Drivas 1

Nick Drivas
Dr. Chicurel-Stein
Voice I
April 21, 2016
Song Review: Heaven on Their Minds (WORD COUNT: 262)
In 1970, the musical , Jesus Christ Superstar, opened to very controversial response.
Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this rock musical follows the biblical story of Jesu Christs
crucifixion from mostly Judass perspective. This show has since garnered a huge following and
is revered by many for originality with perhaps the most well known story in western
civilization. The second number in the musical, Heaven On Their Minds, is sung by Judas
conveying his inner envious and disappointed thoughts toward Jesus. He feels Jesus has begun to
act more for his following rather than act for the traveling of his word and beliefs. These
thoughts develop and linger from envy and contempt, but Judas, nonetheless, feels his opinions
of Jesus to be true.
Starting in thin folds, Ben Vereen lets him thoughts simmer and gradually grow more
heated until he boils and erupts into a loud growling thick folds on the word, Jesus. Ben Vereen
really successfully captures the rock sound that this show conveys through its score. He has an
intensity that never fades in the song regardless of his volume. He has a mid larynx for virtually
the entire song that raises at times. He maintains a mid velum, and sometimes utilizes slack for
stylistic choices in variation. His range is impressive especially due to his consistency in sound;
and even more impressively, he maintains the foundational tone of the song while exhibiting
several uses of vocal variation in slack, growling, volume, and larynx positioning.

Drivas 2

Song Review: Wilkkommen (WORD COUNT 261)

In 1966, the musical, Cabaret, opened in reflection to the lifestyles of that found in the
midst of World War IIs uprising. This musical has since grown to very popular reputation.
Throughout the shows history, interpretations have been altered visually; particularly in recent
years. This musical displays the many troubling aspects of life through this tragic era in Europe.
The Kit Kat Klub, a seedy cabaret club is the center point setting of a majority of the plots
unfolding throughout the musical. The show opens inside the Klub as if the the Kit Kat Klubs
own show was beginning or the audience. The Emcee enters and introduces the dancers and
explains that this club is a source for happiness and that all the troubles must be left outside
because everything inside is beautiful.
The Emcee, originally played by the well known, Joel Grey, opens the show with
Wilkommen. Joel Grey has a very distinguishable voice that many could recognize. Not
necessarily a trained vocalist, Joel Greys singing is quite literally an elongation of his speech.
Not criticizing that at all, his voice is quite literally fitting to that description that many use to
define basic singing. He has a nasality to his attractor state. He has a sharpness to his voice that
is conveyed through his glottal onsets. At times though, for variation and character choice, he
uses aspirate and smooth onsets. He vibrato has a wobbling effect to it that is usually heard in
more elderly singers; perhaps a character choice, this does server to create quite a unique sound.