Who teaches Broadway stars to sing songs?

I know Dick Gallagher usually works with Patti LuPone, or at least he used to.

She mentions him on the Sweeney Todd concert DVD when she talks about the months of preparation she did beforehand to learn the score.

Updated On: 9/9/12 at 06:03 PM

Are you talking about for a show they are doing, or songs they use in a cabaret/concert setting?

For a show there will be a whole team dedicated to music; a musical supervisor, musical director, conductor (may be the same as the musical director in some cases, especially early in the run), and an accompanist in the rehearsal room.

Most professionals will continue to take vocal lessons throughout their career for everything from technique to acting and interpretation.

Almost everybody ... and I mean everybody who takes their craft seriously, has a vocal coach. It doesn't matter how big of a celebrity they are or how many Tonys they have on their shelf.

It's part of keeping up the stamina and making sure they aren't developing bad, irrevocable habits. It's no different than having a physical trainer. They need to stay in shape, and they need a second set of eyes (and ears) who can keep them on top of their game.

I'm sure Audra, Marin, Patti, Bernadette, Betty, Idina, Kristin, Kelli, etc. all have a vocal coach. No question.

They have acting teachers and coaches, too. And dancers take classes as well ... no matter how "big" their names are on a marquee.

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Of course!

Sorry for the "sexist" response.



Although ... and I'm being honest about this ... I know more males who don't study than females.

So maybe my "oops" has some truth to it.

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Ann and Liz Callaway's mother Shirley was a highly reputable vocal coach back when I was "pounding the pavements."

And an old friend of mine from Los Angeles, Eric Vetro, was "thanked" at the Tonys by Marissa Jaret Winokur when she won her award for Best Actress. Eric taught many celebrities in Hollywood, and I did a few piano/vocal arrangements for him and his pupils, back in the day.

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I studied with Shirley Callaway awhile back! She is phenomenal and so nice. :)

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Carolee Carmello famously doesn't use a vocal coach, and to me has never sounded like she needs one!

Updated On: 9/10/12 at 01:25 PM

Also, voice teachers (and more recently, vocal therapists) can assist performers in maintaining their voices so they don't injure themselves performing a taxing role eight times a week. Vocal maintenance is crucial and it is in this capacity that vocal coaches and teachers (usually teachers) assist.

This is a ridiculous question. Period.

A good vocal technique teacher (don't get this confused with coach) will teach a singer technique, such as bel canto, SLS, etc. A good teacher will teach placement, vowel manipulation, breath support, etc.

A vocal coach will help with how a song is sung, not necessarily general technique. Technique teachers usually double as a vocal coach.

However, the interpretation of how to ACT a song boils down to an actor, their acting choices, and a director.

For the quintessential book on acting, please go out and buy Michael Shurtleff's "Audition...." As for vocal technique, please familiarize yourself with Seth Riggs and his wonderful technique, Speech Level Singing (basically, it's bel canto).

qolbinau, as for your harsh criticism of Morgan James, she's a classically trained singer with a killer voice. I'm not clear on how much training she's had as an actress but she seems to be doing well. She was also a student at Julliard, like your beloved LuPone, who wishes she had James' technique.

While on the subject of Ms. LuPone, she claims healthy vocal technique basically boils down to breath support. Sure, that is part of it, but definitely not all of it. Most vocalists will tell you placement is the most important part of a healthy technique. (Placement is what Seth Rudetsky refers to as "the mask.")

like your beloved LuPone, who wishes she had James' technique.

OH, PLEASE.