Actors With Fake "Stage Voices"
Actors With Fake "Stage Voices"
#1Actors With Fake "Stage Voices"
Posted: 10/7/09 at 9:00pm
Which Broadway actors are known to affect 'stage voices?'
Terrence Mann and Michael Cerveris are the best examples I can think of. Terrence Mann does that strange, overly deep, almost British-sounding voice in everything, and I seriously thought that was how he actually talked until I saw a few interviews with him. I thought he was actually British for awhile, but turns out he was born in Kentucky. Michael Cerveris does that strained, spitty-sounding voice that sounds as though he's going to burst out in tears, with weird mushy 's's that sounds nothing like his real voice. He even uses it on the trailer for Cirque du Freak.
I realize that most people don't realize their 'stage voices' are not their real voices. I like both performers a lot. But can anyone think of anyone else who does this?
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
Updated On: 10/7/09 at 09:00 PM
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#2re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 9:03pmCynthia Nixon picked up a weird one for the revival of "The Women" that almost makes her unwatchable.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#2re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 9:11pmMatt Cavenaugh sounds like Joe Kennedy Jr. in every shows he's been in since Grey Gardens. Not sure what that's about.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
novel idea
Understudy Joined: 8/11/09
#3re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 9:35pmCarla Gugino (sp?) in Desire Under the Elms had a horrible actor voice.
#5re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 10:38pm
"Matt Cavenaugh sounds like Joe Kennedy Jr. in every shows he's been in since Grey Gardens. Not sure what that's about."
I legitimately thought he was from New England until he said he is from a state in the south (I forget which). There was even a Grey Gardens backstage video a while back where he was speaking like Joe Kennedy in real life.
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#6re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 10:47pm
I would have been able to stand his Tony had it not been for that horrid accent. UGH.
I would argue Kristin Chenoweth. I know that she has a naturally high voice, but she can sound more... er.. normal if she tries (like in The Music Man).
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
#7re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/7/09 at 10:48pmShe's never been on Broadway, and I've only seen her do this in one show, but Dianne Pilkington has this really disgusting voice that she puts on for her Glinda. Seriously, it's awful and makes me think that Glinda is being played by a toddler. Her real voice isn't actually that bad though.
Brick
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
#9re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 12:18amFor the revival of "Chicago" Ann Reinking kind of made her voice sound like Gwen Verdon...kinda werid. I missed her "normal voice".
"Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok. Have you guys heard about fidget spinners!?" ~Patti LuPone
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#10re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 1:23am
Marissa Jaret Winokur's squeeky high pitch teen voice for her Tracy in HAIRSPRAY.
#11re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 8:18amfashionguru, Ann Reinking did the SAME thing in the revival of Sweet Charity.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#12re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 8:37amI think Michael Cerveris is a good example. I really like him, don't get me wrong, but he definitely has an "I am acting on stage!" voice that he uses in nearly every production I've seen him in. It's sort of strange.
#13re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 8:49amBrian Stokes Mitchell
Itty Bitty Geisha?
Toyland?
Gypsy Pasadoble?
Just a few popular favorites...
#14re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:17am
DottieD'Luscia, Charity was also a Gwen Verdon role.
Does she always try to copy Gwen's voice when singing or performing a role made famous by Gwen?
"Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok. Have you guys heard about fidget spinners!?" ~Patti LuPone
#15re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:27am
Harold Prince used John Cullum's stage voice hilariously in On the 20th Century. Whatever I see him in now, I think he's Oscar Jaffe.
George Hearn also has a pretty ripe speaking and singing voice.
#16re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:35am
Barbara Streisand in her early years definitely. It's a big trend with singers turned actors or even people brand new to acting; starting in a strong character and ending up clinging onto the voice of the first role they are REALLY taught- they put so much work into that one character that they got too comfortable and now associate "acting" with the voice of that character. If the audience also saw the first role they will also be less inclined to care if it's similar (Barbra in Funny Girl, for instance), which makes it less likely that they can alter their voice later. Luckily Barbra broke out of it.
I know a guy whose first role was Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. When auditions for second show came around it took a
day of practice on his voice to break him into a new character- in the end he was fine because we broke him out of it.
I also teach an improv troupe and one of my students uses a British accent as a default everytime he's onstage. I always joke that when he actually visits Britain he'll be surprised that "everyone is always acting".
"There are only two worthwhile things to leave behind when we depart this world of ours: children and art."
-Sunday In The Park With George
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#17re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:42amLet's not forget that an early edition of "Forbidden Broadway' featured a parody of Michael Crawford as the Phantom of the Opera singing "Put On Your Phony Voice".
#18re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 10:43amI second Michael Cerveris. His normal voice sounds nothing like the one he uses when he's on stage.
"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
#19re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 11:15am
There's a difference between affecting a different voice in each show because it matches the character, and having the SAME voice in every show, regardless of the character. Michael Ceveris and Matt Cavenaugh, yes. Brian Stokes Mitchell...not as distinctive. It's not HIS voice, but his Valentin isn't the same as his Colehouse, which isn't the same as his Don Quixote. Michael's British Sweeney sounds the same as his German Kurt Weill, and the same as the possibly-alien Observer on Fringe. I like his normal voice; I wish he'd use it onstage once in awhile.
Does she always try to copy Gwen's voice when singing or performing a role made famous by Gwen?
This is wrong on so many levels.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how
Wanting life but never knowing how
#20re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 2:46pmorangeskittles, (I'm scared to ask but) what doe you mean by, "This is wrong on so many levels".
"Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok. Have you guys heard about fidget spinners!?" ~Patti LuPone
bubbleblonde
Understudy Joined: 7/9/08
#21re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 3:33pmStephanie J. Block speaks and sings with very distinct, almost harsh, enunciation on stage.
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#22re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 4:20pm
Cynthia Nixon picked up a weird one for the revival of "The Women" that almost makes her unwatchable.
THANK YOU! Her inexplicable voice in that made my skin crawl.
#23re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 5:40pm
Yeah, Michael Cerveris' speaking voice in real life is quite pleasant to listen to. I really would love to hear him use it one day.
Speaking of which-- Colm Wilkinson. What's up with that? Here's a video clip in which he speaks in his natural voice, and it doesn't sound like Sean Connery at all. He sounds NOTHING like his stage voice. SO weird. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPGAjBWJuQI
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
#24re: Actors With Fake 'Stage Voices'
Posted: 10/8/09 at 5:40pm
Yeah, Michael Cerveris' speaking voice in real life is quite pleasant to listen to. I really would love to hear him use it one day.
Speaking of which-- Colm Wilkinson. What's up with that? Here's a video clip in which he speaks in his natural voice, and it doesn't sound like Sean Connery at all. He sounds NOTHING like his stage voice. SO weird. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPGAjBWJuQI
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
