Is hurting your voice now a requirement for winning Best Actor/Actress in a Musical?- Page 2

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 7:23pm

Sant, I guess I'm wrong. I thought Julia said it WAS higher.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:00pm

Blaxx, a one and half month run out-of-town is a lot shorter than the 9 month run LaChanze has now done with TCP. I agree that they should have alternates if it's that bad, but you can't judge in all cases if your voice is going to hold out for months on end within the contraints of out-of-towns or previews.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:46pm

Im surprised personally that Elphaba doesnt have an alternate. The same thing with the voice happened to Idina at the end of her run with Wicked. I dont nessicaerily know if it hurt her but there was a huge difference in her voice from the beginning of the run to when she left. I think that no matter easy or hard the material 8 shows a week is alot and now i dont say to miss once a week but if they get hurt and need a little time off it should be understandable.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:51pm

I think if an actor/actress wins the Best Actor/Actress award, there is probably something vocally demanding about that specific part. Even though the person can handle it, it may hurt their voice and need some time off for vocal rest.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:52pm

^I definately agree with you on that one. By the end of Idin's run, she sounded like she was yelling the whole time.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 11:25pm

I'm not blaming the actors for finding the roles too vocally demanding in the long run... but if they can't do it anymore, they should either stop or the production find a solution.
All these "missing performances" threads are less than flattering. On top of that, they might be hurting themselves permanently.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:15am

^Contracts can be an issue...I say bring on the alternates if they want to stay.

And thanks for your clarification.

[matt schneider]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:18am

They need to know there limits and give it all they got within those limits. It is not the actor's fault for wanting to do there best, but if they go to far then they will have to miss whitch is a fault against winning.

[soulman83]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 4:17am

I think it would be amazing for there to be alternates. I think the problem is that people build these stars up and then complain when they strain their voice and cant perform. I mean we have people running around screaming their heads off and trying to be idina. I love idina. My thoughts though on her performance was just that she wasnt ready for what she got herself into. I mean if you ask me, there has only been one consistent Elphaba in my opinion...Shoshana Bean. The funny part to that is that she does a lot of extra stuff in the show like she just got vocally bored. Kind of reminds me of me. Still, i can hear her placement and she holds up so well. Those notes were easy and breezy for her. Everyones voice does weird things when not expected. People get sick and lose their voice for several different reasons. It happens. A singer has a lot to compete with while trying to maintain health. JLY has such a vocally demanding role and his mix voice is out of control. BUT WHO DOES THAT 8 Shows a week. i think its just as much our fault for expecting so much.

Also...I am sooooooooooooooooooo sick of people saying that shows today have this "American Idol" sound. As if the sound was created from american idol. It was on broadway long before "American Idol" was thought of. Different people sing differently. Victoria Clark is Victoria Clark and will never be jennifer holliday...and vice versa. i grew up with Gospel Singers but i love dawn upshaw. can we just appreciate the differences and move forward. Half the people are wrong about whether or not people are singing properly or not anyway.

ok, i am done for now.

Also, people raise the key of songs, i dont see whats wrong with lowering the keys. geez. people do it all the time.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 4:54am

Correct me if I am wrong, but haven't Shoshana and Eden been able to handle the vocal demands of the role without a problem? Plus Ana and SJB too I believe were fine. I think that Idina was the only one to show prolonged physical issues with her voice while doing the role. I believe that when she was sick though, she came back too soon and never quite sounded right again. After all, she also was the longest to ever play the role and with any other health complications, she was bound to become severely worn down.

Although it might become taxing after a while, it doesn't seem like the Wicked producers have had a problem with their actresses failing to pull through as long as they know their limits.
I think the real problem is in the shows where we consistently see the same people pulling out over and over again. I hate talking about this kind of thing, but with the absences of LaChanze and JLY, wouldn't it be wise to hire an alternate? Those 2 roles seem to be giving the actors a difficult time and I think they should follow what certain shows do and tone down their schedule they set for such heavy vocals.

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 9:19am

Whats sad is how many times Wicked is mentioned in this thread. Musical theater existed long before and will continue long after. As will whatever issues go along with it. These "absences" and vocal rigors were legendary with Jennifer holiday and others, long ago. Can we stop making it all about Wicked?!

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 11:47am

Bree, Elphaba is a role where possibly the most people have had vocal problem's.This thread is about performer's voices bieng hurt.

Updated On: 8/8/06 at 11:47 AM

[Sant]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:21pm

I can't see why the role of Elphaba couldn't have an alternate actress playing the role for example 2 times a week. In THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA the alternate Christine was hired only a couple of months after its opening in London and ever since there has been an alternate to play the role twice a week both in London AND on Broadway. And even the revival of EVITA which just opened in London this summer has an alternate Eva.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:24pm

"I can't see why the role of Elphaba couldn't have an alternate actress playing the role for example 2 times a week."

They should do that.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:39pm

That would also give more singers/actors jobs! It's a GREAT idea!

[Chanticleer148]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:50pm

This is a great thread. One of the moderators was insisting that JLY's issues are that he has an infection-not that his chords will no longer handle the demands of the role.

These stories surrounding LaChanze, John Lloyd Young, Laura Benanti et. all, will soon spawn a plethora of news stories in the press, and then the Producers of these shows may take some different course of action.

Alternating performers is a great idea.

Kenita R. Wilson is wonderful in The Color Purple. Michael Longoria is fabulous in Jersey Boys.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:49pm

Victoria Clark's voice probably wasn't hurting because she did very little belting in Piazza. I guess Guettel had the novel ideal that his character could use their beautiful, strong head voices in Piazza and that was enough to enrapture the audience.

I love hearing belters sing, but it would be nice if there were more legit roles out there too. Probably better for most voices as well.

[AngActing]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 3:15pm

Buffy, I couldn't agree more! As a legit singer -- I attend auditions and feel like the lone wolf being the only one not screaming my head off for 8 to 16 bars. From what I've heard through those doors, some people SHOULD NOT even try to scream (they will call it 'belting') the songs to impress the casting people; as it makes a lot of them go flat and doesn't resemble a tune, anyway.

Unfortunately, several belters are asked to 'stay' at these auditions; so, apparently, screaming (often referred to as "belting") does get you callbacks.

What can a legit singer do?!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 3:33pm

this thread has interesting resonance with a recent letter to the Times from a dance-injury specialist, deploring the audience delight (and unconscious demand for) extreme moves in choreography...spins, hyperextensions, risky athleticism, acro, etcetera...like "showboating" in some sports (slam dunks, most notably) these adrenaline boosts might extract a toll on performers if not applied reasonably and safely.

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 6:57pm

Oh look... hi Chanticleer... fancy to see you back beating the same old dead horse. If you're talking about Rob, then yes he WAS insisting and he's COMPLETELY CORRECT. JLY has had a bad sinus infection. He took high dosage antibiotics to kill the infection quickly and to get back in the show ASAP. That's where the trouble started since the drugs killed ALL the bacteria- even the normal, healthy variety. He's developed candida (basically, a yeast-like buildup on his vocal chords) which he could NOT sing falsetto with.

[Chanticleer148]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 7:02pm

Gosh, Golly, Gee thanks for explaining (defending) it for the 50th time.

Missed performances by several actors in leading roles are mounting. We'll see what comes of it.

If its left up to the elites, it would never be discussed because the topic is totally off limits.

You'll notice the number of different board members who have started various strands of this same thread. It is obviously a concern to many fans of Broadway.


Updated On: 8/8/06 at 07:02 PM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:43pm

Thanks for advertising your blog here for the 200th time.

[Chanticleer148]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:45pm

WOW! Had a little too much KOOL-AID? Auditioning for the reality show, Unhinged?

Where was the advertisement?

[zzannahk]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:46pm

i dont understand why in these demanding roles (wicked, JB, etc) there aren't sceduled matinees or something off. why aren't the shows protecting their investment?

[Chanticleer148]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:47pm

YES!