You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!- Page 2
You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
TenorGod
Swing Joined: 6/12/04
#25re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 3:57pm
I seem to be outnumbered here. I agree that acting the song is important, but who wants to listen to the plot the song is conveying if it is being sung badly, even if it is being acted spectaculary
#26re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:02pmI agree with you, TenorGod.
riv
Leading Actor Joined: 3/6/05
#28re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:09pmI think that the singing is honestly more important than the acting. I think it's important to hvae both, but having to say that you don't have to sing... um, no.
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Joshua488
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#29re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:09pmThis just magnifies the fact that, for some reason, people tend to be attracted to musicals more than plays. It's quite sad because a lot of people end up shunning plays altogether.
Plum
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/4/04
#30re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:09pm
Depends on how the part is written- at best, the creators will know the limitations and strengths of the people they cast and write accordingly, and those who cast revivals will work according to the pre-existing material. Some parts (Eliza Dolittle, Billy Bigelow) need singers, and other parts (Desiree Armfeldt, Ruth Sherwood) don't really require much vocal prowess. You can cast "non-singers" in a lot of the latter and be just fine.
I have to say, though, I've only recently seen one performance with singing that actually made me cringe. Most of the time even "non-singers" have voices good enough to be used as an acting tool. Cast a big voice with no acting ability, and you'll ruin things, in my opinion.
Updated On: 3/19/05 at 04:09 PM
#31re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:12pmI agree Plum... some parts you dont' need to be the most amazing singer, but I think that you better be an amazing actor to back it up instead. To me, Broadway is MUSICAL theater... and I would not want to see a show where a star's singing was mediocre.
RENThead, enLIGHist, Ozalot, Grobanite, Ringer, Pickwick LW, Wicked, Lost, American Dreams, West Wing
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TenorGod
Swing Joined: 6/12/04
#32re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:15pmThat is an extremely good point. Certain stories are enhanced better with different elements of the fine arts. Thats why some musicals (42nd Street) are even more focused on dance than singing or acting, so its really the choice of the writer. I guess the most recent musicals just seem to have a stronger acting base, but that doesn't mean that acting is more essential to a musical then any other element
CurtainUp
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/9/04
#33re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:42pmThat's funny, kangaroo, I always saw it as musical THEATER. I'm an actress w/ no voice so I am biased towards actors who sing. But, I think it all depends on the role. You can have someone with the most amazing voice sing Bialystock, but if they can't act, it's crap. However, you can have a great actress as Julie Jordan, but if she can't sing - it doesn't work. All depends on the show/role.
Thesbijean
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/9/04
#34re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:49pmI kind of agree, but if acting the song was more important than singing it, Idina Menzel would not be loved soo much...
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#35re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 7:49pm
Yes she would...
Then again, I love her because she's hot...
Mr. Tuttle
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#36re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 10:12pm
So it's the voice that matters, huh.
Guess we shoould go buy the $15 CD and go home and listen to it. Same effect.
#37re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/19/05 at 10:17pm
Acting the song is far more important.
It's -theatre-, not a concert.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#38re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:49pmYEs... but if you can't sing the song in the first place, I couldn't be able to listen to it, even if it had emotion. I honestly believe that I guess it's true... it would just be a concert, but I think that to be on Broadway you kind of need the whole package {acting and singing; and also sometimes dancing}. So maybe we agree to disagree...
RENThead, enLIGHist, Ozalot, Grobanite, Ringer, Pickwick LW, Wicked, Lost, American Dreams, West Wing
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#39re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 3:58pmPersonally, I'd rather see an actor who sings in a role than have to sit through listening to a song sung by someone who makes beautiful sounds but has no idea what the lyrics are really about. (example: Linda Eder)...Acting rates over singing for me.
mattvcrewse
Understudy Joined: 3/2/05
#40re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 3:58pm
I think it has everything to do with the part. Zero Mostel didn't have the best voice, but he was funny as hell and a great actor, same with Nathan Lane. Patty Lupone has a bigger voice than Angela Lansbury, but because of the part, I'd rather see Lansbury as Nellie Lovette.
On the other hand, Don Quixote HAS TO, ABSOLUTEY HAS TO have a big voice. It's part of the character. Javert needs a big, dark voice. If you're singing "Stars", as powerful and unmovable as your voice has to be, there are parts where you have to let the beautiful, not just big, parts of your voice come through to let the audience know, "I may be an antagonist, but I'm not an evil man."
Also, Leo Frank from PARADE has to have a pretty voice, and not big, to echo his character. I think voice texture and color has as much to do with casting as the ability to sing.
Updated On: 3/20/05 at 03:58 PM
#41re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:03pm
I do agree with that statement matt... It's true that certain roles are not as demanding for singer. I just wouldn't want to see a bad singer as Don Quixote.
I guess I was more referencing towards the more demanding singing roles... Obviously, some need a lot more acting skills, but I dont 'think I would be able to buy an OBC from that particular show. If I can't listen to the CD, I know that I couldn't see the show more than once. {if even that}
RENThead, enLIGHist, Ozalot, Grobanite, Ringer, Pickwick LW, Wicked, Lost, American Dreams, West Wing
Lea S. Hugh J. Adam P. Idina M. Matt M. Taye D.
#42re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:04pmcan we PLEASE just stick with the triple threat idea?
Mr. Tuttle
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#43re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 5:48pm
There aren't any great triple threats anymore.
Kristn not a dancer...Idina not a dancer....Audra not a dancer....Nathan not a dancer....Harvey not a singer or dancer...
mattvcrewse
Understudy Joined: 3/2/05
#44re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 7:33pm
On the Triple Threat Idea...
Wouldn't it be sweet if we could raise Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly from the dead, clean them up, and put them on Broadway?
BWayBoy88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/23/04
#45re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 8:12pm
I think it depends on the role and the show. You can't be in Mamma Mia and have a bad voice, and you don't really need strong acting chops. However, you can't have someone playing Caroline who can't act.
About triple threats-I think there are plenty of them around. Sutton Foster, Karen Ziemba, Hugh Jackman...
BWayBoy88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/23/04
#46re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 8:14pm
I think it depends on the role and the show. You can't be in Mamma Mia and have a bad voice, and you don't really need strong acting chops. However, you can't have someone playing Caroline who can't act.
About triple threats-I think there are plenty of them around. Sutton Foster, Karen Ziemba, Hugh Jackman...
#47re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 8:27pmI honestly don't like Harvey Feinstein...
RENThead, enLIGHist, Ozalot, Grobanite, Ringer, Pickwick LW, Wicked, Lost, American Dreams, West Wing
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Mr. Tuttle
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#48re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 8:52pm
"You can't be in Mamma Mia and have a bad voice"
Ok..did someone really say this?
No, seriously.
#49re: You Don't Have to Sing..It's a Musical!
Posted: 3/20/05 at 9:43pm
Sorry I'm new here, but I agree with CurtainUp. Of course, ideally you're going to have both.
I've met very few people who do musical theater who are polar opposites when it comes to acting and singing. Sure, some are surely stronger at one or another, but I think making this polar opposite argument doesn't work for Broadway (at least not very often. Most performers in Broadway musicals aren't all acting or all singing) That being said, I do think acting is more important OVERALL. Of course a voice is important in musical theater, especially more dramatic shows like most of Sondheim's work. I think people tend to care less with lighter fare. But I've seen plenty of local girls/women sing "Your Daddy's Son" or "Not A Day Goes By" who had beautiful voices and couldn't act. That was much more painful than seeing people with pleasant voices (though not amazing) singing those same songs but really being in character. Overall though, I'd much rather cast an actor who sings than a singer who acts.
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