The Most Unique/Original Voices on Broadway- Page 2

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 5:30pm

Twogaab, I agree completely (for what that's worth).

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 5:41pm

After plowing through the HAIR Actor's Benefit Recording, there are some definite "I know you with my eyes closed" voices!

Harvey Fierstein (no-brainer)
Julia Murney (vibrahahahato!)
Norm Lewis (perfect whole baritone)
Shoshana Bean (nasal belt)
Sherie Rene Scott (childlike womanly perfect pitch)
Raul Esparza (pretty belty man with power on vowels and "s")

Then we skip over to "Bright Lights Big City" for more talent:

Jesse L Martin (pillowy soft yet aggressive)
Celia Keenan Bolger (sensitive youth)
Patrick Wilson (man's man kind of sound)
Richard Kind (also Lenny Wolpe, twangy old man)
Christine Ebersole (glass thin country edgy)
Gavin Creel (as they say in "Camp" a real-life straight boy)

Then we can rewind time to the not so modern yet modern:

Brent Barrett (give me a baritenor to top him today)
Len Cariou (and George Hearn, with maturity and strength)
Chita Rivera (rasp and sass and beauty) Updated On: 8/25/08 at 05:41 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 5:50pm

Raul's voice is distinguishable mainly for its nasal vibrato (which I love).

[SteamHeat2]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 7:24pm

Lauren Kennedy

[Mekroth]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 7:47pm

Douglas Sills.

[tellybox]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 9:45pm

I fifth the love for Raul's raspy voice :)

[jordangirl]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 9:49pm

I third Alice Ripley. :)

[pants2]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 9:54pm

See now I would have to say that Lea Michele's voice is distinct. Her singing is pure like glass and I always recognize it, and her belt I think is VERY unique. But, I guess she certainly has more of a generic sound than others listed on this thread.

[Tag]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 9:58pm

Marty Thomas, hands down.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 11:08pm

Elaine Stritch, anyone?

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 11:11pm

I can always tell Audra McDonald, Bernadette Peters, Patti Lupone, Mandy Patinkin.

[puppet]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 11:52pm

Carol Channing

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/25/08 at 11:59pm

Ellen. Greene.
Kerry Butler
Harvey Fierstein
Idina Menzel
Elaine Stritch
Sutton Foster
Carol Channing
Ethel Merman
Patti LuPone
Bernadette Peters
Daphne Rubin-Vega

...to name a few

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 12:12am

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 12:12 AM

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 12:44am

Drew Sarich!!

You don't get many voices like that on Broadway, especially singing more traditional (non-rock opera) material.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:06am

Lea Salonga

[thereisnofuture]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:36am

Lauren Pritchard

[je veux te voir2]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 1:39am

I wouldn't exactly call Lea Salonga's voice groundbreakingly original. It's gorgeous, of course. But she sings with the sweetness we hear from so many broadway singers. Her voice type is generally the voice quality taught by most everyday vocal coaches (non classical.)

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 2:46am

Agree with all the other votes for Alice Ripley.

Elaine Stritch, you could hear that voice from anywhere and know who it is.

Eartha Kitt, such a fabulous throaty growly alto. Listen to "When It Ends" from LaChiusa's Wild Party, fantastic.

No matter what your feelings are about him Mandy Patinkin is also a completely unique voice.

It's been a while since we've heard her on Broadway, but I'm also going to throw in Carol Burnette.

[Urban]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 6:36am

Ellen Greene without a doubt.

[evadiva]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 7:21am

Je veux - your Lea Salonga description is EXACTLY how I feel about Lea Michele

As much as I love Sutton and both Leas, these voices are the classic broadway style. Not unique to me at all. Voices like Julia and Daphne are distinct.

And TOTALLY Eartha Kitt !!!!!

I'm also throwing Laurie Beechman out there. May she rest in peace.

[jaimiecheno]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 9:27am

I'll second Kristin Chenoweth.

I'll also add Kelli O'Hara. Its not that her voice in itself is uniquely different, but she's played such a wide variety of roles in her career and has managed to find the perfect "voice" within her own for each character. Its not like Clara (from Piazza) and Nellie (South Pacific) have much in common vocally, but Kelli does both amazingly. And then there is her solo cd which is definitely the voice of Kelli, and I really enjoy that, too!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 9:45am

I suppose Betty Buckley has a pretty "Broadway" Broadway voice, but something about it is truly unique. Below is a link to "Open Your Heart" and "And Eve Was Weak"...listen how her voice goes from sweet falsetto to the steely mid-section she's known for to a growl to a throaty rasp and then back again. Incredible.
Open Your Heart/And Eve Was Weak bootleg from Youtube

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 9:48am

I agree, Borstal. Betty sounds like no one in the world.

[SweetSoprano]

Posted: 8/26/08 at 9:49am

Alice Ripley
Bernadette Peters
Julia Murney