Excavating the Song:

a Practical Guide for the

Singing Actor

Neal Richardson
Fall 2013

Neal Richardson
Professional Information
BM Piano, Belmont; MM in piano performance, Baylor, MM in music 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 yearsNorthern
Kentucky University for 2 years and Webster University for 15 years. I entered the world of
musical theatre as a music director/pianist/conductor/vocal coach.
At Webster I teach all four levels of musical theatre, sometimes in collaboration with my
cherished colleague, Lara Teeter and sometimes alone. Ive described my teaching duties
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 coachings 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 acting work.
For the last 10 years, Ive 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, Brooklyn, Jersey Boys, The Drowsy Chaperone, Grey Gardens, The
Color Purple, The Pirate Queen, Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, Passing Strange,
Legally Blonde, Memphis, 9 to 5, Women on the Verge, People in the Picture, Newsies,
Ghost, A Christmas Story, NOW.HERE.THIS among others. The newest project for Hal
Leonard is The Broadway Singers Edition which are new, exhaustively researched editions
of shows along with a piano performance CD. The first batch of shows is Les Miserables,
Rent, Sound of Music, Wicked and Annie.

Other professional work

Principal arranger for Gateway Mens Chorus, Men Alive (Orange County), The Gay Mens
Chorus of Washington D.C. Others include Portland Gay Mens Chorus, Twin Cities Gay
Mens Chorus, San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus, Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, Huntington
Men's Chorus and many others.
Musical Director at The Muny, St. Louis. The nations oldest and largest outdoor musical
theatre venue.
Church music and composer for the last 30 years.
Principal Composer and Musical Director for The St. Louis Repertoires Imaginary Theatre
Company. Original shows include The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Tortoise and the Hare,
Robin Hood, A Peter Rabbit Tale, My Fathers Dragon and Hansel and Gretel: The Next
Generation. Shows licensed through Playscripts Inc.
Music published by Yelton-Rhodes
Paper presented at the International Musical Theatre Educators Conference, January 2013.
Song Analysis as a Key to Interpretation.
2

Neal Richardson, Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts Teaching Duties

Freshman Intro to Musical Theatre, Fall (Musical theatre and actors are combined). In this
class, we focus on learning the musical theatre literature from the 20s to today. Its not so
much a history class as a crash course in what musical theatre is, the most important
composers and shows, the changing styles, and how to listen with better understanding.
Freshman Intro to Musical Theatre, Spring (Musical theatre and actors are combined)
Introduction to singing on stage.
Sophomore, Fall (Musical theatre and actors are combined). Song study continued.
Sophomore, Spring (Musical theatre only). Advanced song study looking at more difficult
literature such as Sondheim, Rock styles, music from the 20s and 30s, and preparing a role.
Junior, Fall (Musical theatre only) Scene study with Neal and a director, currently Tim Ocel
Junior, Spring (Musical theatre only) Neal and Lara teach audition and ensemble work with a
large unit on the integration of song and dance.
Senior, Fall and Spring. These last two semesters are focused on Showcase, Senior cabaret,
auditions and various other finishing touches.

Introduction to Excavating the Song

Overview of the book
Excavating the Song is a multifaceted guide to choosing and performing musical theatre songs
for the modern musical theatre singer. It is a companion to great new books for the serious
musical theatre singer such as The Enraged Accompanist's Guide to the Perfect Audition (Hal
Leonard), Rock the Audition - How to Prepare for and Get Cast in Rock Musicals (Hal Leonard),
and The New Broadway Song Companion (Scarecrow Press). Weighing in at approximately 200
pages, it is intended be put in your audition bag and perused as youre waiting for an audition.
Each topic discussed is presented in a way that can be easily read and digested in one sitting.
Some of the topics include:
Introduction to acting songs
Creating actable situations
Choosing songs that suit your unique gifts and personality
Song Analysis (that helps you perform the song better)
Critical Listening skills
Riffing in Pop/Rock music
Cabaret Styles
Qualities of a Great Musical Theatre Performance
Learning from Other Singers
Expectations of musical theatre singers today
Using Vocal Colors in Your Work
Memorizing Music
The book will contain many repertoire lists and reference guides. Ideas for finding great songs
for each singer is a goal. Many great musical theatre songs are unpublished or rare. I can imagine
companion folios of these songs that ought to be sung organized by gender and voice type.
Excavating the Song: 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 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, it's even better. Of course, it
doesn't guarantee you will get cast all the time, but it will go a long way toward getting you in
the "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 the Song 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. Magic. It is not.
It can be understood and achieved with practice, time, and thoughtful consideration.
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 presented in a clear and
truthful manner, disappeared once the singing started. The quality that is so special and unique
about musical theater is that you have something highly realistic combined the something that
can't be quite explained with mere wordsmusic. 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 book 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 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 pyramidas 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.
The Six Components of Preparing a Song
E-Energized speech
X-EXplore objectives through movement
5

CAV-Combine action and verse

A-Act. True monologue
T-Tune. Accuracy of phrasing
E-Elevate your performance. Everything combined
Excavating the Song: A Guide to Repertoire
Considering the vast numbers of Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, knowing the repertoire
can be overwhelming. Finding the right song for the right situation is daunting. In my work on
the faculty of Webster University for the past fifteen years, Ive made discovering great undersung 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.
It is my hope that companion folios of sheet music can accompany this book and offer new and
exciting possibilities. Many of these songs have never before been published. These books would
stand alongside the indispensable The Singers Musical Theatre Anthology folios and help to fill
in some gaps.
What Does It Take?
We all have favorite singersones 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 Foster, Liz Callaway, Audra McDonald, Alfred Drake, Marc Kudisch, Brian Stokes
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
coaches? Each of their journeys to greatness was different and so was their training. Your path
will be your own too.
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 resources you hold in your
hand hope to 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.
6

One of my biggest wishes for the book is for it to be visually interesting with pull-outs for the
exercises or other activities, graphic heavy with illustrations and or drawings pertinent to the
material. Throughout 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 dont have the cast album.
My wish is to have a graphic in each of these places that would include information about the
song, where to find it and search terms they can use on YouTube.
Tone
The tone of this book is intended to be informal, encouraging and mentoring. Each chapter can
be read at a sitting and applied to the work, wherever you are in your work. You dont need to
read it from beginning to end. Keep it with your audition book so you can refer to it frequently.
Think of it as your personal coach and friend.
On a personal note to the editor. My writing can, at times, seem formal and dense. I may need
help in removing that from my writing. I want it to be an easy read.
Rules
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 shes 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
cant break the rules unless you know what rules youre breaking. If you go into each singing
opportunity without a process, youll 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 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 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 between singer and material? It is
unquestionable that when you add the subjective, sensuous element of music, the situation is
elevated and complicated. When studying the recent musical, Legally Blond, I was struck by how
often exclamation points appear in the lyric. This is because the writers had fashioned the book,
music and lyrics to express moments of elevated emotion or need in the songs. Omigod!!!
7

Musical theatre acting isnt exactly naturalistic. And yet, in the todays 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 its not real then its fake. But naturalism and
musical theatre arent 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, that realism 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 is one that is oftentimes the scariest for singersmusicality. You may
struggle with learning music or you may know that you are not taping into a songs 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
Era 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 havent even mentioned dancing!
The objective of this resource 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!

Contents
Introduction to Song Study: First Song.........................................9
The Actors Homework ................................................................16
The Actors Homework Worksheet ..............................................26
Music Preparation .........................................................................30
Cabaret Styles ...............................................................................39
Worksheet: Book Musical.............................................................41
Worksheet: I Am Song ..................................................................45
Audition Book Song Categories ...................................................49
Post-Millennium Composers ........................................................51
Bibliography .................................................................................53
Annotated Bibliography ............................................41
Acknowledgements ...................................................44
Chapters in process
personal information forward
Introduction to ETS
Expectations of singers
Introduction to song study
Excavating the Song: The Actor's Homework
Worksheets
Creating Situations
Learning Music
Important Musical Terms
Other Musical Considerations
Cabaret Styles
Song choice in Cabaret
Choosing Audition Songs
Vocal Colors
Qualities of Great Performances
Analyzing songs
Audition book categories
Learning to Riff
Post-millennium composers
Bibliography
Chapters to Write
Critical listening
Memorizing songs
Learning from other singers and cast albums
Glossary

Repertoire
Standard Ballads
Standard Uptempos
Movie Songs
Standard rep
Non standard rep
Sondheim songs

10

Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers

If you are someone wanting to work professionally in musical theatre, I'm sure you have
listened to cast albums, seen as many shows in New York and regionally as you can, purchased
DVDs, and spent hours on YouTube. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? All of this
research has surely inspired you, awed you and perhaps confused you. You might wonder, how
could I ever sing with such beauty as he does, or belt as high as she can? Or you might wonder,
how did he ever get that role?
So, just what are the expectations for musical theatre singers today? If youve listened to cast
albums from the past, you must have observed that there have been some great singers and some
singers who, lets face it, were not great. Does that mean that anything goes. . .that you just have
to be in the right place at the right time? I cant speak to the vocal standards of the past but today,
the standards are exceedingly high. But do not fret. This article will help you identify the
important guidelines for you to be aware of as you begin your training. No one expects you to
have all of these at this point.
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/dancers at a high level. The expectations for singers has especially risen,
largely because audiences have easy access to recordings and because there are so many young
performers to choose from in auditions. Musical Theatre, as an art form, isnt something that
people studied until about 25 years ago.
What are the expectations are for those younger artists entering the business today? First, you
must know the singing actors who are working and have worked in the last twenty years. Their
recordings and videos can be your guide. Become a student of live performances, cast albums
and video recordings. Next, this article will help you break down the expectations so you can
know what to work for.
Ive 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.
Before we commence with the female singers you should be aware of, Ill 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
dont know them, you will need to do some catching up. These women are legendary.

11

Legendary Female Singers

Angela Lansbury
Audra McDonald
Burnadette Peters
Christine Chenoweth
Ethyl Merman
Idina Menzel
Judy Garland
Kelly O'Hara
Liza Minelli
Mary Martin
Patti LuPone
Shirley Jones
Sutton Foster
Other Female Singers You Should Know
include a short bio of each with a list of the things theyve done.
Aisha de Hass
Mamma Dont Cry
Alice Ripley
I Miss the Mountains
Alison Fraser
Hold On
Angela Christian How the Other Half Lives
Amy Spanger
Right In Front of Your Eyes
Andrea Burns What More Do I Need
Anika Noni Rose I Hate The Bus
Annaleigh Ashford Take Me Or Leave Me (Shes the blonde)
Ashley Brown I've Got The World On A String
Barbara Cook Chain Of Love
Barbara Walsh Stop, Time
Beth Fowler
Patterns
Beth Leavel
As We Stumble Along
Betsy Wolfe
Moonfall
Betty Buckley
He Plays The Violin
Carolee Carmello Any time (I Am There)
Capathia Jenkins
Turn Back, O Man
Celeste Holm
I Cain't Say No
Celia Keenan Bolger Blue Hair
Chita Rivera
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Christiane Noll
Once Upon A Dream
Christine Andreas
When I Look At You
Christine Ebersole
Will You

12

Daphne Rubin-Vega Out Tonight

Debbie Gravitte
Mr. Monotony
Debra Monk
Everybody's Girl
Dee Hoty
Could I Leave You?
Dianne Pilkington
Pretty Lies
Dolores Gray
If You Hadn't But You Did
Donna Mckechnie
Music and the Mirror
Donna Murphy
I Read
Donna Lynne Champlin Lullaby
Dorothy Loudon
Fifty Percent
Eden Espinosa
Once Upon a Time
Elaine Paige
Memory
Elaine Stritch
The Little Things You Do Together
Elizabeth Stanley
Fever (Coming...)
Emily Skinner
Life With Harold
Erin Davie
The World She Writes
Erin Dilly
My Funny Valentine
Faith Prince
It's A Perfect Relationship
Florence Lacey
Ribbons Down My Back
Heather Headley
Elaborate Lives
Jan Maxwell
Could I Leave You
Jenn Gambatese
Love Me Tender
Jane Krakowski
I Want to Go to Hollywood
Jennifer Damiano
Superboy and the Invisible Girl with Aaron Tviet
Jessica Molaskey
Love Me
Jill Paice
How Will I Know?
Joanna Gleason
Moments in the Woods
Judith Blazer
Times Like This
Judy Kaye
Hey There (Reprise)
Judy Kuhn
Nobody's Side
Julia Murney
Maybe I Like it this Way
Karen Olivo
It Won't Be Long Now
Karen Ziemba
Thinking of Him
Kate Baldwin
How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
Kate Shindle
Legally Blonde Remix
Katie Rowley Jones The Life I Never Led
Kecia Lewis-Evans
Mama Will Provide
Kerry Butler
Somewhere That's Green
Kerry Ellis
I'm Not That Girl
La Chanze
I'm Here
Laura Bell Bundy
So Much Better
Laura Benanti
Unusual Way
Laura Osnes
My Heart is Split
13

Lauren Kennedy Fly Into The Future

Lauren Ward
Lay Down Your Head
Lea Salonga
I'd Give My Life For You
Leslie Kritzer
One White Dress
Lillias White
Come Down from the Tree
Linda Balgord
The Role Of The Queen
Lindsay Mendez
Pretty Funny
Lisa Howard
Infinite Joy
Liz Callaway
The Story Goes On
Madeline Kahn
Never
Mari Davi
Shimmy Like They Do In Paree
Maria Schaffel
Painting Her Portrait
Marin Mazzie
Back to Before
Marnie Nixon
Just You Wait
Marti Webb
Tell Me On A Sunday
Mary Testa
Change
Megan Hilty
Backwoods Barbie
Megan Mullaly
Deep Love
Megan McGinnis
Find Her
Melissa Errico
Nothing Has Changed
Michele Pawk
Amayzing Mayzie
Montego Glover
Colored Women
Nancy Opel
It's a Privilege to Pee
Nancy Walker
I Can Cook Too
Natascia Diaz
My Death
Orfeh
Ireland
Pam Myers
Patina Miller
Sister Act
Priscilla Lopez
What I Did for Love
Rachel York
Lost & Found
Randy Graff
Next Best Thing to Love
Rebecca Luker
My White Knight
Ruthie Henshall
How Did I Get To Where I Am
Sally Mayes
A Trip To The Library
Sally Murphy
What's The Use Of Wond'rin'
Sara Ramirez
Diva's Lament (Whatever Happened To My Part)
Sarah Brightman
Think of Me
Sarah Uriarte Berry The Joy You Feel
Sherie Rene Scott
Lovesick
Shoshana Bean
Bless The Lord
Sierra Boggess
Part of Your World
Stephanie J. Block
Get Out And Stay Out
Stephanie DAbruzzo Like It Was
14

Susan Egan
Tammy Grimes
Teresa McCarthy
Terri White
Tonya Pinkins
Vanessa Williams
Victoria Clark
Vivian Blaine
Vivienne Segal

Anything
About A Quarter To Nine with Wanda Richert later
I Remember
Necessity
Lot's Wife
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Dividing Day
Adelaide's Lament
To Keep My Love Alive (Parts 1 & 2)
People to watch

Natalie Weiss
Nikki M. James
Mandy Gonzalez
Stephanie Umoh

Quiet
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
Breathe
Average, Simple Mega Superstar
Male Singers You Should Know

Aaron Lazar
In Praise of Women
Aaron Tviet
I'm Alive
Adam Pascal
One Song Glory
Alexander Gemignani The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened
Alfred Drake
So in Love (Reprise)
Barrett Foa
God Save The People
Ben Vereen
Simple Joys
Billy Porter
Awaiting You
Bobby Steggart
Shallops and Scrubbing Brushes
Boyd Gaines
Tonight at Eight
Brent Carver
It's Hard To Speak My Heart
Brent Spiner
Is Anybody There?
Brian d'Arcy James
At The Fountain
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Yesterday, Tomorrow And Today
Brooks Ashmanskas
If I Ever Say Im Over You
Chad Kimball
Memphis Lives In Me
Charles Kimborough
Cheyenne Jackson
Old Devil Moon with Kate Baldwin
Chip Zien
No More
Christian Borle
My Dogs
Christopher Fitzgerald You're There Too
Christopher Sieber
Issue In Question
Chuck Cooper
The Bus
Chuck Wagner
(Robert Westenberg)
Colm Wilkinson
Bring Him Home
15

Constantine Maroulis
High Enough with Amy Spanger
Danny Burstein
Madrid Is My Mama The Right Girl
Darius de Haas
Field Flowers
David Hyde Pierce
Coffee Shop Nights
Dean Jones
Dick van Dyke
Put on a Happy Face
Douglas Sills
Into The Fire
Eddie Korbich
Geraniums In The Winder
Euan Morton
Pretty Lies
Gavin Creel
What Do I Need with Love
George Hearn
I Am What I Am
Gordon MacRae
Soliloquy
Gregg Edelman
A Quiet Girl
Harry Connick
Hey There
Harve Presnell
Colorado, My Home
Howard Keel
Where Is The Life That Late I Led
Howard McGillin
Ilona
Hugh Panaro
Sail Me Away
Hunter Foster
Run, Freedom, Run!
Hugh Jackman
The Lives Of Me
James Barbour
As Good As You.m4a
Jason Danieley
I Miss the Music
Jason Graae
A Green and Private Place
Jeff McCarthy
Only At Night
Jeremy Jordan
Drift
Jerry Orbach
Half As Big As Life
Joel Grey
Mister Cellophane
John Cameron Mitchel
Winter's on the Wing
John Cullum
Come Back to Me
John Lithgow
Don't Look Now
John Raitt
John Rubenstein
With You
Julian Ovenden
Keith Byron Kirk
Ken Page
Kevin Chamberlin
Kevin Earley
Kevin Kline
Larry Kert
Lee Roy Reams
Len Cariou
Malcolm Gets

Soliloquy

The Moon And Me

I Thought That I Could Live
Something's Coming
Dames
Epiphany
And They're Off
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Mandy Patinkin
Finishing the Hat
Matthew Morrison My Girl Back Home
Marc Kudisch
I Met A Girl
Mark Jacoby
Johanna
Matt Cavanaugh
Roberto's Eyes
Matthew Broderick
Michael Ball
Empty Chairs and Empty Tables
Michael Cerveris
Epiphany
Michael Crawford You Can Get Away with Anything
Michael McElroy Let It Sing
Michael Rupert
Live Alone And Like It
Nathan Lane
Happy/Sad
Norbert Leo Butz Moving Too Fast
Norm Lewis
You Should Be Loved
Raul Esparza
Marry Me a Little
Richard Kiley
The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
Robert Cuccioli
This is the Moment
Robert Goulet
C'est Moi
Robert Morse
I Believe In You
Robert Preston
I Won't Send Roses
Robert Westenberg Agony with Chuck Wagner
Ron Bohmer
Free, Easy Guy
Ron Raines
Hey There
The Road You Didn't Take
Shuler Hensley
No Other Way
Stephen Bogardus You Got To Die Some Time
Stephen Buntrock The Voice Across the Moors
Stephen Pasquale The Streets of Dublin
Steve Balsamo
Gethsemane
Steve Kazee
Gold
Terrance Mann
Stars
Theodore Bikel
Titus Burgess
The House of Love
Tom Hewitt
Quiet Life
Tom Wopat
I Stayed
Tony Yazbeck
All I Need Is The Girl
Tyler Maynard
Epiphany
Victor Garber
Johanna
Will Chase
Top 5 Desert Island Breakups
Will Swenson
Hair
Zero Mostel
If I Were A Rich Man

17

Below are some of the most exciting singers working today. Listen for singing style, acting
through the voice and vocal color choices. I could have included Audra, Kelly, Idina, or Sutton
but I think you probably know them already.

Leslie Kritzer One White Dress

Erin Davie The World She Writes
Lauren Kennedy Fly Into The Future
Kate Baldwin How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
Jill Paice How Will I Know?
Rebecca Luker Lovely Lies
Brian DArcy James At The Fountain
James Barbour
As Good As You
Gregg Edelman
A Quiet Girl
Gavin Creel
What Do I Need with Love?
Cheyenne Jackson
Old Devil Moon

The Necessary 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
costs of mounting a production and the speed at which shows are rehearsed, things are much
different today. Although you are not expected to sight read music flawlessly, 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
Unlike recording studio singing, Musical Theatre is live. 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
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
18

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 G to C, d 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. 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 E to A, b in legit. 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 G to C, d in Bel Canto style. The challenge for
tenors is singing above the staff. Work to be able to produce a variety of sounds here that would
include lyrical, soft/tender (approaching falsetto without being too flute-y) and powerful. This
powerful sound is sometimes called male-belt. Some reject this term. Whatever you call it, it is
what we most want to hear from tenors today.
Baritones should be able to sing comfortably from E to B-flat in legit. Okay young baritones,
are you sitting down? This might seem like bad news, but it doesn't have to be. Traditionally, the
baritone is either 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 go to men in their 40s or older. There
are many working younger baritones but they have found a new, more youthful approach that is
closer to what we generally think of from tenors. 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, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 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.

19

Rock Styles
In most cases now, singers are expected to be able to sing in Rock styles and be able to riff.
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
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 classical singing, there is traditionally a focus on unity across registers with a similar color
throughout that is fully vibrant and resonant. The better 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.

20

Introduction to Song Study: A Step-by-step Guide to

Preparing Your First Song
Nearly every song you sing will already have been sung by countless other performers.
You may ask yourself, How can I bring something new to this song? or How can I make my
interpretation of this song unique and interesting? The things we do when preparing a song are
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 great
performance will also mean making smart choices that will lead you toward a nuanced, original
and specific final performance.
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 guide I have
chosen a great standardEvry Time We Say Goodbye by Cole Porter. Essentially, the lyric is
about the effect the others absence causes. While it is tempting to look at this as a sad lyric and
concentrate on the negative aspects, I will always encourage you to 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. To borrow from the clich, it is like looking at the glass
half full rather than half empty. Details about song arcs will follow.
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.
We will discuss form in just a bit. The verse sets up the circumstances and conflict within the
song and then the refrain allows each performer who sings the song a wide variety of
interpretations of the basic story. Standards have a wonderful combination of specific action and
story mixed with a certain openness to interpretation.

Evry 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?
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
21

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 or film.
Evry Time We Say Goodbye first appeared in Seven Lively Artsan interesting musical revue
that celebrated a variety of art forms including music, theatre, ballet and painting. The context 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 to you as a student of song study to create your own
story. There will be, of course, times when you will need to sing a song using the givens of the
show that it is from. For now, lets be more creative.
Begin by reading the verse carefully. Look for keywords and phrases. Also look for the
songs 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 do the excavation to find these treasures
runs the risk of a performance lacking specificity and nuance. A few keywords or phrases in this
verse are love, deeply, sweetheart, quarrel, clever, and never to part.
While we are discussing verses, 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 that begins with a
verse comes out of early musical theatre as a way to transition seamlessly from dialogue to a 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 speechmore rhythmically free
and less about melody and more about setting up the context for the refrain.
In the analysis that follows, I differentiate 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 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 the two of
them 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.

22

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 occur 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, if not most, song study students choose the most obvious answers to
their questions. The conventional wisdom is that the answers with the most angst provide the
greatest fuel for a performance. There is a logic to this way of thinking and I applaud strong
choices. But Evry 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 make positive choices as you do this work for the first
time.
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. He needs to work to earn money for
college and the best place for him to do this is at home in his familys 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. 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.
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 singers mind to
23

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 shes 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
upset 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 negative.
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 ones 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 sunll come up
tomorrow/bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow therell be sun and Look for the silver lining/
wheneer 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 of 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. 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. Lets look at the poetic devices in the 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

Rhyme Musical
scheme form
A
A
A
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

24

There's no love song finer,

But how strange the change from major to minor
Ev'ry time we say goodbye

D
D
E

Ev'ry single time we say goodbye

Coda

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 are an exact repetition (with different lyrics,
of course). The second section and the last section are also related. Note that we call 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, Evry 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 not
sure which came first. According to at least one source1 , Porters lyrics may have come first.
Whichever the case, it is clear that there is much word painting2 in the refrain. Each A section is
notable in that 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 Theres no love song finer. At the end of the

Forte, Allen. Interview with Andrew Ford. The Music Show. January 4, 2003

Word painting is the musical technique of writing music which reflects the literal meaning of a song

25

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. If 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 refrains structure, you can put your
actor hat back on. You have answered many of the questions from the Actors Homework
such as Who is the singer?, Who are you singing to?, Where are you?, and Why do you
need to say these words? We have not addressed the all-important question: What changes
during the song?
The refrain falls 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 year has
to say goodbye to his girlfriend for the summer. Here is a reminder of the situation.
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 during the
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
familys 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 dont 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.
26

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. Writing
out these details help to give structure the song. Always phrase these statements as I have done,
beginning each sentence with: I (action verb)___________. Once you have done this work,
you can create the defining sentence: This is a song about a college student, me, 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 is discussed in detail in a later chapter. For now, just know that essentially it
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.
Lyrics and Action Verbs
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

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.

Ev'ry time we say goodbye

I die a little
Ev'ry time we say goodbye
I wonder why a little

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 (connection
from note to note).

27

Why the gods above me

Who must be in the know
Think so little of me
They allow you to go

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

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

Ready. 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.

Ev'ry single time we say goodbye

Kiss. The last moment is a loving goodbye kiss.

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. You will find a more detailed discussion of action verbs in the next chapter.
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
pyramid. Now we must build upon this solid foundation by doing the Song as Monologue
exercises. These will be discussed in detail later.
1. 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.

28

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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. 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. In class, we refer to this activity as the One-B.
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.
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 involvement. 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.
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.
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.
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.
To help you remember these six components of song preparation, Ive devised a pneumonic
device.

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

29

Conclusion
Doing all of this work is crucial in making your performance more specific, detailed and
nuanced. It may seem time-consuming and maybe even frustrating. But if you do it, step-by-step,
and build it layer upon layer, it will show. You will find that the song will be shaped organically,
moment to moment with a clear beginning, middle and end. 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 hand? Your singing will be more effortless and your work
more specific.

30

Figure 2

31

32

Excavating the Song: The Actors Homework

Excavate [eks-kuh-veyt]to expose or lay bare as if by digging
It is very exciting to begin work on a new song, but is can also be overwhelming when there are
so many things to think about and questions to answer. You may be confused as to where to
begin. For instance, you might understand the situation presented in the song because you have
seen the musical, but you may get lost in knowing how to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together.
Below you will find a detailed process for excavating and preparing your song for performance.
I will assume you know a least a little bit about the show your song is from but I will ask you, for
now, to take songs out of the context of the show. It is useful to approach new material this way
(when you are not preparing a role) as it opens up so many avenues for you as an actor. The
creative practice of imagining your own situation and defining your character will serve you in
all your work and awaken your mind to even more possibilities when you are preparing a role.
Some of this work may feel like playwriting. That is intentional. The questions ask you to think
creatively about the song and really explore its potential. If you get stuck someplace along the
way, consider taking a few steps back to see if one of your earlier answers is blocking you off
from a more interesting choice. It is my hope that you will find this fun as well as challenging.
1. Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
Song title: Dancing Through Life
Composer/Lyricist: Stephen Schwartz
Show Title: Wicked
The trouble with school is they always try to teach the wrong lesson. Believe me, Ive 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 unexamined life Dancing
through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth. Lifes more painless for the
brainless. Why think too hard when its 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. Its just life so
keep dancing through Dancing through life, swaying and sweeping, and always keeping cool.
Life is fraughtless when youre thoughtless. Those who dont try never look foolish Dancing
through lifeMindless and careless, make sure youre where less trouble is rife Woes are
fleeting, blows are glancingwhen youre dancing through life Lets go down to the Ozdust
Ballroom. Well meet there later tonight. We can dance till its light. Find the prettiest girlGive
er a whirl right on down to the Ozdust BallroomCome on follow me, youll be happy to be
thereDancing through life, down at the Ozdust, if only because dust is what we come to
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. Its just life so keep dancing through.

33

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.
Its about a guy who thinks that life shouldnt taken too seriously and that just having fun is
the best way to live.
3. Once we have deduced the facts, 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.
Hes not very bright. He is afraid of not succeeding. He is good-looking. For him, success is
having the best time with the prettiest girl. Underneath his exterior, hes 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. Ive 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 libraryshe 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.
Ive 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 dont go, Ill consider myself a failure. So will all my friends.
F. What changes during the song?
Im able to convince her to go with me.
G. What do you want? What will happen if you dont get it?
I want her to say yes. If I dont 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 cant 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 actors
journey through the song.
This is a song about a boy (a girl, a man, Dr. Monroe), me, that _______________________.
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 a guy, me, that 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.
34

Notice how different this sentence is from the one above: Its about a guy who thinks that life
shouldnt taken too seriously and that just having fun is the best way to live. This is the
difference between objective and subjective interpretation.
Being Specific
Now that the objective of the song has been explored, its time to get more specific with the
songs moments. It is a good time to consider the arc of your song. There are four possible arcs:
1. The winning arc
2. The losing arc
3. The ending up where you started arc or spiral arc3
4. The serendipity arc - ending in a place you hadnt anticipated.
The most common arc is the winning arc and its the one best suited for an audition. The arc of
our song, Dancing Through Life, is certainly a winning arc as the singer is able to get
Samantha to go to the prom with him by the end. You might want to choose a good place for her
to agree to go to the prom with you. This can be a powerful moment.
Defining Beats in the Song
Lets move to a different song, one with a losing arc and get more specific. I Had a Dream
About You from Maury Yestons 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 Ive been in. It was a dream I dont need to explain.
Were in the care and Were driving in Maine. Its so incredibly beautiful I dont know where to
begin. Were driving into the night and from a magical height we see two orange moons, theyre
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 were together again, an old familiar pair. It was the kind
of a dream so absolutely convincing you believe youre there. The open road and the dotted white
lines, the crispy smell in the air of the pines, the overwhelming sensation youre up and awake
everywhere And when we look in the sky, theyre getting higher and higher, those two orange
moons. Theres one for you and for me and, impossibly, both of them gleam. And I am holding
your hand for eternity and youre 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 it was only a
dreamIt was only a dreamIt was only a dreamI had a dream about you but, of course, it
was only a dream.

Joe Deer Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course

35

What are the facts of the song?

Its 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. Shes 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?
Its 11:00 AM.
Where are you?
Weve run into each other unexpectedly at Starbucks. Its like it was ordained by the stars!
Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better.
Ive just come from my therapist where we were talking about my relationship with Frank. We
did not, however, talk about the dream because we ran out of time. The dream has been going
through my mind constantly though. Ive been trying to figure out what the two moons in the
song mean. When I see him, I cant help myself. Im 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 chance 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, Im trying to make fun of myself and make light
of the fact that Im in my head again. By the end of the song, its as if Im waking from the
dream of us ever being together.
What do you want? What will happen if you dont get it?
Im 28. Im 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. Ive placed
everything, my hope for security, my dreams for a house and financial security on Frank. If I
dont 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.

36

Why sing this song now?

Well, we are here together unexpectedly and 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 songs musical structure will help you complete your work. Look 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 beat 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 and progress to the refrain. In the refrain, there
are often at least four sections of music (i.e. A, B and possible C). 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, we can break it down into beats.

37

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 Ive been in. It was a dream I dont
need to explain. Were in the car and were
driving in Maine. Its so incredibly beautiful I
dont 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.

Were driving into the night and from a

magical height we see two orange moons,
theyre 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
chases 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
youre there. The open road and the dotted
white lines, the crispy smell in the air of the
pines, the overwhelming sensation youre up
and awake everywhere And when we look in
the sky, theyre getting higher and higher,
those two orange moons. Theres one for you
and for me and, impossibly, both of them
gleam. And I am holding your hand for
eternity and youre 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.

38

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 dreamIt was only a
dreamIt was only a dreamI 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 didnt 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
The danger in singing a song such as this with a loosing arc is to start with that in mind.
The actor, who knows how the song will end, needs to remember when beginning this song not
to give that ending away. The character doesnt know how it will end. Playing the end of the
song from the outset is the trap of this song. Every song has a trap. It is your job to identify the
trap of the song and not fall into it. Good Thing Going from Merrily We Roll Along, 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. How boring!
Finding Useful Action Verbs
It is important that you find verbs that are actable and will inspire your body to move. With so
many possibilities, it can be difficult to know where to start. You can begin by thinking about
what you are doing to you partner. Are you lifting them or crushing them? Are you reaching out
to them or drawing them to you? There are four broad categories of action verbs: two pairs of
opposing verbs:

Helping verbs vs. Hurting verbs

&

39

Reaching verbs vs. Gathering verbs

The diagram below can help you find related verbs in each category:
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

Use a thesaurus to help you find others. Actions: The Actors Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone
and Maggie Lloyd-Williams is an especially good resource. Choose words that can be
physicalized easily.
Song as Monologue
Here are the suggested steps for doing the song as a monologue. The pianist is not brought into
the work until step 5. Ive 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. 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. 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. In class, we refer to this activity as the One-B.
2. Physicalize the active verbs in each beat hearing the lyrics in your head but without
speaking them.

40

3.

4.

5.

6.

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.
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 involvement. 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.
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.
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.
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.

I think this needs a bit more explanation of what is involved in these steps. Fill this in.
Please go back and repeat earlier steps until you are secure with each activity.
Moment Before
Ive mentioned repeating the defining sentence before beginning. This is in order to
create a shorthand that will quickly remind you of the objective of the song and its arc. Once you
have done that, there is another step before you can begin singing, 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 shes distracted. She sees Frank. Shes surprised and happy. Take this
moment in. Respond to it. This response is called the active first beat and this is the moment
41

when the pianist begins playing the introduction. In this song, the introduction is short but youll
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 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 youve been in.
We have found that doing an improvisation with fellow actor helps to make this first active 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 can stay in the scene. Your focus is on them but, just as a
gentle reminder, we dont always look at the person were 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.
Conclusion
These exercises 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. 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)
for a cabaret setting where you are singing as yourself
You will find worksheets for several of these other situations in the following pages.
Consider this process outlined above as a basic toola foundation to build your pyramid on. As
you grow in your artistry, you will develop other tools that you will find helpful. Doing this work
will lead you to a more fully developed, nuanced performance.

42

Xerox the following four pages for each song you wish to prepare. It will help
to organize your work.

43

The Actors Homework: Worksheet

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
Song title:
Composer/Lyricist:
Show title:
Write lyrics below

44

What is this song about objectively? In other words, 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 dont get it?

H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

Defining Sentence
This is a song about_____________________, me, that (continue the sentence below)

45

Being Specific
What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, ending up where you started, or an serendipity
arc?

Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form and describe below using lyrics as
structural markers. Look for verse and refrain in songs before 1970 and for verse and chorus in
pop/rock inflected songs after 1970. Also look for repeated musical sections, changes in tempo,
changes in style, and changes in accompaniment.

Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and make decisions as to where beat changes
are to 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.

46

Choose a strong, active verb for each beat and write that verb next to the beat on the previous
page.
Some of the verbs you may choose from:
Convince

Bombard

Hurt

Encourage

Suppress

Awaken

Prepare

Belittle

Mock

Enlighten

Lambast

Crush

Annihilate

Help

Inspire

Get even

Seduce

Destroy

Overwhelm

Ignite

Incite

Reassure

Build

Tease

Do the 6 Song as Monologue activities on page 23?.

Briefly 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?).

Improvise the moment before with a friend. This will help you physicalize each event.

47

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 is to
be YOU. This kind of work is especially beneficial when you need to personalize a song.

48

The Actors Homework: Song With a New Context and Situation

Song title:
Composer/Lyricist:
Show title:
Type the lyrics below 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 dont 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 Golden Era worksheet.

Defining Sentence
This is a song about_____________________, me, that (continue the sentence below)

49

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 mention of it relates to
the lyric. Make mention of the songs formal structure, changes in tempo, changes in style, and
changes in accompaniment.

Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and make decisions as to where beat changes
are to 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.

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?).

50

The Actors Homework

Preparing a Song from a Book 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 shows Broadway opening:
Composer/Lyricist:
List a few of the important musicals this team wrote:

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

51

Character Analysis
1. List and briefly describe the significant relationships your character has with other characters
in the musical. (For example: Judd in OKLAHOMA!)
Curley - my adversary. He's the guy that stands in the way of my happiness with Laurie.

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?

52

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?

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 dont 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.

53

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.
Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and find the beat changes. Look for musical
changes as well as changes in the lyric. Summarize the beats below. You may want to include a
few lyrics at beat changes.

Considering what you now know about the character, situation and the songs 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, dont choose caress if it is a metaphorical caress.
Briefly describe the three moment before events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to
it. Also consider your characters history, story arch and super objective as you think about the
moment before.
1.
2.
3.

54

The Actors Homework

Preparing the I Am Song
Can also be used for Cabaret Preparation
Before you complete this sheet, it is assumed that you are
able to sing the song in the correct style with the correct pitches and rhythms.
You may choose to keep your worksheet private if you wish.
Song title:
Composer/Lyricist:
Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

55

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.

56

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 dont get it?

Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

What is the arc of your song?

Briefly 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 . . .

57

Inner Monologue
Write your inner monologue below following the example on the following pages. Divide the
lyric in beat units as in the example and describe the action of each beat. Please note that some
of the actions below are not as physical. That is okay for this opportunity.
Write Lyric below

Write Inner Monologue below

insert inner monologue example ON Laptop

58

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 characters relationship to other people and the reason for singing the song are
given to you. Just because you are given this information doesnt mean that singing the song is
easy. You will still need to do a great deal of excavation to make the song believable and youll
need to explore what is really going on with the character beyond the surface level. Great Pop
music also has an associated story but its 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 someone else that someone else has written. Youll be better able to live in the moment.
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 and what
doesnt make a strong story. There are a number of traps youll want to learn to steer clear of. For
instance, using a best friend as a partner is usually a trap as it doesnt have enough conflict.
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 your 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 lovers apartment.

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It has a strong other

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 exceptional, 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. Lets look at a couple of songs 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
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
And the moon in the evening
I'm all right
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What is the song about objectively?

Its 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 dont convince him to change his ways, hell continue to be a workaholic without deep love.
Or perhaps your other is yourself. You are very sad because your fear that your arent as
successful as you could. The song affirms that success is measured by many standards and that
you dont need money to be happy. Your heart could sing to your head.
A choice that isnt as strong is that you are singing to your best friend who has lost his job. If you
arent careful these words could make him feel as if you think you are better than he is because
you understand life better.
For now, lets 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
Youve invited your brother and his wife over for dinner. Youve spent most of dinner hearing
him brag about how much money he makes even though he doesnt 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 dont 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.
Change happens within the character
The change could be in your character because you understand in a deeper way about your
convictions about what is important in life. In addition, perhaps you are able to change, if only in
a small way, how your brother sees his life in relationship to his work and the people he loves.
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It must have a Why

This is probably obvious by now but the why is your need to change your brothers mindset. Its
vitally important because you fear he is headed toward a life of great unhappiness.
What have we learned by creating this particular situation?
Its important that we understand what the song is really about.
That its 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.
Its important to have conflict.
Its important to have an other that intensifies the conflict.
Its important that change needs to happen in the song.
Its important that there is a strong Why that these words are sung in this moment.
Now Id like to talk about creating a situation that isnt strong for a song. Discuss Im Old
Fashioned and making it about I dont 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.
Im 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
Im 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
Im old fashioned
But I don't mind it
That's how I want to be
As long as you agree
To stay old fashioned with me.

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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 usour special gifts. Its about
loving the things that make us special. Maybe youre singing to someone who feels that they
arent 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 cant 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.
Exercise:
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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Learning Music
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.
Dont go too fast or slow. We do this to make sure you musicianship is secure.

64

Learning a new 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.

65

1. Speak the words in rhythm.

2. Write either numbers or Solfge syllables above the pitches. See below for using Solfge.
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.

66

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 Solfge or numbers
Space does not allow for a full investigation of Solfge but this system is not difficult.
Essentially, every pitch of a scale has a Solfge syllable or number. Im sure you know Do-ReMi from The Sound of Music which uses this system in a clever and memorable way. Use either
Solfge 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.

67

68

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 Solfge and numbers. I hope the familiarity of the song might
aid you in mastering this skill.

69

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 dont think it too important to
know these new syllables but if youre interested, here is the full system
Scale degree

Name

Pitch in C major

Do

Raised 1

Di

C#

Lowered 2

Ra

Db

Re

Raised 2

Ri

D#

Lowered 3

Me

Eb

Mi

Fa

Raised 4

Fi

F#

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Scale degree

Name

Pitch in C major

Lowered 5

Se

Gb

So

Raised 5

Si

G#

Lowered 6

Le

Ab

La

Raised 6

Li

A#

Lowered 7

Te

Bb

Do

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.
Additional activities with a pianist may include the following once you are on your way toward
mastery:
1. 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.
Dont 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.
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 tackle the
challenges you will face once you begin your acting work.

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Important Musical Terms

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
Listesso 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)
Pi 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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Symbols

U
%
fi

" Fermata
Segno
Coda

Form
Da Capo
Dal Segno
D.S. al Coda
Coda
Verse
Refrain
Vamp

Indication to return to the beginning (D.C.)

Indication to return to the sign (D.S.)
Indication to return to the sign and then to Coda at the indicated location
The ending of a piece
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

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 performers 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

loud
very loud
medium loud
soft
very soft
medium soft
getting louder
getting softer
(dim.) getting softer
Dying away, getting softer
Dying away to nothing
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Other Terms
Con
Poco
Moto
Assai
Hemiola
Colla Voce

With (con moto)

Little (poco a poco crescendo)
motion
Much, very much (Allegro Assai)
A musical gesture wherein a rhythmic figure with a duple metric pulse replaces
one with a triple metric pulse.
Literally with the voice. Indication that the accompaniment should allow
freedom for the soloist

You may wish to purchase an inexpensive dictionary of musical terms such as The Hal Leonard
Pocket Music Dictionary. New York: Hal Leonard, 1993.

74

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 and it will help you to understand and map out
the dramatic arc of the song. Fortunately, most songs fall into two categories:
1. Verse/Refrain, the dominant song form from 1900 through much of the theatre songs of
today.
2. Pop form, or Verse/Chorus/Bridge form. This became the primary song organizing 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 Harts Youre Nearer from Too Many Girls (1939).
VERSE
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.
Dearer than the rain is to the earth below.
Precious as the sun to the things that grow.
You're nearer than the ivy to the wall is.
Nearer than the winter to the fall 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.
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. It is
the dominant form for most radio music to 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 songby 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 of 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 actors 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 such as pitches and rhythm have not been lost as you
were focusing on the acting work. 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 emotional 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.
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For instance, the flowing music in I Had a Dream About You may represent the
constant forward motion of a car ride. The repeated two-note figure in Just a Housewife may
be the boredom of the character. The accompanimental figure in 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 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. As well-phrased song communicates the characters situation, their
decisions, their tactics and their objective. We want everything that we do to cumulatively tell the
same story. For instance, a breath in the middle of a phrase about what a character wants may
disrupt the thought and confuse the audience. Singing a song about ones 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 dont rhyme unimportant words.
2. You may wish to do the first five monologue activities on page 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 of song
with your vocal choices. At this point, it is a good idea to decide, if you havent already,
where you will breathe. Making choices based on the lyric rather than the necessity for air is
preferable.
4. Repeat this step asking the pianist to follow you and the dramatic action. If the action is
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 earlier. Do not allow the tyranny of the printed
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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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Excavating the Song: 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 scarylike
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. Im 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, its 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 have 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. Its important that you listen to what the piano is giving you and
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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 showfor 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 isnt
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 dont 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 anywheremusical theatre,
standards, modern standards, contemporary pop, childrens 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. Dont 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
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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 songs
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 doesnt 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 energy 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 stagesomeone 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. Some 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 (but not at our show). They want to feel, but
mostly, they want to be entertained.

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Song Types and Structure in Modern Cabaret

Think of a cabaret as a great meal thats extravagant, prepared with great care, nutritious and
good for the soul. During such a meal, one expects balance and varietysavory 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
peoples 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,
Celluloid Heros by the Kinks, What If We Went to Italy? by Mary Chapin Carpenter and

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Dont 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 Fosters My Romance and Victoria Clarks
Right as the Rain are great examples.
There are three major kinds of ballads:
1. 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 Shes Got a Way About Her.
2.

2.Introspective/Disclosure/I Want Ballads. The Man I Love, If Only, River, I

Might As Well Be Spring.

3.

3.The Message Ballad, that says something important about the world. Coney
Island, Whats 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 youre 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?, Im Beginning to See The Light, Route 66, The
Acheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe, and Its 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.
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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 craftsmanship is revealed to be lacking. No matter
how much you love the original recording, please dont 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 wasnt originally comic into
something funny. An excellent example Ive 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-OClock number, 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 Ive said, the cabaret audience knows this literature. Ive 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
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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 Somethings Coming thats very different from West
Side Storys setting. Why is it important not to do a song in the style of the musical its from?
Remember that a Cabaret is a show youve written for yourself to showcase your best attributes.
If you do a song just as its done in the musical, you put yourself into the role of the shows
character and not your unique self.
Im 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
(Im 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 mans voice. These are the kinds of songs cabaret audience love
taking a familiar song and making it seem brand new.
His input:

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I go on a lot of trips for work and feel disconnected sometimes. I feel as if Im 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? Its 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 Ozwhat 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.
Exercises:
First, say the lyrics as yourself and discuss how it relates to your personal story. Second,
paraphrase the lyrics but keeping the general structure of the song. Now sing it with piano
playing simple chords, colla voce, so that you can sing the pitches but with going into the song as
its 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 by 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.

Some Basic Rules to be Aware of In Creating Your Show

Dont say anything that could sound like bragging. Use phrases like I was so fortunate
to . . .

Don't make your patter too much about yourself but completely personalize the songs
performance, using it to tell your story.

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Don't make it chronological. Its 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 audiences 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. Thats
why its 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 arent funny, your patter must be.

Dont 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 Streisands Concert tour.
While Ms. Streisand wanted to see how the show looked, Liz would stand in and sing. As
she tells this story, she doesnt 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 doesnt brag about it but makes himself into the buffoon. Its 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 its 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 thats unique to you.

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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 shouldnt be romantic unless you're romancing the audience. Avoid
introspective songs and story songs. In a cabaret 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
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 different style than the
first. It can be comedic, light and charming song, or ballad thats 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.
Its possible that this could be a ballad such as What a Wonderful World if your previous song
wasnt a ballad. Or it could be an uptempo like Thats Life. Its 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 its a ballad, keep it short. Think of it as an
after dinner mint--a sweet finisher.

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A Guide to Choosing Audition Songs

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.
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 your
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 ingnue, a villain, etc.). If you are 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 body 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 vocal skills. If the show is
comedic, you might consider presenting something that shows your comedic chops if you have
them. Note that this doesnt 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.
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

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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 32bar 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 moments 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
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 Lerner and Loewe, and
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between Leonard Bernsteins shows and Jule Stynes. When auditioning for Kander and Ebbs
Chicago, however, its 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

Finians 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

Evita

Best Foot Forward

Beauty and the Beast

Call Me Madam

Little Mermaid

Meet Me in St. Louis

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Damn Yankees

Mary Poppins

Lil Abner

Aida

Jesus Christ Superstar

Pajama Game

Lion King

Ragtime

Billy Elliot

Titanic

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Carnival

Can Can

Boys from Syracuse

Fantasticks

High Society

Babes In Arms

110 In the Shade

Kiss Me Kate

Good News

Silk Stockings

Crazy for You

DuBarry was a Lady

Girl Crazy

Anything Goes

Funny Girl

Lady Be Good

Fifty Million Frenchmen

Gypsy

Pal Joey

Panama Hattie

Fade Out Fade In

Strike Up the Band

Mexican Hayride

Seesaw
Sweet Charity
The Life
Little Me

A veritable treasure trove of ideas can open to you when 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, Somethings Afoot, Sherlock Holmes: The Musical and
Baker Street are all musical mysteries.
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 Country music, shows
pertaining to sports, or shows for young audiences.
You might find some interesting information by knowing the originating actor for the role
youre 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
characters archetype, you can find other songs sung by a character that shares the same
archetype.

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Character Archetypes
Describe each of these types and their characteristics
Female ingnue (Laurey in OKLAHOMA!, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Julie in Carousel, Peggy
in 42nd Street, Anne in A Little Night Music, Belle in Beauty 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 Finians Rainbow, Mary Lennox in The Secret
Garden, Cosette in Les Miserables, Julia in The Wedding Singer, Elle in Legally Blonde)
Soubrette (Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA!, Petra in A Little Night Music, Carrie in Carousel,
Anita in West Side Story, Nancy in Oliver)
Male ingnue (Matt in The Fantasticks, Billy in 42nd Street, Henrik 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 (Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, Tony in West Side Story, John Adams in 1776, Woody in
Finians 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, Chauvelin in Scarlet Pimpernel)
Temptress (Lola in Damn Yankees, Appassionata von Climax in Lil 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 Finians Rainbow, Uncle Max in Sound of Music)
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, NicelyNicely in Guys and Dolls, Sancho in Man of La Mancha, The Leading Player in Pippin)
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!, Frulein Schneider in Cabaret,
Anna in King and I, Mrs. Malloy in Hello Dolly!, Marin in Music Man, Guenevere in Camelot,
Rosie in Bye, Bye Birdie, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Fantine in Les Miserable, Mame in
Mame, Rose in Gypsy, Fannie in Funny Girl)
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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)
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 doesnt always
follow the kind of casting your find most often in film. You dont 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 Singers 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
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!
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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 strongly 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 directors vision of the shows world.
Finding cuts
Creating a great 16- or 32-bar cutting isnt 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 songs climax. The second thing is to sing the parts of the
song that are the best for your voice. If, however, you dont 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 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
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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 are doing a so-called Standard or a
musical theatre song.
3. Should I choreograph my audition? No. A singing auditions 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 character 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, its 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:
1. A good Pop/Rock song is melodic. If the song is pleasant to sing and recognizable without
accompaniment, it is probably a good choice. Dont 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. Dont choose songs
whose best attribute is its groove or is primarily rhythmic. 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. Its 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
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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 well-known 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.
Find something that has a real Country style. Dont neglect the songs from the early days of
Country music.
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
above 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.
Conclusion
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 recordings for style and performance
practice. That doesnt mean you have to follow the cast album slavishly. It also doesnt mean you
should learn the song by listening to the cast album. For songs such as the so-called Postmillennium repertoire, the best place to go is YouTube. But YouTube shouldnt 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.
Dont 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.

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Adelaides Lament

Guys and Dolls

All That Jazz

Chicago

Anthem

Chess

Astonishing

Little Women

Big Spender

Sweet Charity

Broadway Baby

Follies

Cant Help Lovin Dat Man of Show Boat

Mine
Castle on a Cloud

Les Miserables

Climbing Up Hill

The Last Five Years

Corner of the Sky

Pippin

Defying Gravity

Wicked

Dont Cry For Me Argentina

Evita

Embraceable You

Girl Crazy

Good Morning Baltimore

Hairspray

Gorgeous

The Apple Tree

I Dont Know How to Love

Him

Jesus Christ Superstar

I Dreamed a Dream

Les Miserables

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

Im Gonna Wash That Man

Right Out of My Hair

South Pacific

Im Holding Out for a Hero

Footloose

Im Not That Girl

Wicked

In My Own Little Corner

Cinderella
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Lets Hear It For the Boy

Footloose

Little Girls

Annie

Maybe

Annie

Memory

Cats

Music of the Night

Phantom of the Opera

My New Philosophy

Youre a Good Man, Charlie

Brown

New York, New York

New York, New York (movie)

Not for the Life of Me

Thoroughly Modern Millie

On My Own

Les Miserables

Over the Rainbow

The Wizard of Oz

Part of Your World

The Little Mermaid

Popular

Wicked

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 Thats Green

Little Shop of Horrors

Summertime

Porgy and Bess

Take Me Or Leave Me

Rent

The Wizard and I

Wicked

There Are Worse Things I

Could Do

Grease

Think of Me

Phantom of the Opera

This is the Moment

Jekyll and Hyde

Tomorrow

Annie

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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
Les Miserables
Annie
Anything by Jason Robert Brown
Jekyll and Hyde
Thoroughly Modern Millie

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Vocal Colors
The human voice is an amazing instrument capable of a nearly infinite variety of sounds.
Because of each persons anatomy, no two voices are acoustically alike. In addition to our
physical makeup, our sound is influenced by the kinds of music we listen to, the beloved singers
we 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 better 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 clearer communication. These changes may include varying the rate of
vibrato, the brilliance, prominence of consonants and any number of others ways. But, by and
large, the classical Bel Canto aesthetic is concerned with obtaining beauty and uniformity of
sound above all else.
For the musical theatre singer however, character, situation and text are supreme importance,
perhaps of 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 character 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 they make.
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.
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Exercises:
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?
Now answer the same questions for singers of the opposite gender or singers who are not your
favorite.
AT THIS POINT DISECT A SINGER WITH GREAT COLOR.
Some possibilities
Painting her portrait
Simple little things Audra.
At the fountain
Gimme, gimme write colors after the lyric
A simple choice, nothing more.
This or that, either or.
Marry well, social whirl, business man, clever girl.
Or pin my future on a green glass love.
What kind of life am I dreaming of?
I say gimme, gimme...
gimme gimme..
gimme gimme..
that thing called love.
I want it.
gimme gimme..
that thing called love.
I need it.
Highs and lows, tears and laughter,
gimme happy ever after.
gimme gimme that thing called love.
gimme gimme
that thing called love.
I crave it.
gimme gimme
that thing called love
I'll brave it.
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Think 'n thin, rich or poor time.

Gimme years, and I'll want more time.
Gimme gimme that thing called love.
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.
I don't care if he's a nobody.
In my heart, he'll be a somebody,
somebody to love me!
I need it.
gimme that thing called love.
I wannit!
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!
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.
Exercises:
1. Sing a passage softly then loudly. Oklahoma. Choose a favorite uptempo.
2. Sing a passage with no vibrancy (i. e. Straight-tone), then with minimal vibrancy then full
vibrancy. Once upon a dream. Choose your favorite ballad.
3. Sing a passage at differing ages. 5, 16, 25, 45, 65. Broadway baby. A comedy song is a good
choice.
4. Sing a passage with complete connection using the syllable, "loo." Then sing it with a "Ta"
syllable. Oh what a beautiful morning a great on to use for this. Another ballad.

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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 naturally 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 and
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, non legato. A legato articulation can communicate things like love or
determination, while a non legato articulation can 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 ingenue song from The Fantasticks. What are the images
you find? Do you see specific colors? What are the emotions in this song?
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
Just once,
Just once,
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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 (color
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.
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.
A. Questioning
B. Playful
C. Disgusted
D. Loving
E. Determined
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Images
What are the images in the lyric and do they suggest specific vocal timbres?
DISCUSS BELT AND MIX. IM TALKING ABOUT THIS LAST BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE
THINK OF THIS FIRST.

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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 performer
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 songs story 5
The phrasing takes the lyrics 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
4

In 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.
5

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There is a beginning, middle and end

There is knowledge of the songs 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 attention 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 and eyes
The eyes are not closed, except in special cases

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 doesnt require an advanced understanding 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 (Somethings 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
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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 doesnt have to be. If you can do in
depth harmonic analysis, thats 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. Ill call the
motive back and forth
between D and E the
questioning motive. Shes
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. Its 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

responds to the question for
the first time.

Back to the A material. The

penultimate line in the A
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. Hes 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. Thats how it is when
Im alone, but tonight, theres
no hiding behind my paper
and pen.

Amalia describes how easy it

is to write when shes by
herself and faces the fact that
things will be much different
when shes face to face with
him.

Here, Amalia takes stock of

the difference between the
two situations, writing when
shes alone and the terrifying
thought of actually talking to
him. Shes much more at ease
when she writes to him alone.
Theres 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 theres a

world of love waiting to
warm him? How Im hoping
that his eyes and ears wont
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 dont know.
All I know is that Im tempted
not to go. Its insanity for me
to worry so. Ill try not to.
Will he like me? Hes 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 songs
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. Its 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 shes 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 hasnt 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
Judds conflict and tension
supporting a small melodic
range indicative of Judds
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
melodys apex, C#.

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Lyric divided by beat

Action

Musical notes

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.

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

no more!
I ain't gonna leave her alone!
Goin' outside, Git myself a
bride,
Git me a womern to call my
own.

He makes his decision: to

persue his hearts desire and
not just dream about it.

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 Judds
emotional state.

Analysis you can use

The use the tension of the 1/2 steps and the non-melodic melody create Judds existence.
Because the opening melody is a non-melody, it should be closer to speech. When the
orchestra opens up in the B section, thats a clue for a more expansive vocal production and
active character choices. For the first time, we see Judds 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
placeJudds life is the same as it always was. But after returning there for a little while, theres
an abrupt change with I aint 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 thesisthe 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, character and situation. Sally Bowles is the cabaret
singer who has had few breaks and fewer successes in her life. When she discovers shes
pregnant with Cliffs child, she begins to believe that her life can turn around.
The songs vamp is a snapshot of her life to this placeit crawls up (by half-steps) and just as we
think its 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 songs 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 Sallys determination.
The first 4 bars are repeated in the next 4 bars at a higher pitch level, suggesting Sallys 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.

Theres 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 Kanders music and Fred Ebbs 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 Sallys I Want song and its surprising that there wasnt a moment like this in the
original production.
Both the music and the lyrics tell the same storythe 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 patter 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 women.
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 wellsomething 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, its 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 your 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, Donna 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.
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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. Its
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 need 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
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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 vocal 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 cutting is only 2 pages, present the music
without a page turn.
When making cuts in a song, present the music so the pianist sees only what she will be
playing. In other words, dont just make Xs 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 youve 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.

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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.

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 its 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 begin 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 as 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,
NSync 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 isnt 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. 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
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Appoggiatura - a skip from one chord tone that resolves by step to a chord tone
Fig. 1

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
compositiona recomposition of the melody using the above techniques with additional liberties.

125

Be careful that the new melody agrees with the harmony. Sing slowly and listen carefully. (Fig.
3)
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, dont 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 dont 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 Im 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 Newmans Faust), I Got Love (Purlie), I'm Just Movin' (Working) Take Me
Or Leave Me (Rent) and Im Not Alone (Carrie). For men All Good Gifts (Godspell),
Go the Distance (Hercules), Beethoven Day (Youre 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 Elses 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 (Beyonc). I Believe I
Can Fly (R. Kelly), Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Im Yours) (Stevie Wonder), You Are the
Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder) and Ill Be There (Jackson 5).

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Appendix 2
New and Notable Young Composers: The Post-Millennium Generation
This 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 in print but can be often be
purchased from their website or from newmusicaltheatre.com. The names in bold type are some
of the more well known.
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 such as Jason
Robert Brown or Stephen Flaherty, but this music is a different kind of literature than composers
of the preceding generation. It is often more straight-forward and directly related to melodic pop
music while maximizing a dramatic situation. 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 their
website and searching for their music on YouTube. The fact that few of these composers have
had success on Broadway currently is due to the economics of putting on a big show and that
most of their music is smaller in scale than the typical Broadway show.
Please note that not every song since 2000 is considered 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
other, earlier traditions. The Broadway and off-Broadway shows that can legitimately be
considered Post-Millennium are Glory Days, Vanities, [title of show], Bloody, Bloody Andrew
Jackson, Next to Normal and arguably Avenue Q and In the Heights.

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

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/
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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
J Oconer Navarro
Thomas Newmann
Ryan Scott Oliver
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Mike Pettry
Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham
Jeremy Schonfeld
Paul Staroba
Georgia Stitt
Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann
Adam Wagner
Sam Willmott

[title of show] is available from Hal Leonard

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

www.reverbnation.com/brettmacias
www.michaelmahler.com/
www.myspace.com/millerandtysen
web.mac.com/joconernavarro
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

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Musical Theatre Song Study and Audition Annotated Bibliography

Alper, Steven M. Next! Auditioning for the Musical Theatre. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann,
1995.
Extensive lists of dos and donts 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. Unnecessary if youve had Neals Musicianship for
Musical Theatre class.
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 Actors 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
youll 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. Craigs magnum opus, On Singing Onstage, this book takes the form of transcribed
coaching sessions within various styles such as Narrative show ballad, Theatre blues, Patter
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. Craigs 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 Craigs 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 Broadways Major
Composers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
An encyclopedic work about Broadway music. Indispensable. This is where I learned that
Meridith Willson didnt write My White Knight! For musical theatre nerds only.

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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. Im 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 companion to countless shows.

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