Broadway Musical Theater Singing Styles




As we talked about in my last post, Musical Theater styles often vary greatly from each other.  Consider these three Shows and how different they are from one another: “South Pacific”, “Hedwig and the Angry Itch”, and “The Phantom of the Opera”, and this is only comparing three; there are many more, more different styles.  Below are the styles and tempos that a person should have represented in their Audition Book.  Not every show is for every person.  It is extremely important to understand your strengths and weaknesses as a singer.  Many times it is very useful for an individual to understand their “type”, and audition for the shows that fall into that specific genre.  A “type” might be “the quirky, comic relief” or “strong, leading lady” or “the dark villain”.  These are not limitations; they are ways to limit your rejections and focus your attention on areas where most of your strengths lie.  This also does not mean you can’t ever audition “outside your type” but it definitely allows you to stay more purposed in your efforts, thus being less frustrated by audition results.  A good teacher will be able to guide you toward your strongest areas, away from songs that won’t bear fruit because you are either a different type, the wrong age or sex, or even the wrong size.  As a young singer, I had a big range and did a good job of singing “Ingenue” lead songs.  HOWEVER, I was just too tall at 5 feet, 9 inches in flats.  A tall leading man is rarer than you might think and even if that were the case, the ingénue still needs to be petite and softly feminine.  I was none of those things but it took me a frustratingly long time to recognize this fact.  I wanted to be all things to all people and I spent too long, wasting time on parts away from my “type”.  Be on the lookout for a blog post about Character Types, coming soon.  Below is a list of Singing Styles for Musical Theater.  Each category is actually TWO categories, as each requires a ballad version and an up-tempo version of that particular genre.

21 Styles of Songs for a Complete Audition Book
·     Traditional Early Musical Theater (1900-1920s) – Composers, such as George M. Cohan, Jerome Kern, and Victor Herbert.  You need a ballad, as well as an Up-Tempo song, such as a ballad, “They Didn’t Believe Me” (Jerome Kern and Herbert Reynolds) or up-tempo, “Give My Regards to Broadway” (George M. Cohan).
·     Jazz Age Standard (1920s-1940s) – These amazing composers numbered some of the greatest in music history:  Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, the Gershwin Brothers, and Rodgers and Hart.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song are:  ballad, “What’ll I Do” (Irving Berlin); up-tempo, “Anything Goes” (Cole Porter).
·     Golden Age Standard (1940s-1960s) – This is not called the “Golden Age” for nothing.  Musical Theater reached its penultimate peak during this period of time with composers, such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Meredith Wilson, and Jule Styne.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo from this time are: ballad, “Ten Minutes Ago” (Rodgers & Hammerstein); up-tempo, “Sit Down, You’re Rockin the Boat” (Frank Loesser).
·     Post-Golden Age Standard (1960s-1970s) – Composers, such as Charles Strouse, Kander and Ebb, Cy Coleman, and Cy Coleman filled this time period.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song from this time are:  ballad, “Maybe This Time” (Kander & Ebb); up-tempo, “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” (Jerry Herman).
·     Musical Theater Pop (Contemporary Since 1970s) – This music is woven through this period.  Composers of Musical Theater Pop songs include Stephen Schwartz, Marvin Hamlisch, Jason Robert Brown, Jeanine Tesori, and Marc Shaiman.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song of this period are:  ballad, “Turn Back, O Man” (Stephen Schwartz); up-tempo, “Dance Ten, Looks Three” (Marvin Hamlisch).
·     Musical Theater Rock (Contemporary Since 1970s) – Elton John, Jonathan Larson, Juliana Marsh, Paul Scott Gordon, and Stephen Trask are all composers from this era.  Examples of songs form this period include:  ballad, “Seasons of Love” (Jonathan Larson); up-tempo, “Nothing Short of Wonderful” (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul).
·     Contemporary Musical Comedy (Contemporary Since 1970s) – Composers, such as Mel Brooks, Rupert Holmes, Lambert & Morrison, and the later works of Kander & Ebb rule this time period.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song are:  ballad, “When You Got It, Flaunt It” (Mel Brooks); up-tempo, “Toledo Surprise” (Lambert & Morrison).
·     Sondheim (Contemporary Since 1970s) – Normally, it is not advised to choose a Sondheim song, as they tend to be very difficult to play and to sing.  A singer must have great control of pitch, tone, and breathing to sing Sondheim, as his music is quite demanding.  However, when auditioning for a Sondheim musical, it is wise to show knowledge of the Sondheim catalog.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo Sondheim song are:  ballad, “Pretty Women” (Sweeney Todd); and up-tempo, “The Miller’s Son” (A Little Night Music).
·     Jukebox Musical Songs (Contemporary Since 1970s) – These musicals are centered around one artist or group’s lives.  These range from single artists, such as Carol King and Frank Sinatra, to groups, such as Green Day, The Beatles, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song are:  ballad, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” (Beautiful:  The Carole King Musical); up-tempo, “Oh, What a Night” (Jersey Boys).
·     Disney Theatrical (Contemporary Since 1970s) – Disney entered the “land” of the Broadway musical with “Beauty and The Beast” but since then, the Disney Musical has become quite prolific with “The Little Mermaid”, “Aladdin”, “The Lion King”, “Tarzan”, and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. These musicals are written by a number of talented individuals, such as Elton John, Phil Collins, Alan Menken, the Sherman Brothers, Randy Newman, and Robert & Kristen-Anderson Lopez.  Examples of a ballad and an up-tempo song are:  ballad, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” (The Lion King); up-tempo, “Les Poissons” (The Little Mermaid).
·     Specialty Songs – There really isn’t a time period for these songs but they can be useful to show-off special talents, such as being a speed singer/talker or being able to yodel.  These songs are, obviously, written by a variety of composers.  Examples of specialty songs are: “The Speed Test” (Speed Singing - Thoroughly Modern Millie); “As Long As He Needs Me” (Cockney Accent – Oliver); “Les Poissons” (French Accent – The Little Mermaid); and “Magic To Do” and other songs from Pippin (throwing swords, riding unicycles, hula hooping, sword throwing, and any number of other special skills – Pippin).

I’m sure this will keep everyone busy for a while but please feel free to check out my website at www.SingitForward.net, write comments or questions below, AND check out these two additional links to pick up more good singing tips.  Thanks everyone!  Sing it Forward!
http://stage-directions.com/current-issue/28-feature/4051-voice-technique-for-musical-theatre-singers-.html
http://takelessons.com/blog/vocal-exercises-by-genre-z02



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