Cy Coleman
Modern dramatic swing Baritone uptempo
Vocal Selections
Epiphany
Altar Boyz
Gary Adler
Modern dramatic/ comedic pop disclosure ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Evenin’ Star
110 in the Shade
Harvey Schmidt
Golden Age romantic ballad
Tenor
musicnotes.com
Evermore Without You
Woman in White
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Modern romantic ballad Tenor
Vocal Selections
Extraordinary
Pippin
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s dramatic uptempo
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Eyes That Never Lie
Weird Romance
Alan Menken
Modern romantic ballad Tenor
Vocal Selections
Fathers and Sons
Working
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Favorite Places
Ordinary Days
Adam Gwon
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Fifty Checks
Catch Me If You Can
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic swing uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Baritone
Finding Home folio
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic charm
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Craig Carnelia
Contemporary Art song ballad
Tenor
Craig Carnelia Songbook
Claibe Richardson
70s and 80s dramatic pop uptempo
Baritone with falsetto
P/C Score
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
P/C Score
Finding Home Flair
Starting Here, Starting Now
Flight Floozies
The Grass Harp
Forest For the Trees The Spitfire Grill
Baritone
Source
Tenor
Baritone
Vocal Selections Alan Menken Songbook
Goodbye
Catch Me If You Can
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Guido’s Song
Nine
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s dramatic/ comedic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Half As Big As Life Promises, Promises Burt Bacharach
70s and 80s dramatic High Baritone disclosure pop uptempo
Vocal Selections
Heaven
Contemporary Art song uptempo
Baritone
Finding Home folio
Ricky Ian Gordon
Her Voice
The Little Mermaid Alan Menken
Modern romantic moving ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Here For You
Nine to Five
Dolly Parton
Modern comedic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Highway Miles
The Flood
Peter Mills
Modern dramatic pop disclosure uptempo
Tenor
newmusicaltheatre.c om
214
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Hitchhiking Across Make Me a Song America
William Finn
Modern dramatic story song uptempo
Baritone
P/C Score
Hold Me in Your Heart
Cindi Lauper
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Hold My Hand
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Baritone
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
Home of the Brave
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Baritone
Finding Home folio
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Kinky Boots
How I Am
Little Women
Jason Howland
Modern dramatic uptempo
How Lucky You Are
Seussical
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic charm Baritone
Hundred Story City Ordinary Days
Adam Gwon
Modern dramatic disclosure moving ballad
High Baritone
I Can’t Recall
A Tale of Two Cities
Jill Santoriello
Modern disclosure ballad
Baritone
I Cannot Hear the City
Sweet Smell of Success
Marvin Hamlisch
Modern romantic ballad High Baritone
Vocal Selections
I Choose Right
Baby
David Shire
70s and 80s romantic ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections (Eb major) P/C (G major)
I Could Write Books
Zanna Don’t
Tim Acito
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
I Don’t Remember Christmas
Starting Here, Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
I Hear Bells
Starting Here, Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic moving ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
I Like Everybody
Most Happy Fella
Frank Loesser
Golden Age charm uptempo
Tenor
P/C Score
I Once Knew
Edges
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic uptempo
High Baritone
I Ran
Little Fish
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic pop disclosure uptempo
Tenor
The Michael John LaChiusa Songbook
I Stand Alone
Goya
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Baritone
The Maury Yeston Songbook
I Stayed
A Catered Affair
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic patter
Baritone
Composer website
I Think I Can Play This Part
The Goodbye Girl
Marvin Hamlisch
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
I Think I Like Her
Summer of ’42
David Kirshenbaum Modern romantic uptempo
High Baritone
P/C Score
I Understand
On The Town, cut
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age comedic uptempo
Baritone
Bernstein Theatre Songs: Low Voice
I Want to Fly
The Flight of the Lawnchair Man
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
High Baritone
P/C Score
I Was Here
The Glorious Ones
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
I’d Rather Be Sailing
A New Brain
William Finn
Modern
Baritone
The William Finn Songbook
Jerry Bock
Golden Age comedic uptempo
Baritone
I’m in Love! I’m In The Rothschilds Love
215
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Vocal Selections
Vocal Selections
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
I’m Not That Smart 25th Annual Putnam William Finn County Spelling Bee I’ve Got To Find a Reason
Carnival
I’ve Got Your Number
Little Me
If Dreams Come True
A Tale of Two Cities
If I Ever Say I’m Over You If I Have To Live Alone
The Baker’s Wife
Golden Age dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Cy Coleman
Golden Age romantic charm uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Jill Santoriello
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
John Bucchino
Modern romantic ballad Baritone
Grateful:The Songs of John Bucchino
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
If She Really Knew They’re Playing Me Our Song
Marvin Hamlisch
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Baritone
P/C Score
In Love With You
First Date
Alan Zachary, Michael Weiner
Modern dramatic/ comedic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
In the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
Frank Wildhorn
Modern dramatic uptempo
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
In These Skies
Ace
Richard Oberacker
Modern dramatic uptempo
Tenor with low P/C Score range
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary Art song ballad
Baritone
The Jeff Blumenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
William Finn
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Vocal Selections
It Took Me a While John and Jen
Andrew Lippa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Just a Kiss Apart
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Jule Styne
Golden Age romantic ballad
Baritone
P/C Score
Just One Night
Doonesbury
Elizabeth Swados
70s and 80s dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
Larger Than Life
My Favorite Year
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Tenor
Alan Menken Songbook
Laura, Laura
High Fidelity
Tom Kitt
Modern romantic ballad High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Le Grand Boom Boom
Little Me
Cy Coleman
Golden Age comedic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Learning To Let Go Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens
Janet Hood
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
Let It Sing
Violet
Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic pop gospel uptempo
Tenor
P/C Score
Little Fish
Little Fish
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
Live in Living Color
Catch Me If You Can
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic pop gospel uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Look For Small Pleasures
Ben Franklin in Paris
Mark Sandrich, Jr
Golden Age dramatic ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Look In My Eyes
Craig Carnelia
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Craig Carnelia Songbook
Love Can’t Happen Grand Hotel
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s romantic ballad
Baritone
The Maury Yeston Songbook
Love Was a Song
Mark Schoenfeld, Barri McPherson
Modern dramatic moving ballad
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Independence Day
Infinite Joy
Elegies
Brooklyn
216
Title
Love Who You Love
Show
A Man of No Importance
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic disclosure waltz ballad
Baritone
Ahrens and Flaherty Songbook
Lovelier Than Ever Where’s Charley?
Frank Loesser
Golden Age dramatic ballad
Baritone
The Frank Loesser Songbook
Lucky
Lucky Stiff
Stephen Flaherty
70s and 80s dramatic charm
Baritone
P/C Score
Maybe We Just Made Love
I Love You Because
Modern romantic pop disclosure uptempo
Tenor
Melisande
110 in the Shade
Harvey Schmidt
Golden Age romantic uptempo
High Baritone
P/C Score
Memphis Lives In Me
Memphis
David Bryan
Modern pop gospel ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Jeff Blumenkrantz
Contemporary art song comedic uptempo
Tenor
The Jeff Bluemenkrantz Songbook Vol. 1
My Book
My Dogs
Elegies
William Finn
Modern comedic ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
My Rules/Elliot Garfield Grant
The Goodbye Girl
Marvin Hamlisch
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
My Thing
The Psychic Hour
Marty Fernandi
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Baritone
BMI Workshop songbook
Need To Know
Weird Romance
Alan Menken
Modern comedic uptempo
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Never the Luck
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Rupert Holmes
70s and 80s charm waltz Tenor with low Vocal Selections range
Never Will I Marry Greenwillow
Frank Loesser
Golden Age dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
musicnotes.com
New Words
In the Beginning
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Baritone
The Maury Yeston Songbook
Not Afraid
Easter Rising
Michael Arden
Modern dramatic ballad Tenor
Composer website
On Lexington & 52nd Street
Smash, TV show
Marc Shaiman
Modern dramatic uptempo
High Baritone
musicnotes.com
On My Bedside Table
It’s Only Life
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Once In a Lifetime
Stop the World (I Want to Get Off)
Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley
Golden Age dramatic ballad
Baritone
sheetmusicplus.com
One Of The Good Guys
Closer Than Ever
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
Part Of A Painting
Edges
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern dramatic ballad Tenor
Pass The Football
Wonderful Town
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age comedic uptempo
Baritone
Bernstein Theatre Songs: Low Voice
Private Property
Giant
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Tenor
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
Proud Lady
The Baker’s Wife
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s romantic uptempo
Tenor
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Proud of Your Boy
Alladin
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic disclosure ballad
Tenor
Alan Menken Songbook
Raise a Little Hell
Bonnie and Clyde
Frank Wildhorn
Modern dramatic rock uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Right Before My Eyes
Lestat
Elton John
Modern romantic pop ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
217
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
Roberto’s Eyes
Death Takes a Holiday
Maury Yeston
Modern dramatic moving ballad
Tenor with low Vocal Selections range
Rock City
See Rock City and Other Destinations
Brad Alexander
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
BMI
Sail Me Away
Lestat
Elton John
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
Alan Menken
70s and 80s dramatic moving ballad
Tenor
Alan Menken Songbook
Frank Wildhorn
Modern romantic ballad Tenor
Sailing On Sarah Seeing You There
The Civil War Ordinary Days, cut
Adam Gwon
Modern romantic moving ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Seena
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Leonard Bernstein
Golden Age dramatic ballad
Baritone
Bernstein Theatre Songs: Low Voice
Shooting Star
Hercules, cut
Alan Menken
Modern dramatic pop ballad
Tenor
Alan Menken Songbook
Someone To Fall Back On
Jason Robert Brown Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
The Jason Robert Brown Collection
Something About You
Altar Boyz
Gary Adler
Modern dramatic/ comedic ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Soul of a Man
Kinky Boots
Cindi Lauper
Modern dramatic pop moving ballad
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Souvenir
Ricky Ian Gordon
Contemporary Art song ballad
Tenor
A Horse With Wings folio
Sparklejollytwinkle- Elf jingley
Matthew Sklar
Modern comedic charm Tenor
Vocal Selections
Step One
Cindi Lauper
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
John Bucchino
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Kinky Boots
Taking the Wheel Thank God She’s Blind
Toxic Avenger
David Bryan
Modern comedic ballad
That’ll Never Be Me (Male)
Now.Here.This
Jeff Bowen
Modern dramatic ballad High Baritone
That’s For Me
State Fair
Richard Rodgers
Golden Age romantic ballad
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
The Bed Was Not My Own
Hello Again
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Baritone
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
The Bus
Caroline, or Change Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic spiritual
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
The Call
Floyd Collins
Adam Guettel
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
High Baritone
P/C Score
The Coming of the Dawn
Frankenstein
Mark Baron
Modern dramatic disclosure moving ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
The Genius On Cleveland Street
A Christmas Story
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Modern comedic charm swing
Baritone
Vocal Selections
The Kid Inside
Is There Life After High School?
Craig Carnelia
70s and 80s dramatic moving disclosure ballad
Tenor
Craig Carnelia Songbook
The Kite
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Clark Gesner
Golden Age dramatic uptempo
High Baritone
Vocal Selections
218
Vocal Selections
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
The Lady Must Be Mad
Illyria
Peter Mills
Modern romantic disclosure uptempo
Tenor
newmusicaltheatre.c om
The Lives of Me
The Boy From Oz
Peter Alan
70s and 80s dramatic disclosure ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
The Night Was Alive
Titanic
Maury Yeston
Modern dramatic ballad Tenor
The Maury Yeston Songbook
The One I Love
Hello Again
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern romantic moving ballad
Tenor
The Michael John Lachiusa Songbook
The Streets of Dublin
A Man of No Importance
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
The Thief (She Looked At Me)
See What I Wanna See
Michael John LaChiusa
Modern dramatic uptempo
Tenor
P/C Score
There But For You Go I
Brigadoon
Frederick Loewe
Golden Age romantic ballad
Baritone
Vocal Selections
There is a Sucker Born Ev’ry Minute
Barnum
Cy Coleman
70s and 80s dramatic uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
This is New
Lady in the Dark
Kurt Weill
Golden Age romantic ballad
Baritone
P/C Score
Till I Loved You
Goya
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s romantic ballad
Baritone
The Maury Yeston Songbook
Unexpressed Wanting Things
John Bucchino Promises, Promises Burt Bacharach
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone 70s and 80s dramatic pop moving ballad
Baritone
Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino Vocal Selections
Watching the Show The Times
Brad Ross, Joe Keenan
We Can Talk To Each Other
Starting Here, Starting Now
David Shire
70s and 80s comedic uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
We’ll Have Tomorrow
Little Shop of Horrors, cut
Alan Menken
70s and 80s romantic ballad
Baritone
Alan Menken Songbook
Welcome To the World
A Man of No Importance
Stephen Flaherty
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Vocal Selections
What Am I Doing?
Closer Than Ever
David Shire
70s and 80s dramatic pop ballad/uptempo
P/C Score
What More Can I Say?
Falsettos
William Finn
Modern dramatic ballad Baritone
Vocal Selections
When I Get My Name In Lights
The Boy From Oz
Peter Alan
70s and 80s dramatic charm uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
Will That Ever Happen To Me?
Summer of ’42
David Kirshenbaum Modern romantic moving ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
With You
Pippin
Stephen Schwartz
70s and 80s romantic ballad
Tenor
The Stephen Schwartz Songbook
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Women on the David Yazbek Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Modern comedic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
Craig Carnelia
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Baritone
Craig Carnelia Songbook
William Finn
Modern dramatic uptempo
Baritone
Vocal Selections
David Bryan
Modern dramatic disclosure uptempo
Tenor
Vocal Selections
You Can Have the T.V. You Gotta Die Sometime
Falsettos
You Tore My Heart Toxic Avenger Out
Modern dramatic pop uptempo
219
Baritone
Tenor
newmusicaltheatre.c om
Title
Show
Composer
Comments
Voice Type
Source
You’re Different
Violet
Jeanine Tesori
Modern dramatic pop ballad
High Baritone
P/C Score
You’re There Too
In the Beginning
Maury Yeston
70s and 80s dramatic ballad
Tenor
P/C Score
leslie bricusse songs
220
Sondheim I’ve nothing to say. Well, nothing that’s not been said.
Text about Sondheim Songs divided by voice type but I encourage you to look in both high voice and low voice for songs as many of these can be sung by both
Guide to Sources TSMTA=The Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthology AS 1 = All Sondheim Volume 1 and so forth SSFT = Stephen Sondheim Film and Television Songs Vocal Score indicates the Piano/Conductor vocal score Soprano Song
Show
Comments and Sources
All Things Bright and Beautiful A Parade In Town Can That Boy Fox-Trot
Marry Me a Little Anyone Can Whistle Follies
AS 2 (Soprano/Tenor Duet but can be made into a solo) AS 1 (Eb major. Lower in the score.) Vocal Score
Children Will Listen
Into the Woods
TSMTA 4
Dawn
Singing Out Loud
AS 4
Green Finch And Linnet Bird Happiness I Remember
Sweeney Todd
TSMTA 1
Like It Was
Merrily we Roll Along AS 3 (In F major. Lower in the score)
Lovely
A Funny Thing TSMTA 4 Happened on the Way to the Forum Sunday in the Park AS 4 (Duet in the show but this is a solo) Merrily We Roll Along TSMTA 1
Move On Not A Day Goes By
Passion AS 4 (Solo Version) The Evening Primrose TSMTA 3
On The Steps Of The Palace Into the Woods
TSMTA 4
One More Kiss
Follies
TSMTA 1
Sand So Many People
Singing Out Loud Saturday Night
AS 4 TSMTA 3
Take Me To The World
The Evening Primrose TSMTA 2
221
Song
Show
That'll Show Him
The Girls Of Summer
A Funny Thing TSMTA 1 Happened on the Way to the Forum Marry Me a Little TSMTA 3
The Glamorous Life
A Little Night Music
The Two of You
Kukla, Fran and Ollie AS 4
They Ask Me Why I Believe in You Water Under the Bridge
I Believe in You
AS 4
Singing Out Loud
SSFT
Too Many Mornings
Follies
AS 4
Song
A Parade In Town Ah, But Underneath Another Hundred People Anyone Can Whistle Back In Business Broadway Baby By The Sea Children and Art Could I Leave You? Do I Hear a Waltz? Everybody Loves Louis Getting Married Today Goodbye For Now I Know Things Now I Never Do Anything Twice I Read I'm Still Here I’m Still Here In Buddy's Eyes Isn’t He Something
Comments and Sources
TSMTA 2
Mezzo Show
Comments and Sources
Anyone Can Whistle Follies Company Anyone Can Whistle Dick Tracy Follies Sweeney Todd Sunday in the Park With George Follies Do You Hear a Waltz? Sunday in the Park Company Reds (Film) Into the Woods The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (Film)
Vocal Score, In Bb TSMTA 3 TSMTA 2 TSMTA 1 SSFT TSMTA 1 TSMTA 1 Vocal Score
Passion Follies Follies Follies Road Show
Vocal Score TSMTA 4 AS 1 TSMTA 1 Vocal Selections
222
TSMTA 1 AS 4 TSMTA 2 Vocal Score SSFT Vocal Score AS 1
Song
Show
Comments and Sources
Isn’t It? Last Midnight Liaisons Losing My Mind Loving You Maybe They’re Magic Me and My Town Moments in the Woods More Now You Know Send In the Clowns Sooner or Later Sunday in the Park With George
Saturday Night Into the Woods A Little Night Music Follies Passion Into the Woods Anyone Can Whistle Into the Woods Dick Tracy Merrily we Roll Along A Little Night Music Dick Tracy Sunday in the Park With George A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Company Company A Little Night Music Follies Sweeney Todd Anyone Can Whistle Marry Me a Little Follies Sweeney Todd Marry Me a Little
M (Baritone) or F (Mezzo) Vocal Score AS 3 TSMTA 1 Vocal Score Vocal Score Vocal Score Vocal Score SSFT TSMTA 2 TSMTA 1 SSFT Vocal Score
That Dirty Old Man
The Ladies Who Lunch The Little Things You Do Together The Miller's Son The Story of Lucy and Jessie The Worst Pies In London There Won't Be Trumpets Truly Content Uptown, Downtown Wait What More Do I Need?
Song
Tenor Show
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Marry Me a Little
Beautiful Girls Being Alive Buddy’s Blues Finishing the Hat
Vocal Score
TSMTA 3 AS 1 TSMTA 1 AS 4 TSMTA 1 TSMTA 2 AS 3 TSMTA 3 AS 3 AS 2
Comments and Sources
AS 2 (Soprano/ Tenor Duet but can be made into a solo) Follies TSMTA 2 Company TSMTA 1 Follies TSMTA 3 Sunday in the Park With George TSMTA 1 223
Song
Show
Franklin Shepard, Inc. Free
Merrily We Roll Along A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Into the Woods A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd A Little Night Music Follies A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Follies Follies Follies Company Sweeney Todd Company Road Show Follies
TSMTA 3 AS 4 TSMTA 1 TSMTA 1 Vocal Selections Vocal Score
Dick Tracy Follies
TSMTA 3 Vocal Score
Giants in the Sky I’m Calm Johanna Ladies and their Sensitivities Later Live, Laugh Love Love, I Hear Loveland Lucy and Jessie Make the Most of Your Music Multitudes of Amys Not While I’m Around Someone is Waiting Talent The God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues What Can You Lose? Who’s That Woman
Song
Bring Me My Bride Epiphany Everybody Says Don’t Fear No More Good Thing Going Growing Up Happily Ever After I Remember That If You Can Find Me, I’m Here In Praise of Women Invocation and Instructions to the Audience Is This What You Call Love?
Baritone Show
Comments and Sources
Vocal Score TSMTA 4 TSMTA 4 Vocal Score TSMTA 1 TSMTA 1 Vocal Score Vocal Score TSMTA 1 AS 3
Comments and Sources
A Funny Thing Happened on TSMTA 4 the Way to the Forum Sweeney Todd Vocal Score Anyone Can Whistle TSMTA 1 The Frogs AS 2 Merrily We Roll Along TSMTA 2 Merrily we Roll Along AS 4 Marry Me a Little TSMTA 3 Saturday Night AS 4 The Evening Primrose SSFT A Little Night Music TSMTA 2 The Frogs AS 2 Passion 224
Vocal Score
Song
Show
It’s In Your Hands Now Lesson #8 Little Dream Live Alone and Like It Marry Me a Little No More
Road Show Sunday in the Park The Birdcage Dick Tracy Company Into the Woods
No, Mary Ann Now Pleasant Little Kingdom Pretty Little Picture
The Thing of It Is A Little Night Music Follies A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sunday in the Park Marry Me a Little Company Follies Road Show
Putting It Together Silly People Sorry-Grateful That Old Piano Roll The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened The Game The Right Girl The Road You Didn’t Take The World’s Full of Girls When With So Little To be Sure Of You Must Meet My Wife Your Eyes Are Blue Too Many Mornings Do I Hear a Waltz? Isn’t It? What More Do I Need?
Comments and Sources
Vocal Selections Vocal Score SSFT SSFT TSMTA 1 Vocal Score (Duet in the show but can be adapted into a solo) AS 4 Vocal Score AS 4 Vocal Score
AS 3 AS 2 TSMTA 1 AS 4 Vocal Selections. Duet in the show but can be adapted into a solo Road Show Vocal Selections Follies TSMTA 4 Follies TSMTA 1 Follies AS 4 The Evening Primrose SSFT Anyone Can Whistle TSMTA 5 A Little Night Music AS 1 A Funny Thing Happened on TSMTA 5 the Way to the Forum Follies AS 4 Do You Hear a Waltz? AS 4 Saturday Night TSMTA 3 Marry Me a Little AS 2
225
Glossary Active first beat Moving Ballad Buffo inciting event Alliteration Anti-hero Almost in Love song subjective interpretation objective interpretation Appoggiatura - a skip from one chord tone that resolves by step to a chord tone Assonance Backbeat Ballad - a slow or moderately slow song. Bel Canto style - a style of singing characterized by beauty of tone. Legato and evenness across the registers are trademarks of this style. Blue Note Book Musical Breakdown Charm song Concept Musical Disclosure Dissonance Enharmonic-a pitch that is equivalent to anothe r note but spelled differently. Bb and A# are enharmonically the same pitch. Essence-the gist of a character's psychology, manner or personae. I Want Song - see disclosure. Indicating, indication. Gestures made by an actor that demonstrate or illustrate what she is talking about. It's discouraged except in a few special instances. If the image you're speaking of is complex and needs help in communicating, indication of the image can be considered. Legit Internal rhyme Melisma - more than one pitch on a single syllable. Melodic apex
226
Melodic motive Melodic nadir Modified song form ABAB Moment before Musical Theatre Verse as opposed to a Pop/Rock Verse nasality Neighbor tone - a non-chord tone which steps away from a chord tone and back to a chord tone Non legato Objective (2 definitions) OCR - Original Cast Album Onematapia Other -The person you are speaking to in a song. The other can be yourself by imagining the you are split into at least two parts. The “hea d” could sing to the “heart” or the “brave side” could sing to the “cowardly side.” See page? for for more. Other terms related to melodic analysis Parlando Passing tone - a non-chord tone which steps between two chord tones Performance practice Poetic terms Popular ballad Allen Forte page 26 Refrain Rhyme Ride-out Song cycle musical. There are good songs to study in this category but they don't make good audition songs Song form Song form AABA Subjective Swing syncopation Ternary form Tessitura-The prevailing range of a melody, within which most of the pitches lie. The tessitura of a song is not determined by a few isolated pitches of extraordinarily high or low pitch but instead the part of the voice that is used most consistently. Tin Pan Alley Torch Song
227
Uptempo Vaudeville ending Verse (see discussion of verse in Forte p. 36) vibrancy Word painting (music came before words prior to 1943 or so, even in the case of Berlin and Porter)
228
Acknowledgements I am indebted to many people for these resources. First, I would be nowhere without the many writers who have inspired me. David Craig and Steven Suskin and all the writers listed on the bibliography page have been my teachers. Secondly, I must thank Lara Teeter for the great joy I have in teaching with him on a daily basis. I’m very proud to have such a wonderful life teaching at Webster University with him. And finally I need to thank Ethan Edwards, a man who knows more about musicals than I do and has my constant companion.
229
Growing your Voice Give tips on how to practice, what to sing when you’re not preparing an audition The repertoire suggestions below are just that—suggestions. In an effort to give some guidance to the musical theatre voice curriculum, this list was developed by Neal Richardson in cooperation with Lara Teeter. It is a work in progress. Included in Appendix 1 is a list of song types that every student should have in their audition book. There are some other lists which follow that might be of some interest. Today’s musical theatre singer is required to successfully sing a wide range of literature and in a wide variety of styles everyday of their auditioning life. The ability to do this is crucial for their success. It is our hope that their four years of study in conservatory classes and voice lessons at Webster will give them the confidence and skill to be able to do this. Belt technique, mix, rock and roll styles, and a contemporary sensibility are mandatory for every modern musical theatre performer and we hope that our students can lear n these things, to the degree that they apply themselves, in lessons. It is our belief that singers can only do this healthfully with a strong vocal technique based in classical literature. Choosing literature is always a challenge. In the classical music areas, I have given only broad guidelines. Please use your extensive knowledge and expertise in choosing material. I h ave been more specific with musical theatre literature. The musical theatre anthologies published by Hal Leonard and Alfred are a g reat starting point for our students as they contain a wealth of valuable and useful pieces for every voice type. While some of the songs feel a little tired, we encourage using these books as the core of their study. I am partial to the Hal Leonard books for their choice of literature and well-edited selections. Please do encourage your students to invest in books. They wil l serve them for many years. Not everything is still in print, however, and some of the most interesting songs have never been published or are only available in piano/conductor scores. There are places to find this material. We encourage students to buy books where possible and only obtain photocopies when purchasing the book is not possible. During their time at Webster, students will begin to work on compiling their audition book. This collection of songs will contain copies of music and not the actual books. This is just the way it is done in New York and we try to help the students to create the best audition book for them. The musical theatre anthologies are just a starting point though. It is important that toward the end of their training our students reach out beyond these warhorses. Neal has developed resources for the needs of our students toward that goal. One such resource is a list called “Choice Songs” found in Appendix 2. Not all of these pieces are in print and many can only be found in the piano/conductor scores. I have taken it upon myself to make these pieces easily available to you and our students. Please let me know if you are interested in them. The conservatory training at Webster University is well known for its strength as an acting program. The students graduate with the ability to confidently walk into any kind of audition. This is not to say that the musical training of our students has not been at the same level. But, sadly through no fault of the voice faculty, often our students have not always had the same kind of confidence and skill in their singing and/or the ability to synthesize their acting and singing. Again, I do not believe that this is the 230
