Sick Singer Question

[Glory]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 10:32am

When a an actor in a musical gets a cold, a congested chest and nose, what do they take so they can perform and sing at their best? I know they don't always call out so I was wondering because I have an audition for Boston Conservatory tomorrow and I just got sick yesterday and its not good

[morosco]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 10:37am

I'm not a singer but when I have those symptoms I go for TheraFlu and lots of water.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 10:44am

you wanna get a personal steamer. they work wonders.

also, pretty much just tea, tea, and more tea. - spec. "Throat Coat"

[jaso937]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 11:18am

This won't work if you're in a show, but if you get sick before an audition, its always good to have a back up song for when you aren't feeling your best that you could still knock out of the park. Just a backup plan basically. Break A leg at your audition!

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 11:38am

I always seemed to get colds and coughs whenever i was in long runs in shows grrr.

I used to have a steamer in the dressing room as well as vocolzone tablets, sprays everything really lol

I remember one night doing a show and was really sick, my throat was tight i was full of cold and coughing all the time.
Every time i ran off stage for a second i would spray, swallow, sniff etc whatever was in my dressing room and the show felt like it went of for 10 hours, needless to say the performance was not great but i got through it.After that night i was given a few days off to recover (and so i didn't pass anything on to the rest of the cast)

[Glory]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 12:07pm

Thanks guys, I just got back from the doctors and with just my luck, I have the flu. So pretty much i'm gonna see if I can reschedule my audition.

[stuckinthemiddle]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 1:51pm

One trick to tuck away in your arsenal for when you need it - if you have a phlegmmy throat, gargle with vinegar (usually the cider type is the easiest to palate) right before you have to sing. It will make all the phlegmminess go away for a long enough time to get through a song or two. This trick used to get me through 1st semester juries in college (wintertime - I was always inevitably sick). It's really gross, but it really works.

And I cannot say enough about th eimportance of a personal steamer.

Hope that helps!

[somuchtodo]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 2:36pm

I second Throat Coat Tea, most health food stores carry it.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 3:34pm

Drink lots of water. Hope you get better soon and that your audition goes well whenever you reschedule it!

[Glory]

Posted: 2/15/08 at 3:45pm

Thankfully i'm moved to next Friday instead. It's my school vacation now so other than my NYC trip next Wednesday, I get to sleep and get tons of rest :) Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm going to get a personal steamer tonight actually haha.