Toughest Song to Sing on Broadway Now

[zamedy]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 8:54am

Okay.. the comment on the LEGALLY BLONDE special about "So Much Better" being the 'toughest song on Broadway' got me thinking. What do you think actually IS the toughest song to sing on the Great White Way?

"So Much Better" is indeed difficult.. but I certainly wouldn't call it the 'toughest.' "Rose's Turn" from GYPSY perhaps? I don't think it's fair to define 'toughest' in this context simply by referring to musical difficulty. You have to sell songs by doing more than just staying on key.
Updated On: 6/5/08 at 08:54 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:01am

The score of LEGALLY BLONDE is very difficult, especially for the woman playing Elle Woods, for the fact that it was written in the Andrew Lloyd Webber style of writing for leading ladies - it doesn't take into consideration human limitations. Elle Woods is on stage for the entire show and sings, what, 80% of the score? Laura Bell Bundy has said time and time again that she can't do it without a firm regiment of taking care of herself - and the high note at the end of "So Much Better" is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm reminded of the recorded note during Phantom.

Rose's Turn is difficult, because the song needs to be acted more than it is sung.

Music and the Mirror is difficult.
Pacencia y Fe is difficult.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:28am

Rose's Turn
Song of Purple Summer
Music & The Mirror

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:32am

Elphaba's score is quite hard as well. Belting her heart out 8 times a week on Wizard and I, Defying Gravity, and, No Good Deed, straining to hit the low notes in I'm Not That Girl, as well as being onstage 80% of the show. Those poor women playing Elphaba need an alternate

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 9:57am

I'd vote for "Sunday in the Park with George". The song has wild range and interval leaps, belting and lyrical singing and fast patter. Plus, so much to act in it.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 10:12am

I once heard a theatre director talk about actor's auditioning with "Defying Gravity".

He said, "It's the white girls 'And I'm Telling You...' You can either sing it or you can't. Sadly, most can't".

[heathurrr]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:13am

SITPWG's songs, definitley.

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:18am

I guess it depends on which voice part you are talking about also, because there are definitely difficult songs out there for each voice part.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:24am

There's a lot more to singing a song than hitting the notes. There's something called being able to sell/act a song.

Rose's Turn. Hands down.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:29am

I'd say its a definite toss-up between "Suddenly" and "Suspended in Time" from XANADU.

Tough call. Ugh!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:36am

Out of curiosity, why is "Paciencia y Fe" difficult? The acting?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:44am

It's got a high belt for a woman that age to sing 8 times a week. Merediz is younger in real life and has said in several interviews that it's not easy to sustain, especially when carrying the physicality with it.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:02pm

I've really never thought "Rose's Turn" was all that thrilling or difficult. Yes, it requires some heavy acting, but it's far from impossible -- there have been plenty of high school performances of Gypsy. Whether or not they do it justice, that's another question, but just because a handful of legendary actresses tackle the part of Rose does not necessarily mean "Rose's Turn" is the toughest song to sing and requires such brilliant stature to truly perform.

[seventypercentcocoa]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:21pm

It's got to be at least one of the numbers from SUNDAY... wild intervals, time signature changes left and right, disonant harmonies. Jenna Russell goes up and down over her break the whole two hours. Not to mention it needs to be acted too!

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:33pm

I agree with the Legally Blonde and Wicked suggestions.
I also say add "Don't Walk Away" from Xanadu because Sonny Malone is on stage quite a bit and sings several times during the show and then has to belt out this song and hit the high note at the end, but Cheyenne is just that amazing, so he can totally do it.

I'd also have to say anyone playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys has it rough because he's onstage through MOST/If not ALL of the show and has to belt out in falsetto: That's tough.

Updated On: 6/5/08 at 12:33 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 4:26am

I'd agree with Legally Blonde being one, if not the, toughest role for a female on Broadway. I'm not saying its Legendary, but it's a tough role, and I'll be surprised if a reality show winner can sustain a run in it. Elphaba is tough because it's very easy to destroy your voice trying to belt like that all the time. You have to have perfect placement or it can ruin your vocal chords. And I also agree with Sunday in the Park because of the complex score, and it is fairly complex vocally. It takes someone with a strong belt, strong acting (playing multiple roles) and someone with a legit voice as well.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 6:38am

For the ladies, I'm going to agree with those who say Legally Blonde and Elphaba in Wicked. Elle Woods is not a brilliantly written role, but I stand by my assertion that it is the most difficult female role on Broadway right now. She's onstage for the entire show, save for 5 minutes at the beginning, sings in nearly every song, and dances a lot. You can see how grueling it is, especially if you saw LBB early on (when she was great) and recently (when she has kind of petered out).

For the men, I'm going to say the Frankie Valli role in Jersey Boys, by a mile.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 7:33am

A Gypsy song! Or Actually just the Role of Elle, as much as some people hate the show it is a huge role to play.

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 7:53am

It depends whether you are testing stamina or just those couple of minutes when one song lasts. Sondheim is very tricky, but other shows to require more stamina. SITPWG is vocally demanding, but not as physically demanding.

One good example of the challenge of Sondheim is a song which isn't on Broadway now, but was recently; Being Alive. It's only a top Ab at the end, but it's extremely hard to get that out cleanly after acting the rest of the song, which does usually involve slightly shouty-groany bits which grate your vocal chords a lot.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 11:03am

If you have a bad technique ANYTHING is difficult to sing.


Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 11:44am

See, here's the thing with the score to Wicked. None of Elphaba's songs are written to go over an 'E' all those riffs that are thrown in are 100% optional. They aren't part of the score. So, all the women who have vocal trouble are actually bringing it on themselves, by adding something and doing so improperly. Sure, the riffs sound cool, but the Elphaba's who don't (Idina Menzel and Stephanie J. Block for sure), seem to be able to sustain the run longer.

Music and the Mirror isn't tough to sing, but the dance that goes with it is like a dance of death.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 12:12pm

Without a doubt... 96,000!!!!!!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 12:27pm

By intense belting I assume you mean holding an 'E'. An 'E' is easily in almost every single range, if you can't support that note, or it's not in your range you probably should not be singing period.

And if by emotion you mean "crazy riffing" then yes, there is a lot of emotion in it. I haven't seen or heard an Elphaba act that song (Stephanie J. Block aside) since Idina Menzel.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 12:37pm

Wait..."Song of Purple Summer" is the toughest song to sing on Broadway...? Could you explain?

[Pianist3912]

Posted: 6/9/08 at 4:28pm

Actually, the highest belt for Elphaba in the score is an F, which I disagree as being easy to belt/sustain.

Also, Idina is the EPITOME of the vocal destruction brought on by the score. Surely you've heard her sing the score at the beginning and ends of both her B'way/London runs, no?
Updated On: 6/9/08 at 04:28 PM