Broadway Singers who Smoke......- Page 2

[Jera]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:21pm

I hear that Kerry Butler smokes. She may have quit, though. I'm not stalking her or anything, so I wouldn't know for sure.

jera

[MusicRox]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:24pm

When the Altar Boyz were on Seth Rudetsky's radio show, I remember Seth scolding Tyler Maynard for smoking.

[LucilleAndLeoFrank]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:25pm

Patti Lupone quit smoking a long time ago.

[sanda]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:35pm

is it different for type? Like if you are an opera singer, smoking is totally bad. But if your voice is rock&roll type, then it doesn't effect that much since your voice sounds coarse anyway.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 6:48pm

smoking has a different effect on everyones voice! The only thing it does to me is that when i wake up in a morning my throat feels really dry... but i do a good vocal warm up and it works fine for me! I think for people who are "casual" smokers it's worse because their vocal chords can't deal with it!

[meagan9848]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 7:09pm

I would be really suprised if Idina smoked...

I'm NOT saying she doesn't...nor am I saying it's any of my business; or anyone elses...

BUT

A while ago she wrote about recording the "Here" CD and she said that being off stage for so long was weird and that she would allow herself to have a glass of beer with pizza every once in a while, something she wouldn't do if she were performing because it would mess up her voice...

That being said, it doesn't make sense to me that she wouldn't even drink beer (not even hard stuff folks) when she's singing all the time, but she smokes? That's just stupid if it's true.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 7:41pm

Idina Menzel smokes. My friend met her and she was smoking a lot. And we saw her twice.

Kristin Chenoweth doesn't smoke.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 7:43pm

And now y'all are gonna get yelled at by some holier than thou person who thinks that it's none of anybody's business who does what to their vocal chords.

/end public service announcement.

[JMVR]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 7:43pm

Since I am not a singer, x-cuse my ignorance, but how does booze affect the voice?

[thejcm]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 2:00am

Just adding the comment that I'm almost 100% sure that Daphne Rubin-Vega quit smoking when she got pregnant. I mean, obviously anyone should quit smoking when they get pregnant, but I think I read in an interview somewhere that she mentioned quitting for good.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 2:03am

Laura Benanti smokes or smoked quite a bit during NINE. If you ask me, it's affecting her top notes.

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 2:08am

It's such a shame, really... what does smoking do for you anyway? This is a serious question, as I've never done it. I just don't understand it. Is there some kind of high?

[Doogie]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 2:31am

While I do not know Laura well enough to know if she smokes, I know she is totally all about taking care of her voice. I would be SHOCKED if Laura smoked!

What I think we're all failing to remember is that smoking is a PERSONAL issue!

I know several broadway people who smoke, but its really none of our business.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 4:49am

Boo. I hate smoking. I've heard of several young vocalist smoking to "season" their voice. Which, I think is a load of cow poo.

Yes, there are many smokers who work on Broadway. I truly hope it never catches up with them. And as for drinking, yeah, that does effect the voice as well. Maybe not as severely as smoking though. Thing is, almost every theatre person I know of drinks. It's, I don't know...tradition.

[wildcat]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 5:39am

Theatre people could be perceived as being heavy drinkers, but it has a lot to do with their working hours. With only a couple of hours to unwind before going to bed, a drink or a smoke (or some other form of chemical) is often the most efficient way to 'come down'`after a show.

[jacco]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 5:46am

Michael Ball (west end) smokes. A lot.

[wowobball2000]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 9:37am

Maybe its just me, but if my job depended on my voice I would do everything to keep it in perfect shape. Smoking just seems like its a such a risky thing to do because its proven to cause cancer even if it doesn't effect your voice( I still don't understand how thats possible, but other members have tried to explain it to me so ok).

I mean I can't sing for my life so perhaps its just me being jealous of those who can.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 9:49am

It's highly likely that the performers who smoke, do so only after a performance. I know Idina practices yoga, and from experience, yoga does wonders for your voice. So, as long as she's properly readied her voice before going onstage- not that I'm advocating smoking or anything. Then again, Jarrod Emick smoked in the wings during performances of Boy from Oz.

I've heard Euan Morton live, and I really think his heavy smoking is affecting his voice negatively.

I'd be really shocked if Kristin Chenoweth smoked. For some reason, I can't see it. Then again, her voice is powerhouse, and maybe it doesn't affect her.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 9:59am

Withdrew my original post...I felt like a whistle blower after reading it. BTW...Michael Ball wasn't smoking during intermission the last two times I saw him at the theater as an audience member. I would think anyone who is a smoker would definitely light up between acts.
Updated On: 2/23/06 at 09:59 AM

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:05am

liza chain smokes but i'm sure no one is surprised. i've mentioned this on a another thread -- when i was maitre d in a tony or wanna be tony lincoln center restaurant i had to eject a 12 or 13 year old daisy egan from the ladies room for smoking. she was hiding out from her mum and having a butt. hope she's over it. (i wanted to scold her--but i smoked at that age too--of course i didn't have a tony either)

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:07am

LOL Liza is a toxic waste dump.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:10am

hey! i resemble that remark!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:14am

I believe Daisy is still a smoker, or at least that's what I've heard.

[Urban]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:18am

At the risk of popping a popular myth, the only singers that where smoking would cause a problem are the ones that specialize in a clear girly voice (so yeah, Kristen), everybody else, as somebody said before, in the short term, smoking actually helps their voices. Long term, I'd agree they might have issues, but Broadway is a total here and now niche, it isn't like RENT, nobody thinks of tomorrow. Mostly. :p

And who knows, in 20 years maybe women who sound like Harvey Feinstein will suddenly be in demand.

There is also a big different between being a 24/7 chimney and a social smoker.

[pndmnd]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 10:24am

Here's the thing with smoking not affecting your voice:

A lot of my vocal performance major friends will light up a cigarette before a lesson. They say that they actually have a bigger range when they do that because the vocal chords (or folds, whichever you prefer to call them) are more relaxed. This makes sense to me. But, I've heard first hand the difference that it makes eventually. Even the people who say it doesn't affect them will have it catch up with them eventually if they continue to smoke.

You'd also be surprised at the number of opera singers and ballerinas who smoke. There are sort of two groups in opera--the ones who are so careful that they only drink water at room temperature, and the ones who smoke.

Also, regarding the comment that Michelle Federer (sp?) smokes, so Norbert Leo Butz probably does, too--it's VERY possible for one person in a couple to smoke and the other one not.