legit singers

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:59pm

There seem to be fewer and fewer legit-singing stars. Anyone know of any other star-level legit singers besides:

Audra McDonald
Kristin Chenoweth
Laura Benanti
Brian Stokes
Anthony Warlow (not Bway, but he's a star)
Jennifer Westfeldt (not really a star, but she was up for a Tony)

Why are there fewer and fewer Bway legit singers these days? Any ideas?

[Plum]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:00pm

Because they prefer the pop or rock sound. Simple as that.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:02pm

Michael Arden (besides dropping out of Juliard)
Heather Headley

Updated On: 8/27/04 at 06:02 PM

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:04pm

Marin Mazzie

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:17pm

who is this mysterious "they" that prefer that kind of a sound?

Also, I wouldn't say Mike Arden is legit. he's pretty boy pop.

And Marin Mazzie has kind of a legit sound, I suppose. Good point.

As far as Heather goes...she can sing anything. I'm in love with her heart.

[Kelliexo90]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:19pm

What do you mean by legit singers?

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:21pm

I suppose what I mean by legit is someone who primarily sings in what is typically more of an operatic tone as opposed to a pop/belt tone. I didn't know this terminology was confusing to anyone.

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:06pm

Legit usually means they were trained solely classical, and have icorporated those skills into their broadway/pop sound.

Michael Arden is VERY legit, the classical training he's had is impeccable, it's Juilliard after all.

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:14pm

rebecca lucker
laura benantti(sp)

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:15pm

OMG, you said Anthony Warlow. LOVE HIM!!! He is def. my idol.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:23pm

Many of the performers who have starred in Les Miz are legit, because it requires that legit sound. Particularly the roles Valjean, Fantine, and Javert.

[shira467]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:26pm

Bernadette Peters
Marc Kudisch

[Plum]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 7:32pm

"They" would be both singers who don't want to train classically because they have ambitions to be pop artists rather than opera singers, and casting directors working for pop/rock shows, which are much more common nowadays than they were years ago.

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 8:20pm

Did you all forget Julie Andrews? There is also Barbara Cook. Well those are ones of the past unfortunately. If you are talking of current ones, most of the ones I would be able to come up with were mentioned and I love each and every one of them. I hate the popish sound.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 8:25pm

first off juliard can only help so much- they're a horrible shrill girl in my school who's attempts to sing operatically sounded like nails on a chalkboard

however i think brent barrett (chicago) is fairly legit

[Jon]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 9:23pm

George Hearn
Mark Jacoby
Cris Groendaal
Greg Edelman
Sally Murphy
Melissa Dye

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 9:31pm

Sutton Foster

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 9:39pm

Updated On: 8/29/04 at 09:39 PM

[ShineOn]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:47am

Since WHEN is Sutton Foster a LEGIT singer?! Or Bernadette Peters for that matter????

Kerry Butler?! I've never heard the girl sing a legit song in my life.


Seriously, folks. Let's get clear on what legit singing IS...

Julia Murney... not a legit singer.

Laura Benanti? Legit singer.

See the difference?

Kelli O'Hara is a legit singer.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:50am

Updated On: 8/29/04 at 12:50 AM

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:42am

Marc Kudisch, Kristen Chenoweth, Stokes, Audra

Frankly, I don't know how these pop performers do eight shows a week. My voice would sound like gravel.
And NO, it is not because producers PREFER that pop sound. It's because there are a lot of composers now who write pop music rather than traditional musical theatre music. Some performers are able to adapt their sound like Kristen. Others..nah so much, and they come off sounding kind of out of place.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 3:01am

Michael Arden is VERY legit, the classical training he's had is impeccable, it's Juilliard after all.

Actually, Michael went to Juilliard for classical acting. Though knowing Juilliard's reputation, they probably gave him some training in classical voice as well. He sure can employ that gorgeous voice of his - his control of his falsetto is impeccable, which to me is indicative of someone with classical vocal training. (Pop/rock vocalists usually can't control their falsetto and blend it with their chest voice nearly as well as Michael can.)

I still don't understand how one can differentiate a "classical" voice vs. a "pop/rock" voice, because a) the same vocalist can probably do both, and b) these are less qualities in the voice itself and are more qualities of how the vocalist executes the song, ie. their intonation, use of vibrato, range, volume and projection, emotion, etc.

Well, Kerry and Sutton were in Les Mis.

They probably played Eponine, right? The roles in Les Miz that require a really strong classical voice are Fantine, Valjean (in range and use of head voice), Javert, and most interpretations of Cosette. Marius too, but recently the role has been done with a more "poppy" voice.

Updated On: 8/28/04 at 03:01 AM

[Che2be]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 6:42am

SUSAN EGAN?!! The girl has a horrible voice coach- I know I used to go to her!!

And the woman has horrible pitch problems... has anyone heard that solo album?!!

Updated On: 8/28/04 at 06:42 AM

[MrsPooh523]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 9:26am

OK-- usually, I spend most of the time on this board reading these posts...I can't help myself though on this topic- I have to respond...as a "Legit" singer, I will tell you the reason you see less and less of them, is because is harder! It requires painstaking years and years of vocal training. If you have mastered "legit" singing, you are able to have a seemless vocal range including using a belt voice. Think of singers such as Liz Callaway, Rebecca Luker, Jai Rodriguez, Kristin Chenoweth--- all of these singers and many more have the ability to do both-sing classically and belt, because the truth of the matter is-- if you can sing legit, you can do just about anything...its all about technique.

[dramafreak13]

Posted: 8/28/04 at 11:07am

sutton and bernadette are not legit singers, they belt constantly. doesnt mean they arent good, they just arent legit.

audra mcdonald
anthony warlow
brian stokes mitchell
kristen chenoweth
julie andrews