Is it bad to sing acapella for a regional audition?

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:15pm

I'm having trouble finding the karaoke I need, and I don't have some of the sheet music. Is this bad to do?
Updated On: 6/3/05 at 09:15 PM

[alphieboy]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:20pm

Yes. Very bad.

[jaded_october]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:22pm

what song is it?

[singinswinga]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:23pm

If it's a capella you need to KICK ASS hard core.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:30pm

Karaoke tape? Are you crazy?

I am the musical director at an Equity regional theatre. You DON'T come with a tape. You DON'T sing a capella. You DON'T come with music in the wrong key and ask the pianist to transpose. You DON'T bring a xerox of the "chorus book" that just has the melody line and no accompaniment.

You come with proper sheet music - legible, in the right key, with any cuts CLEARLY MARKED, either in a ring binder or mounted on cardboard so the pages don't fly away.

You want them to see you as a professional, you present yourself in a professional manner.

[dietcherryemma]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:38pm

One teacher told me to tape the pages of your cut music together so that they accordion out and the accompanist doesn't have to turn pages. Then you punch holes in the first page and clip it into a small binder, and you're set.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:44pm

Unless the audition notice explicitly says you may prepare a song acapella--which I have seen once or twice for rinkydink shiznit w/o an accompanist--then YES. It's BAD.

(And a karaoke tape!!!?? I'm with Jon--never heard of such a thing.)
Updated On: 6/3/05 at 09:44 PM

[dietcherryemma]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:48pm

The only time i've ever seen people use tapes or cd's is for undergraduate or graduate school programs at regional audition sites where the school cannot provide an accompianist, so you have to find a pianist to record your accompaniment beforehand with appropriate cuts.

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 9:51pm

dietcherry, you are absolutely right--I totally remember this now from URTA and SETC. I guess I blocked it

Posted: 6/3/05 at 10:13pm

Yes. It's bad.

Jon I'm rolling on the floor! I can just imagine your face! Karaoke!!! Updated On: 6/3/05 at 10:13 PM

[MusicMan]

Posted: 6/3/05 at 10:29pm

It would give off the impression that you are a bush-league amateur.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 6/4/05 at 12:46am

Gees, I get it.

I'm a high schooler trying out for an extremely small-town regional theatre musical...the mere fact that I will be singing Broadway songs is a step above most people that will be there. And I am a bush-league amateur. By 'regional theatre', I mean our town's summer musical, it's not that big of deal...I was just wondering. Thanks for all the input though.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 6/4/05 at 5:48am

Well that would be considered community theatre. Regional theatre is, a lot of the time, equity.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 6/4/05 at 10:32am

Even in Community Theatre it's not kosher to sing acapella. There should be an accompinist there and you should have sheet music in your own key. If you want to be a performer - you should learn the way to do it correctly. Not chastising you, just trying to help you to be clear about this kind of thing.