Sutton in Drowsy??? — Page 2

Are you serious? Broadway prides itself on the fact that it's LIVE theatre. I highly doubt that they were prerecording things and having people lipsynch. Also, let's be frank. Take for instance, last year's Tony's. The producers of WICKED spend so much money promoting it, and Idina was sick and raspy and breathy at her performance. If any production had the money or means to lipsynch it, Wicked seems to be the one to do so. It didn't.

Also, I think that Sutton is just THAT good that her voice sounds like it must be prerecorded.

someone else sings it.

Uhhh. No. If this is in regards to the people in the wings, let's be realistic. Frankie Valli had to do the same thing, and it's really not a big deal.

Yeah, I was at the Tony's and apdarcey you are right about John Lloyd Young.
He isnt singing at times.

Updated On: 6/20/06 at 08:16 PM

The reason the echo in "Show Off" sounds different is beacause it isn't very clear. This is done on purpose to simulate a 1920's recording, which the fictitious "original" production would have utilized. Clever.

So since we're on Sutton in Drowsy. . .I've searched for this and can't find it.

Someone please explain to me the costume change behind the umbrella. It was SO quick; and at first I thought the second dress--the pink dress--was underdressed under the yellow one. BUT, the pink dress was much longer. . .And there's no one there to help her! And her legs barely move, I mean, someone please explain this to me!! You can PM to me or just repost it here. . .But someone must have insight.

Thanks--

and her performance on the Tony's was amazing. Just beautiful.

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in regards to the whole pre recorded versus live argument. You people just go on believing what you want. I am not going to argue any more. Just realize that some people like myself do this for a living and many people that post there sworn statements who are not.

Now let me clarify, it is used when necessary. Welcome to showbusiness.

Some of you people are SO gullible. On thread after thread, someone makes a wild suggestion and you are off and running.

Do you remember what happened to Milli-Vanilli? Do you remember how the press JUMPED on that story like rabid dogs and would not let go? How they had to give back their Grammy Award? How their lives and careers were ruined? Do you really think for one moment that anyone wants to see that happen again?

Broadway performers had better not be lip-synching on The Tony Awards. Not if they want to keep their careers and reputations intact. However, pre-recording the music FOR AN EXTREME EMERGENCY would make sense, in case of an accident or mike failure or some sort of protest disturbance. But I'll bet the audio guy has to get all sorts of on-the-spot approvals before he can go to a canned track.

Just imagine how long the New York Post could live on that story if it were true (and if it were true, do you think such a secret could be kept? On Broadway?????)

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Milli Vanilli got in trouble because they built their career lipsyncing to OTHER PEOPLE'S VOICES. How is that relevant at all?

The ghost of Ethel Merman?

Did she ever play at the Morosco?

Please everyone, just listen to me this once. I work in professional live audio, and I'm qualified enough to say, as fact, that Sutton's line when she drinks the glass of water is not pre-recorded, it is a digital playback of the phrase she just sang. Listen to it, the vibrato, etc. is EXACTLY the same. It's EQed to make it sound like a record being played because in the story, that's what's happening.

Personally, I don't think that it's supposed to be a gag, or "showing off." I think it's an allusion to the fact that the actors in the apartment don't have to move theirs mouths at all, and the music will still play, because it's a record.

And no, vocal backup tracks are not used in "emergency situations" in Broadway productions. If that were true, then no one would ever be able to come on BWW and say "so-and-so cracked a note tonight, or forgot the words, or totally messed up the entire song!"

Many "singers" on tour use click tracks, but not on Broadway.

Just a little insight on canned tracks- I know for a fact that several shows, on Broadway and touring use them. It's not that the actors on stage aren't singing, but for certain effects of a full chorus after a cardio production number and things like that, canned tracks are used.

Now to be fair, the broadway show I know for sure that used them was about 15 years ago now, so this might not be the case any longer. Just a tid bit!

Yes, I know that some tracks are used in some productions (there's actually a lot of canned music in Phantom, but for good reasons). However, it is simply not true that "everyone pre-records their singing and it's used if they get sick."

And nowadays, the chorus is just put through the effects rack to make it sound more powerful. A pre-recorded track isn't necessary.

And unfortunately, many touring shows travel with a drummer, trumpet player (maybe), a few keyboards, and a computer. A few local musicians are hired out, and that's about it. It's sad, but the producers want more money, and honestly, most people can't tell the difference between canned music and live music.

Updated On: 6/22/06 at 12:12 PM

I can say for certain that the echo in "Show Off" for the water gag is not a digital delay, or someone else singing or anything like that. It is pre-recorded. I have a copy of that song from the score (my friend worked on the show in LA) and it clearly states which parts are live and which are pre-recorded. The reason it sounds the same is that it is written the same and sung so it sounds the same.

And the JLY thing has been discussed over and over again. While I don't believe he is lipsynching, I thought it was pretty common knowledge that he is not the only one singing that vocal line. They have another male singing along with him to give it the sound like the Four Seasons albums where Frankie Valli was singing over himself to give the line more strength (or something to that effect). Seth Rudetsky talks about it all the time on Sirius. That could be why it appears that JLY isn't singing. Someone is singing back-up on his part to give it an authentic sound.