Excavating the Song: a Practical Guide for the

Singing Actor

Selected resources compiled and written by Neal Richardson

Fall 2010

Excavating the Song: a Practical Guide for the Singing Actor

The Challenge

We all have favorite singers—ones who inspired us and helped us to decide to follow the dream of musical theatre. Some of your favorites may include Judy Garland, Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Liz Callaway, Audra McDonald, Alfred Drake, Marc Kudisch, Brian Stokes Mitchell or Gavin Creel. These singing actors are unquestionably great, but what makes their performances so compelling? Is it simply their voices? Their acting skills? Their personality? Or is it combination of these? And what do they have in common? Did they attend one of the great musical theatre training institutions? Do they share similar interpretative styles? Did they coach with great coaches? Each of their journeys to greatness was different and so was their training. Your path will be your own too. You may say, “I am a good singer and a good actor, what else do I need except the chance for a breakthrough role?” You may have many skills in your back pocket but there are probably still some things you have difficulty with. You may struggle with do with your hands when you sing, or where your focus should be, or difficulty in auditions. The resources you hold in your hand hope to address these things and many others. It is a work in progress and is by no means completed. This is the first edition and there will be additions in coming years. There is a great chance that some of the things discussed here will be things you already know well. There may be, however, other things that will inspire an “ah-ha” moment. Some things may frustrate you. Some things may thrill you. Some things may bore you and some things may just be the break-through you need in your performance. I encourage you to engage with the tasks detailed here and give them a chance to work. Without a doubt, the skills required of the modern singing actor pose an enormous challenge. The objective of this resource is to simplify and clearly articulate some of the tasks you will be doing on a daily basis for a very long time.

Rules Do we need rules for something as ephemeral and specialized as singing a song on stage? Judy Garland breaks many of the so-called rules. Does that mean she’s not a good performer? Of course not. The guidelines here will simply give you a starting point from which you can employ your unique creative gifts. Let me restate that, it is a starting point only. Some of the activities in this resource may not work for every singing or acting opportunity, but, as the saying goes, you can’t break the rules unless you know what rules you’re breaking. If you go into each opportunity without a process, you are reinventing the wheel with each song. In your career you will be asked to sing many different kinds of songs. Some of these songs will be classics. Some will be clunkers. Some songs you will “get” immediately and some

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may have you throwing up your hands in despair. With these resources however, you will have tools in your tool chest to tackle many issues you will face.

Three Things There are three things that make up a great performance of a song: singing, acting and musicality. Singing pertains to the vocal sound and may include things such as tone color, pitch and breath support. When we speak of acting in a song, as opposed to acting in a straight play, we mean things like, does the singer communicate the story of the song clearly, do they inhabit the physical life of the character, and is there a connection between singer and material? It is unquestionable that when you add the subjective, sensuous element of music, the situation is elevated. When studying the recent musical, Legally Blond, I was struck by how often exclamation points appear in the lyric. This is because the writers had fashioned the book, music and lyrics to express moments of elevated emotion or need in the songs. Omigod!!! Musical theatre acting isn’t exactly naturalistic. And yet, in the today’s productions of new shows and in revivals of classics, naturalism, or maybe more specifically, realism, is the style of our time. Audiences today want “real.” If it’s not real then it’s fake. But naturalism and musical theatre aren’t exactly compatible. The scale of musical theatre is much bigger than our daily lives, not to mention that there is an orchestra accompanying us as we sing about the things we want from life on stage. I do believe, however, that realism and musical theatre are a perfect match. The humanity, the warmth, the pure emotion of music is directly related to the kinds of things we think, feel and do on a daily basis. The third element is one that is oftentimes the scariest for singers–musicality. You may struggle with learning music or you may know that you are not taping into a song’s full potential. The most exciting singers are the ones who can take what the composer and lyricist have given them a make it extra-special. A part of this intangible quality is musicality. If we were suddenly unable to see your performance, would we still be able to understand the moments from what we were hearing? A great performance is more than correct notes and rhythm. Sometimes singing the correct notes and rhythm lacks musicality. This may seem like a paradox. Music notation is highly imprecise and it takes a great deal of sensitivity and study to sing stylistically.

The Challenge There is no other kind of singer working today that has more asked of them than the musical theatre singer. You are asked to belt, asked to sing so-called legit, asked to sing pop and rock, asked to sing in jazz styles, and asked to sing in a style that can only be called the Golden Era musical theatre style, something that is an amalgamation of many styles. You are also asked to do the work of an actor: to be “in the moment”, to pursue objectives, and to embody the life of your character. This is a Herculean task and I haven’t even mentioned dancing! The objective of this resource is to help the singing actor become more confident in their work and to dig deeper into a song. Its aim is no less than to help you truly excavate all the amazing things that are waiting for you and your audience. You are on your way to greatness!

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Contents

...............Introduction to Song Study: Standards 5 .......................................The Actor’s Homework 16

.....................The Actor’s Homework Worksheet 26...............................................Music Preparation 30

.....................................................Cabaret Styles 39...................................Worksheet: Book Musical 41

Worksheet: I Am Song ........................................ 45.........................Audition Book Song Categories 49

...............................Post-Millennium Composers 51........................................................Bibliography 53

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Introduction to Song Study: A Step-by-step Guide to Preparing a Standard

Nearly every song you sing will already have been sung by countless other performers. You may ask yourself, “How can I bring something new to this song?” or “How can I make my interpretation of this song unique and interesting?” The things we do in Song Study are a response to these questions. Your interpretation of any song begins with a thorough understanding of the music and lyrics as well as how these two are interrelated. A great performance will also mean making smart choices that will lead you toward a nuanced, original and specific final performance. Always begin by reading the lyric. No matter how much you like the music, a song is not a good choice for you if you do not connect meaningfully with the lyric. For this guide I have chosen a great standard that is not eligible for class—“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter. Essentially, the lyric is about the effect the other’s absence causes. While it is tempting to look at this as a sad lyric and concentrate on the negative aspects, I will always encourage you to make an attempt to find the positive in every song. While a losing arc or a serendipity arc are possible for this song, a winning arc is nearly always preferable. To borrow from the cliché, it is like looking at the glass half full rather than half empty. The reason a standard from the first part of the 20th century is such a good starting point for song study is that the dramatic layout and form of the song is so clear. This particular song, like many other standard ballads, begins with a verse followed by a refrain with an ABAB form. We will discuss form in just a bit. The verse sets up the circumstances and conflict within the song and then the refrain allows each performer who sings the song a wide variety of interpretations of the basic story. Standards have a wonderful combination of specific action and story mixed with a certain openness to interpretation.

Ev’ry Time We Say GoodbyeFrom Seven Lively Arts Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

Verse:We love each other so deeply / That I ask you this, sweetheart Why should we quarrel ever, / Why can't we be enough clever, Never to part?

Refrain:Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I die a little Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I wonder why a little Why the gods above me / Who must be in the know Think so little of me / They allow you to go

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When you're near / There's such an air of spring about it I can hear a lark somewhere / Begin to sing about it There's no love song finer, But how strange the change from major to minor Ev'ry time we say goodbye Ev'ry single time we say goodbye

Context and Situation It is traditional to take classic American popular songs from the first half of the 20th century out of their show contexts, even when they were written for a stage musical or film. “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” first appeared in Seven Lively Arts—an interesting musical revue that celebrated a variety of art forms including music, theatre, ballet and painting. The context of this song in its original setting, while interesting, is of no real value to a modern audience. It will be much more interesting and valuable to you as a student of song study to create your own story. There will be, of course, times when you will need to sing a song using the givens of the show that it is from. For now, we can be creative with the situation. Begin by reading the verse carefully. Look for keywords and phrases. Also look for the song’s conflict. All great dramatic literature has conflict and that conflict is the fuel for a strong performance. Great lyrics are poetry, and as such, they contain hidden treasures that you must discover through thoughtful excavation. Failure to do the excavation to find these treasures runs the risk of a performance lacking specificity and nuance. A few keywords or phrases in this verse are “love,” “deeply,” “sweetheart,” “quarrel,” “clever,” and “never to part.” While we are discussing verses, it is useful to think about how the Verse/Refrain song form came about and how verses function in relationship to the refrain. A song that begins with a verse comes out of early musical theatre as a way to transition seamlessly from dialogue to a true song. Without the verse, the transition could be awkward or even laughable. We can understand the verse as having a characteristic more closely aligned with speech—more rhythmically free and less about melody and more about setting up the context for the refrain. In the analysis that follows, I differentiate between objective observations and subjective observations. The objective observations are based directly on meanings inherent in the words of the lyrics. The subjective observations are the ones you, the performer, make about a song. You must begin with the objective observations which are in black and white in the text. These are the ones that any singer coming to the material, no matter their stylistic differences will or should see. From the text, we can draw the conclusion that the singer has a significant love for the other, enough to use the word “sweetheart.” But there is a conflict involving something that causes them to be separated. With this separation comes quarreling. The singer wishes that the two of them could be smart enough, or clever enough, to find a way to not be separated. This is the objective observation. Next comes the subjective interpretation.

Subjective Interpretation By the time you begin this step of the work, you should have written out the lyrics in longhand and taken note of the punctuation. Punctuation is especially important later when we choose where to take breaths. The commas in the verse after “this” and “clever” will be places

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that cry out for a slight pause (if not a full breath) before the next word. The act of writing the lyrics cannot be over emphasized. It is too easy to overlook details and slowing down to write the lyrics will force you to take a deeper look. Consider what questions remain that need to be answered and which answers will lead to a more satisfying performance. Think carefully about what is not in the lyric. What is left unstated between the lines? You may ask, “Why are these two separating?” and “What is the nature of the relationship?” and “How long have they known each other” and “How long are they separated?” There are other questions that may occur to you. The big question that is among the first that must be answered is “Who is the other?” The answer to this question will inform nearly every other question and answer. I find that many, if not most, song study students choose the most obvious answers to their questions. The conventional wisdom is that the answers with the most angst provide the greatest fuel for a performance. There is a logic to this way of thinking and I applaud strong choices. But “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”, with its slow tempo and static melody, has a musical and an emotional intensity that may lead you down the wrong path. Remember, the positive choice is usually the better one. Some may choose a situation where the other is a spouse and that the two are separating due to irreconcilable differences. Maybe there is a divorce looming or maybe a lover is choosing to enter the military during a time of war to avoid a marriage proposal. While these kinds of choices may result in a useful analysis leading to a satisfying interpretation, I will ask you to make positive choices as you do this work for the first time.

Sample Interpretations Situation 1: A 20-year old college student with a girlfriend of one year has to say goodbye to his sweetheart, Grace, for summer break. Grace wanted them to stay at college during the summer and take classes together and spend time at the beach. He needs to work to earn money for college and the best place for him to do this is at home in his family’s business. They quarrel over this repeatedly. The reason he needs to sing this now is because it is the last day before summer break and his father needs him for a big project in the morning. He must catch the train and convince his sweetheart that he will call her everyday, that he will miss her terribly and that his love for her is real and lasting. Lyrics such as “I die a little” are evidence of how enduring his love is for her. “The gods who think so little of him” is perhaps not so much from a sense of desperation or sadness but a somewhat comic hyperbole. Maybe he is using poetry and humor at the same time. It is an excellent tactic. The lyric “They allow you to go” must be reinterpreted in the singer’s mind to mean “They allow us to be separated.” You will need to do minor reinterpretations such as this often in your work if it does not destroy the intent of the lyric.

Situation 2: A young mother must say goodbye to her 7-year-old daughter who is going to summer camp. She must sing these words to comfort her daughter before she gets on the bus. The daughter feels as if she is being punished by being sent away. The mother sings this song to reassure her that she’s not being punished and that she will be missed terribly. She will be coming back in a month and everything will be the same when she returns.

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The benefit in choosing a situation like this is that the moment is quite rich. The mother is upset about having to say goodbye but must put on a brave face to comfort the child and to keep her from crying. While there is sadness and longing, it becomes more about the love the mother has for the daughter than the separation. It has conflict, but it is more positive than negative. As a side note, we are often told to make life and death choices in our acting. This is wise advice, but can lead us to a morass of angst and “feeling sorry for one’s self.” This is a trap that is to be avoided at all costs. Musical theatre songs are at their most powerful when they are about working through a problem by making positive, life-affirming choices. “The sun’ll come up tomorrow/bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there’ll be sun” and “Look for the silver lining/whene’er a cloud appears in the blue” are two great examples. You may think these songs are corny but they are great theatre.

Analyzing the Refrain Once you have created the situation for your song, the real work of interpretation begins. Often people make the mistake of stopping their exploration and asking questions once they have created the situation. This is only the beginning of the process. You will need to analyze the poetry, analyze the form, consider the ways that the music and the lyrics are related, then look for ways to keep the song “in motion.” You must find ways for the song to progress through time such that discoveries are made and that there is a clear beginning, middle and end. Remember, lyrics are poetry. Let’s look at the poetic devices in the refrain.

Rhyme Musical scheme form

Ev'ry time we say goodbye / I die a little A AEv'ry time we say goodbye / I wonder why a little A

Why the gods above me / Who must be in the know B BThink so little of me / They allow you to go B

When you're near / There's such an air of spring about it C AI can hear a lark somewhere / Begin to sing about it C

There's no love song finer, D B But how strange the change from major to minor DEv'ry time we say goodbye E

Ev'ry single time we say goodbye E Coda

The refrain falls into a traditional scheme of four pairs of rhymed couplets (A,A,B,B,C,C,D,D) with a coda. The Coda, or tag, has two lines, each of which ends with “goodbye.” The rhymes in each A section are notable because they are quadruple rhymes – “die a little” rhymes with “why a little” and “spring about it” rhymes with “sing about it.” A good

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rhyme emphasizes important words. The italicized words are made more important because of their rhyme. You will need to consider why these rhymed words are important. The two B sections contain the rhyming pairs of know/go and finer/minor. The musical form of this song is ABAB with a tag. This means that the first section and the third section of the refrain are closely related, or are an exact repetition (with different lyrics, of course). The second section and the last section are also related. Note that we call this last section a “B” even though it ends differently than the first B section. Cole Porter then adds an additional 4 bars of music for the lyric, “Ev’ry single time we say goodbye.” Approximately 15 percent of standards have an ABAB form. The most common form, AABA, is found so frequently that it is referred to as “Song Form.” Most American popular songs of this period were composed first and the lyrics were added later. But since Cole Porter was both the composer and lyricist for this song, we are not sure which came first. According to at least one source1, Porter’s lyrics may have come first. Whichever the case, it is clear that there is much word painting2 in the refrain. Each A section is notable in that the melody stays fixed on a single note (eight repetitions!) before changing pitch (figure 1). The note change always corresponds with an important word like “die” and “why.”

Figure 1

This static melody may suggest a sense of hesitation or a desire to make time stop. The B sections are much more melodic and higher in pitch (see measure 19 and following in the full song reproduced in figure 2, below). This musical change is in response to the lyric, “Why the gods above me . . . Think so little of me” and “There’s no love song finer.” At the end of the second B section, there is a remarkable musical moment when the lyric, “the change from major to minor” is reflected in a change in harmony from A-flat major to A-flat minor. Other instances of word painting are discussed in figure 2 (below). You might wonder why this is important or how someone without an advanced degree in music theory can find such connections between the music and lyric. The reason this is important is that great songs work on multiple levels. When the art forms of music and poetry are combined, the results are complex and subtle. If you are singing a great song, it is your responsibility to understand it to the best of your ability. Finding these kinds of connections does not take any special knowledge but it does take time and careful listening.

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1 Forte, Allen. Interview with Andrew Ford. The Music Show. January 4, 2003

2 Word painting is the musical technique of writing music which reflects the literal meaning of a song

Digging Deeper into the Refrain Now that you have a better understanding of the refrain’s structure, you can put your “actor hat” back on. You have answered many of the questions from the “Actor’s Homework” such as “Who is the singer?”, “Who are you singing to?”, “Where are you?”, and “Why do you need to say these words?” We have not addressed the all-important question: “What changes during the song?” The refrain falls into 4 sections of approximately 8 bars each. There is no fixed rule about this, but I encourage you to give each of these sections a difference action. It is possible to combine sections into a single action but having 5 actions, the four from the refrain plus and additional action for the verse, will give the song more shape, more variety and more colors. I have chosen situation #1 from above: A college student with a girlfriend of one year has to say goodbye to his girlfriend for the summer. Here is a reminder of the situation.

A 20-year old college student with a girlfriend of one year has to say goodbye to his sweetheart, Grace, for the summer. Grace wanted them to stay at college during the summer and take classes together and spend time at the beach. He needs to work to earn money for college and the best place for him to do this is at home in his family’s business. They quarrel over this constantly. The reason he needs to sing this now is because it is the last day before summer break and his father needs him for a big project in the morning. He must catch the train and convince his sweetheart that he will call her everyday, that he will miss her terribly and that his love for her is real and lasting.

The pertinent details of this situation are:1. I need Grace to know that I will return to her after summer break if I can make money at

home.2. I need Grace to understand that I must earn money this summer or I cannot return to school in

the fall. 3. I know that Grace is very upset with the fact that I am leaving.4. I don’t want to fight about this anymore. 5. I must catch the train.6. I have to tell Grace all of these things carefully or I run the risk of leaving on a sour note.7. I want Grace to be okay and to understand that I must leave. I need for her to accept this

decision.8. I need Grace to know that my love for her is real and lasting.

These are the givens. They are the things that I must accomplish during the song. Writing out these details help to give structure the song. Always phrase these statements as I have done, beginning each sentence with: “I (action verb)___________”. Once you have done this work, you can create the defining sentence: “This is a song about a college student, me, who needs my girlfriend to understand that I must work during the summer so that I can be with her in the fall. I need her to understand that our relationship can stand three months of separation.”

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What follows is an example of how I might assign different actions, based on our givens, to each section to give the song a clear shape.

Lyrics and Action Verbs

We love each other so deeplyThat I ask you this, sweetheart Why should we quarrel everWhy can't we be enough clever Never to part

Prepare. I know this could be very difficult so I must prepare Grace for the words I need to say by assuring her that I do love her and that I do not want to live my life without her. The tone of this opening verse will be very conversational and yet loving.

Ev'ry time we say goodbye I die a little Ev'ry time we say goodbyeI wonder why a little

Convince. I must convince Grace that I have to leave or I cannot return in the fall. I will use logic. While my action is to persuade, I have to be careful with my words so as not to allow her to interrupt me. I must be firm but gentle. This will likely prompt me to sing this passage with a great deal of legato (connection from note to note).

Why the gods above meWho must be in the know Think so little of meThey allow you to go

Tease. I need to bring in a little humor at this point because she is beginning to get upset. I will cry out to the gods about how unfair the situation is and do so in an overly dramatic way to get her to laugh, or at least smile. When I say, “They allow you to go,” I really mean that the gods have created a situation where I have to leave in order to work for my father. I hope that by giving this a heightened tone that she will first understand how hard this is for me and also laugh. This will prompt me to make much of the fact that the tune becomes much more melodic and higher. I will “milk” this in a playful manner.

When you're nearThere's such an air of spring about it I can hear a lark somewhereBegin to sing about it

Overwhelm. I will shower her with my affection and the beauty of my words. I want her to know what her presence does to me and how hard it will be for me to be away from her. I need her to know that my love is real and lasting. This will cause me to sing with a great deal of warmth and expression.

There's no love song finer, But how strange the change from major to minor Ev'ry time we say goodbye

Ready. I need to ready her for my departure because the train is here now. I may want to speed up this section a bit because I have to get on the train.

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Ev'ry single time we say goodbye Kiss. The last moment is a loving goodbye kiss.

These five verbs are just some that are possible. Work to achieve a sequence of actions that vary in texture and emotion. The verbs will delineate beats and give structure to the song. Notice that in my sequence of verbs there is a variety of actions and tactics. Creating this kind of variety will give your interpretation distinctive qualities that will set it apart from other interpretations. You will find a more detailed discussion of action verbs in the next chapter.

Putting your Choices into Action All of this work is well and good but is only theoretical until we make the song “live” in real time, moment to moment. The only way to do this is by building it layer upon layer. The image of a pyramid is helpful. All the work we have done thus far has laid the foundation of the pyramid. Now we must build upon this solid foundation by doing the “Song as Monologue” exercises.

1. Using a high level of vocal energy, speak the words without inflection with speed so that the words form on your tongue without stops and starts. The purpose of this is to aid in memorizing and getting the words securely into your muscle memory. Do this until you can do it without any hesitation. Do not do this, however, so quickly that the words have no meaning. You may also choose to speak the lyrics as a dramatic recitation, savoring the images and biting into the words as you might bite into an apple. In class, we refer to this activity as the “One-B.”

2. Physicalize the active verbs in each beat hearing the lyrics in your head but without speaking them. Once a section is finished, move on to the next verb. If it will be helpful, have a friend hold up cue cards with that verb written on it to remind you. Start in a neutral position (focus forward Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. Then when you see the inciting event, begin to hear the monologue in your head while employing complete physical involvement. Don't plan what you are going to do. Let it be spontaneous.

3. Physicalize the monologue while saying the lyrics. Start in a neutral position (focus forward, Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. When you see the inciting event. begin to speak the monologue with complete physical involvement. This is not a verbal exercise, it is physical. Whisper or shout if you need to. Get down on the floor or stand on a chair if it is appropriate. The lyrics are of secondary importance to the physical life.

4. Next, speak the monologue keeping in mind the active verbs you assigned to each beat. The words to the monologue become more important than in the previous exercise but allow your body to respond to the action of the monologue. You may use the cue cards again. Keep your focus forward, center and on your partner. Have a friend stand in for you scene partner if you find that helpful. Do an improvisation with a friend standing in for the scene partner to clearly establish the pre-beat.

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5. Having the pianist only play chords or a simple, out of tempo, accompaniment, sing the song repeating step 4. Take the same pauses you would take while doing the monologue.

6. Next, have the pianist play the actual accompaniment as you sing the song. Physicalize each moment to the degree you feel is appropriate. Do not allow the accompaniment to make your work less specific.

Conclusion Doing all of this work is crucial in making your performance more specific, detailed and nuanced. It may seem time-consuming and maybe even frustrating. But if you do it, step-by-step, and build it layer upon layer, it will show. You will find that the song will be shaped organically, moment to moment with a clear beginning, middle and end. You will also find that being specific will keep you from getting distracted with thoughts such as, “How am I doing?” or “Do I sound okay? or “What do I do with my hand?” Your singing will be more effortless and your work more specific.

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Figure 2

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Excavating the Song: The Actor’s HomeworkExcavate [eks-kuh-veyt]—to expose or lay bare as if by digging

It can be very exciting to begin work on a new song, but is can also be overwhelming when there are so many things to think about and questions to answer. You may be confused as to where to begin. For instance, you might understand the situation presented in the song because you have seen the musical, but you may get lost in knowing how to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. Below you will find a detailed process for excavating and exploring your song. In this resource, I will assume you know a least a little bit about the show your song is from but I will ask you, for now, to take songs out of the context of the show. It is useful to approach new material this way (when you are not preparing a role) as it opens up so many avenues for you as an actor. The creative practice of imagining your own situation and defining your character will serve you in all your work and awaken your mind to even more possibilities when you are preparing a role. Some of this work may feel like playwriting. That is intentional. The questions ask you to think creatively about the song and really explore its potential. If you get stuck someplace along the way, consider taking a few steps back to see if one of your earlier answers is blocking you off from a more interesting choice. It is my hope that you will find this fun as well as challenging.

1. Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

Song title: Dancing Through LifeComposer/Lyricist: Stephen SchwartzShow Title: Wicked

The trouble with school is they always try to teach the wrong lesson. Believe me, I’ve been kicked out of enough to them to know. They want you to become less callow, less shallow, but I say, “Why invite stress in? Stop studying strife and learn to live the unexamined life’”… Dancing through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth. Life’s more painless for the brainless. Why think too hard when it’s so soothing? Dancing through life? No need to tough it when you can slough it off as I do. Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters. It’s just life so keep dancing through… Dancing through life, swaying and sweeping, and always keeping cool. Life is fraughtless when you’re thoughtless. Those who don’t try never look foolish… Dancing through life…Mindless and careless, make sure you’re where less trouble is rife… Woes are fleeting, blows are glancing…when you’re dancing through life… Let’s go down to the Ozdust Ballroom. We’ll meet there later tonight. We can dance till it’s light. Find the prettiest girl…Give ‘er a whirl right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom–Come on follow me, you’ll be happy to be there…Dancing through life, down at the Ozdust, if only because dust is what we come to…Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. It’s just life so keep dancing through.

2. What are the facts of the song? In other words, looking only at the lyrics without adding your interpretation, what can we deduce about the character and situation? This can be called the objective interpretation.

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It’s about a guy who thinks that life shouldn’t taken too seriously and that just having fun is the best way to live.

3. Once we have deduced the facts, now begin thinking about your interpretation of the song by answering the following questions. This will will lead you to your subjective interpretation of the song.

A. Who is the Singer? Describe your idea of the character using specific and precise statements.He’s not very bright. He is afraid of not succeeding. He is good-looking. For him, success is having the best time with the prettiest girl. Underneath his exterior, he’s insecure.

B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict.I am singing to the prettiest girl in my class, Samantha, who also happens to the best student in school.

C. When is it?At the end of last period. I’ve just seen her talking and flirting with my biggest rival, Roger.

D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you.Outside the library–she was flirting with Roger in the library just before this.

E. Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better. I’ve just broken up with my girlfriend and the prom is this weekend. The idea of not going to the prom is unthinkable and if I don’t go, I’ll consider myself a failure. So will all my friends.

F. What changes during the song?I’m able to convince her to go with me.

G. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it?I want her to say yes. If I don’t get it, my status as the most popular guy in school will be lost. That is the most important thing to me and the thing that my self-worth is based on.

H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?My girlfriend just broke up with me. I can’t wait until tomorrow because she might go to the prom with Roger.

Write a defining sentence. This sentence will be, in essence a shorthand for the actor’s journey through the song. This is a song about a boy (a girl, a man, Dr. Monroe), me, that _______________________. These words should sum up in a concise sentence or two your version of what happens during the song and what your objective is. Note that this sentence may include both the objective observations about the lyric and your subjective interpretation.This is a song about a guy, me, that needs to hold on to his status as the coolest guy in school. I must convince Samantha to go with me to the prom or risk losing that status.

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Notice how different this sentence is from the one above: “It’s about a guy who thinks that life shouldn’t taken too seriously and that just having fun is the best way to live.” This is the difference between objective and subjective interpretation.

Being Specific

Now that the objective of the song has been explored, it’s time to get more specific with the song’s moments. It is a good time to consider the arc of your song. There are four possible arcs:

1. The winning arc2. The losing arc3. The “ending up where you started” arc4. The serendipity arc - ending in a place you hadn’t anticipated.

The most common arc is the winning arc and it’s the one best suited for an audition. The arc of our song, “Dancing Through Life,” is certainly a winning arc as the singer is able to get Samantha to go to the prom with him by the end. You might want to choose a good place for her to agree to go to the prom with you. This can be a powerful moment.

Defining Beats in the SongLet’s move to a different song, one with a losing arc and get more specific. “I Had a Dream About You” from Maury Yeston’s December Songs.

I had a dream about you, we were together again as we had always been. It was the happiest dream I think I ever have had that you and I’ve been in. It was a dream I don’t need to explain. We’re in the care and We’re driving in Maine. It’s so incredibly beautiful I don’t know where to begin. We’re driving into the night and from a magical height we see two orange moons, they’re hangin’ up in the sky like a pair of contented balloons. And as we stare into space in astonishment, I turn to look at your face and you kiss me… All in an instant inside of a wonderful dream. Oh, I remember two orange moons rise in the sky to sound of loons and you were there, my dream. I had a dream about you, we were together again, an old familiar pair. It was the kind of a dream so absolutely convincing you believe you’re there. The open road and the dotted white lines, the crispy smell in the air of the pines, the overwhelming sensation you’re up and awake everywhere… And when we look in the sky, they’re getting higher and higher, those two orange moons. There’s one for you and for me and, impossibly, both of them gleam. And I am holding your hand for eternity and you’re beginning to say that you love me. If only it really had happened, if only it all really happened. I had a dream about you but, of course it was only a dream…It was only a dream…It was only a dream…I had a dream about you but, of course, it was only a dream.

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What are the facts of the song? It’s about a women relating her dream to her former partner. It starts nicely but by the end, she knows that this dream is not reality.

Who is the singer? Describe the character using definite statements. She is 28 years old and works in a bookstore that she owns. She’s very intellectual but has difficulty in staying in a relationship.

Who are you singing to? Choose a person or person that will create interest and conflict. I am singing to my boyfriend, Frank. We broke-up over our disagreements about having a child. He wanted a child. I am not ready.

When is it? It’s 11:00 AM.

Where are you? We’ve run into each other unexpectedly at Starbucks. It’s like it was ordained by the stars!

Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better. I’ve just come from my therapist where we were talking about my relationship with Frank. We did not, however, talk about the dream because we ran out of time. The dream has been going through my mind constantly though. I’ve been trying to figure out what the two moons in the song mean. When I see him, I can’t help myself. I’m so happy to see him and without thinking about the wisdom of it, I start into my dream.

What changes during the song? I finally hits me for the first time that there is no chance for us. I see from his reaction, that he wants to desperately leave. As I tell him the dream, I can see how uncomfortable he is. He was never a fan of fact that I was so into my head. The meaning of “of course, it was only a dream” changes during the song. The first time I say it, I’m trying to make fun of myself and make light of the fact that I’m “in my head” again. By the end of the song, it’s as if I’m waking from the dream of us ever being together.

What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it? I’m 28. I’m not ready to have a child but I am more than ready to have my “one great love.” I thought Frank was it. I thought we could work through our issues with children. I’ve placed everything, my hope for security, my dreams for a house and financial security on Frank. If I don’t win Frank back, and this is my last chance, I will work in the bookstore all my life and never fulfill my dreams of becoming a writer.

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Why sing this song now? Well, we are here together unexpectedly and I have to get back to the store.

Write your defining sentence. These words should sum up in a concise sentence or two your version of what happens during the song and what your objective is. Note that this sentence may include both the objective observations about the lyric and your subjective interpretation. This is a story about me, Janice, who needs to seize this opportunity to win back the man I love in order to achieve the security I am lacking.

Basis Structural Music AnalysisAn examination of the song’s musical structure will help you complete your work. Look for verse and refrain in songs before 1970 and for verse, chorus and bridge in songs after 1970. There is more about musical form in the next chapter. Also look for repeated musical sections. Below are some additional guidelines for structural analysis that will help in breaking down the song into beats. These places usually mark beat changes.

1. The change from verse to refrain.2. The change between sections (i.e. from A to B or from B back to A). Most standards and

Golden Era musical theatre begin with a verse and progress to the refrain. In the refrain, there are often at least four sections of music (i.e. A, B and possible C). In pop/rock inflected musical theatre, this terminology is changed to Verse, Chorus and Bridge with the most common form being Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus with a possible Bridge someplace.

3. Changes in tempo4. Changes in style5. Changes in accompaniment

Read the lyric again and mark places that seem like appropriate beat changes. You will also want to take musical structure and changes into consideration. The form of this song is unusual: AABAAC.

The Song Broken Down into Beats

Having looked at the song structurally, we can break it down into beats.

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I had a dream about you, we were together again as we had always been. It was the happiest dream I think I ever have had that you and I’ve been in. It was a dream I don’t need to explain. We’re in the car and we’re driving in Maine. It’s so incredibly beautiful I don’t know where to begin.

The first A section, rolling accompaniment. She begins telling a story, a nice story about her dream. She awakens him in order to get his attention. She is successful.

We’re driving into the night and from a magical height we see two orange moons, they’re hangin’ up in the sky like a pair of contented balloons. And as we stare into space in astonishment, I turn to look at your face and you kiss me… All in an instant inside of a wonderful dream.

The second A section. Same accompaniment. The dream gets stranger with the image of two moons but concludes with a kiss. She seduces him with this exotic story in order that he will find her charming and kiss her. In the dream he kisses her but in actuality, he does not. She is unsuccessful.

Oh, I remember two orange moons rise in the sky to sound of loons and you were there, my dream.

B section, the accompaniment changes. No new dramatic information. She is reminding him of the image of the two moons. She worries that she is losing his attention so she chases him by reminding him that this is a magical dream with two moons, one that represents her and one that represents him. She is successful in the objective which heartens her, propelling the song to a higher key.

I had a dream about you, we were together again, an old familiar pair. It was the kind of a dream so absolutely convincing you believe you’re there. The open road and the dotted white lines, the crispy smell in the air of the pines, the overwhelming sensation you’re up and awake everywhere… And when we look in the sky, they’re getting higher and higher, those two orange moons. There’s one for you and for me and, impossibly, both of them gleam. And I am holding your hand for eternity and you’re beginning to say that you love me.

Key change! Back to the accompaniment of the A sections. The situation intensifies with the key change. With the key change, her objective is to encourage him to kiss her and tell her that he will love her forever. She is unsuccessful in this objective.

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If only it really had happened, if only it all really happened. I had a dream about you but, of course it was only a dream…It was only a dream…It was only a dream…I had a dream about you but, of course, it was only a dream.

New musical material. She realizes for the first time that they will never be together and this is less of a dream and more of a nightmare, the repeated “It was only a dream” is as if the singer is waking up to the reality of the doomed relationship. She ends up in a place she didn’t know she would end up. This is not what she expected. She realizes that she will never get what she wants from him. She convinces him to say that everything will be okay. She is unsuccessful.

Avoiding Traps

The danger in singing a song such as this with a loosing arc is to start with that in mind. The actor, who knows how the song will end, needs to remember when beginning this song not to give that ending away. The character doesn’t know how it will end. Playing the end of the song from the outset is the trap of this song. Every song has a trap. It is your job to identify the trap of the song and not fall into it. “Good Thing Going” from Merrily We Roll Along, has a similar trap. In the song, the singer speaks of all the good things that were part of their lives together. He tempers it with some clarifications that not everything was perfect. It is not until the very last word of the song, “going, going, gone,” that the singer must face the truth of the end of the relationship. If you play the end of the relationship at the beginning of the song, there is no arc, only a straight line. How boring!

Finding Useful Action Verbs

It is important that you find verbs that are actable and will inspire your body to move. With so many possibilities, it can be difficult to know where to start. You can begin by thinking about what you are doing to you partner. Are you lifting them or crushing them? Are you reaching out to them or drawing them to you? There are four broad categories of action verbs: two pairs of opposing verbs:

Helping verbs vs. Hurting verbs & Reaching verbs vs. Gathering verbs

The diagram below can help you find related verbs in each category:

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Helping verbs Hurting verbs Reaching verbs Gathering verbs

to uplift to destroy to share to invite

to build to crush to open to welcome

to excite to bombard to push to seduce

to support to mock to reassure to pull

to overwhelm to annihilate to encourage to caress

to celebrate to belittle to convince to charm

Use a thesaurus to help you find others. Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone and Maggie Lloyd-Williams is an especially good resource.

Song as Monologue Here are the suggested steps for doing the song as a monologue. The pianist is not brought into the work until step 5.

1. Using a high level of vocal energy, speak the words without inflection with speed so that the words form on your tongue without stops and starts. The purpose of this is to aid in memorizing and getting the words securely into your muscle memory. Do this until you can do it without any hesitation. Do not do this, however, so quickly that the words have no meaning. You may also choose to speak the lyrics as a dramatic recitation, savoring the images and biting into the words as you might bite into an apple. In class, we refer to this activity as the “One-B.”

2. Physicalize the active verbs in each beat hearing the lyrics in your head but without speaking them. Once a section is finished, move on to the next verb. If it will be helpful, have a friend hold up cue cards with that verb written on it to remind you. Start in a neutral position (focus forward Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. Then when you see the inciting event, begin to hear the monologue in your head while employing complete physical involvement. Don't plan what you are going to do. Let it be spontaneous.

3. Physicalize the monologue while saying the lyrics. Start in a neutral position (focus forward, Center, weight on both feet and arms to your side) by saying to yourself the defining sentence. When you see the inciting event. begin to speak the monologue with complete physical involvement. This is not a verbal exercise, it is

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physical. Whisper or shout if you need to. Get down on the floor or stand on a chair if it is appropriate. The lyrics are of secondary importance to the physical life.

4. Next, speak the monologue keeping in mind the active verbs you assigned to each beat. The words to the monologue become more important than in the previous exercise but allow your body to respond to the action of the monologue. You may use the cue cards again. Keep your focus forward, center and on your partner. Have a friend stand in for you scene partner if you find that helpful. Do an improvisation with a friend standing in for the scene partner to clearly establish the pre-beat.

5. Having the pianist only play chords or a simple, out of tempo, accompaniment, sing the song repeating step 4. Take the same pauses you would take while doing the monologue.

6. Next, have the pianist play the actual accompaniment as you sing the song. Physicalize each moment to the degree you feel is appropriate. Do not allow the accompaniment to make your work less specific.

Please go back and repeat earlier steps until you are secure with each activity.

Pre-beat I’ve mentioned repeating the defining sentence before beginning. This is in order to create a shorthand that will quickly remind you of the objective of the song and its arc. Once you have done that, there is another step before you can begin singing, The “pre-beat” consists of three steps:1. Seeing the event (what do you see?)2. Taking it in (what effect does it have on you?) 3. Responding to it (what is your response?)

In “I Had a Dream About You,” the inciting event is the surprise of seeing Frank at Starbucks. Janice has been “in her head” after coming from the therapists office. She is still trying to put all the pieces together and she’s distracted. She sees Frank. She’s surprised and happy. Take this moment in. Respond to it. This response is called the active first beat and this is the moment when the pianist begins playing the introduction. In this song, the introduction is short but you’ll need to fill this moment with an action. You must always remember to give some consideration to the introduction of a song and the ride-out. The first verb in our analysis is “to awaken.” You are awakening Frank during the first chunk of the lyrics but possibly the introduction is you awakening from the haze you’ve been in. We have found that doing an improvisation with fellow actor helps to make this first active beat more solid. Choose a partner and explain the situation, giving them an idea of what you need for them to do. Play the scene before the song begins. At the appropriate time, the pianist starts the introduction and the scene partner can stay in the scene. Your focus is on them but, just as a gentle reminder, we don’t always look at the person we’re talking to. Your focus, however, is still on them. Once the pre-beat is secure and you are confident in knowing what this moment is, repeat the exercise without the scene partner.

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Conclusion

These exercises will help you to find your unique interpretation of a theatrical song taken out of context. The process may seem long and arduous, but you will see the benefits in your work. The more you apply this process to the songs you sing, the faster it will go. You will discover that you will need to adjust your process with other songs in other contexts such as:

• preparing a song for a role in a full musical• preparing songs that were not intended to be theatrical (such as pop songs) • for a cabaret setting where you are singing as yourself

You will find worksheets for several of these other situations in the following pages. Consider this process outlined above as a basic tool–a foundation to build your pyramid on. As you grow in your artistry, you will develop other tools that you will find helpful. Doing this work will lead you to a more fully developed, nuanced performance.

Xerox the following four pages for each song you wish to prepare. It will help to organize your work.

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The Actor’s Homework: Worksheet

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

Song title:

Composer/Lyricist:

Show title: Write lyrics below

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What is this song about objectively? In other words, looking at the lyrics and without adding your interpretation, what is the song about and what happens? One or two sentences.

Subjective InterpretationA. Who is the singer? Describe the singer using clear, definite statements.

B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict.

C. When is it?

D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you.

E. Why do you need to say these words? Obviously, the stronger the need, the better.

F. What changes during the song?

G. What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it?

H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

Defining SentenceThis is a song about_____________________, me, that (continue the sentence below)

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Being SpecificWhat is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, “ending up where you started”, or an serendipity arc?

Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form and describe below using lyrics as structural markers. Look for verse and refrain in songs before 1970 and for verse and chorus in pop/rock inflected songs after 1970. Also look for repeated musical sections, changes in tempo, changes in style, and changes in accompaniment.

Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and make decisions as to where beat changes are to occur. Deciding where beat changes happen is a delicate balance between musical understanding, dramatic understanding and intuition. Summarize the beats below. You may want to include a few lyrics that indicate beat changes.

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Choose a strong, active verb for each beat and write that verb next to the beat on the previous page.

Some of the verbs you may choose from:

Convince Bombard Hurt

Encourage Suppress Awaken

Prepare Belittle Mock

Enlighten Lambast Crush

Annihilate Help Inspire

Get even Seduce Destroy

Overwhelm Ignite Incite

Reassure Build Tease

Do the 6 Song as Monologue activities on page 23.

Briefly describe the three pre-beat events: seeing the event (what do you see?), taking it in (what effect does it have on you?) and responding to it (what is your response?).

Improvise the pre-beat with a friend. This will help you physicalize each event.

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Excavating the Song: Music Preparation

The goal of this chapter is to give some helpful suggestions for preparing a song musically for performance or audition. The order of the steps you take as you begin exploring a new song is up to you but you must find a process that you are comfortable with and one that leaves no stone uncovered. There are those that advocate starting with music and those that say you must begin with the lyrics. My own preference is to begin with learning the basics of the song (pitches, rhythms and form) before moving to the process outlined in the previous chapter. Then I like for students to come back to the music and work on things such as phrasing and exploring how the musical information in the song can inform the overall performance. I will describe learning a song from two perspectives. The first is for those who do not read music. The second is for those who understand basic music theory and have at least rudimentary skills at the piano. At whatever skill level you are currently, do your best to improve your skills and knowledge in music theory, musicianship and piano. It will benefit you greatly and make learning a new song much easier.

Learning a new song for those who do not read music

Have a pianist record your melody on to a recording device at a moderate tempo and very precisely. Then have the pianist record the accompaniment. Oftentimes sheet music is published with the melody in the piano accompaniment. If that is the case, this accompaniment will be easier to follow as you will be able to hear the melody. If this is not the case, they should record the actual accompaniment or add some melody if they have that skill. Listen for a sense of style, beat, rhythm and tempo. You may want the pianist to record just the introduction to the song in addition so you can isolate the music you will hear before you sing.

1. On your own while looking at the sheet music, sing to the recording of the melody on a neutral syllable such as “lah” or “dee.” Choose an open vowel with a preceding consonant. We do this to separate music from lyrics and to concentrate solely on the melody. It is very easy to move too quickly and miss a step along the way.

2. When you have mastered this, begin singing the lyrics with the melody-only recording.3. Now move to the recording of full accompaniment. Sing with this recording on a neutral

syllable. 4. Then sing the lyrics with the full accompaniment.

Additional activities with a pianist may include the following once you have done these steps:1. Sing a word or syllable and have the pianist play the pitch on the piano after you sing it.

Move to the next word or syllable, gradually increasing tempo. We do this to check pitch accuracy.

2. Explore singing the song at different tempos. Faster for ballads, slower for up tempo songs. Don’t go too fast or slow. We do this to make sure you musicianship is secure.

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Learning a new song for those with moderate to advanced musical skills

I suggest starting with rhythm. First, study shorter passages, taking note of the differing rhythmic values. If anything is confusing for you, take the time to figure it out before moving on. Have a friend help you if needed. Then take this smaller passage and speak the rhythms in a method you are comfortable with. Most people find the method of calling rhythms on a beat by their number placement in the bar such as 1, 2, 3, 4 in 4/4 time. Eighth-notes are subdivided by placing an “and” between each number. 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. Sixteenth-notes are further subdivided in this manner: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, and so forth. 1. Speak the words in rhythm.2. While seated at the piano, play pitches slowly while singing on a neutral syllable such as

“lah” or “dee.” If this is difficult for you, you might play short phrases and sing them back. Or you might play a pitch and then sing it before moving on to the next pitch. Please check key signatures and accidentals carefully. It’s not crucial that you do the song in rhythm at this point. Concentrate on the melody.

3. Next, combine melody with rhythm, starting slowly for accuracy and building in tempo.4. If you can play your accompaniment, record the accompaniment on to a recording device. If

not, have a pianist do this for you. Listen for a sense of style, beat, rhythm and tempo. Study, or better yet, play the introduction of the song so that you know what you will hear before you sing.

5. Sing the song with accompaniment on a neutral syllable.6. Sing the song with accompaniment using the lyrics.

Additional activities with a pianist may include the following once you have done these steps:1. Sing a word or syllable and play the pitch on the piano after you sing it. Move to the next

word or syllable gradually increasing tempo. We do this to check pitch accuracy. 2. Explore singing the song at different tempos. Faster for ballads, slower for up tempo songs.

Don’t go too fast or too slow. We do this to make sure you musicianship is secure.3. If the sheet music has chord symbols that you can interpret, accompany yourself with simple

chords.

Too often, singers do not take adequate time in learning a song accurately. It is crucial to your success that you do this. Directors and music directors have little patience with someone who should be ready to sing a song but is singing a passage with wrong notes. You will be working with professional musicians and you are expected to interact with them as colleagues and as the professional musician you need to be. Once you have successfully completed these activities, you will have the skill to tackle the challenges you will face once you begin your acting work.

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Important Musical Terms

TempiLargo Very slow (quarter note c. 40-60)Larghetto Less slow than Largo (c. 60-70)Adagio Slow (between Largo and Andante)Andante a walking tempo (c. 76-108)Moderato Moderate tempoAllegretto Moderately fast, often playful in nature Allegro Fast (c. 110-130)Presto Very fast (c. 125-160)Maestoso Majestic, usually medium slow

Tempo-related termsLunga Long, generally referring to a long pauseCaesura (//) Indicates a break or stop before proceedingL’istesso tempo The same tempo as beforeRitardando Getting slower (rit.) Ritenuto (riten.) Getting slower but more sudden and extreme than rit.Rallentando (rall.) Gradual slowing of the tempoAccelerando (accel.) Gradually getting fasterA tempo Returning to original tempo, usually after a rit. or rall. Alla Breve Two beats per measure with the half-note getting the beat (cut-time)Più mosso More motion

Articulations Fermata Indicates a note is to be prolonged beyond its normal duration Legato Smoothly, connectedStaccato Detached (.)Accent Emphasis, usually to play louder than the current dynamic (>)Marcato marked, stressed, emphasizedSforzando Forced or accented. Stronger than an accent. (Sfz. or Sf.)Tenuto (ten.) Held or sustained, a note is given its full valueTrill Rapid alternation between the note and the note aboveG.P. Grand pause. A complete stopArpeggio The playing of successive members of a chord separately

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Symbols

U Fermata

% Segno

fi Coda

FormDa Capo Indication to return to the beginning (D.C.)Dal Segno Indication to return to the sign (D.S.)D.S. al Coda Indication to return to the sign and then to Coda at the indicated locationCoda The ending of a piece Verse The first part of a Standard song, setting up the dramatic situationRefrain The main body of a Standard song, almost always carrying the titleVamp A repeated accompanimental phrase

StyleCon moto With motionA piacere Literally, as you please, similar to ad lib. but referring to tempo rather than pitchAd libitum Left to the performer’s discretion (ad lib.), often implying improvisationRisoluto Resolute, energeticSempre AlwaysRubato Rhythmically free, literally means “robbed”Animato Lively, spirited, animatedCon brio With fire and dash, spiritedDolce SweetlyDivisi Divided, indication of divided parts, the opposite of unisonMolto Very (molto rit., becoming very slow)Parlando Indication that the singer should take on a more speech-like manner

DynamicsForte loudFortissimo very loudMezzo forte medium loudPiano softPianissimo very softMezzo piano medium softCrescendo getting louderDecrescendo getting softerDiminuendo (dim.) getting softerMorendo Dying away, getting softerA niente Dying away to nothing

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Other TermsCon With (con moto)Poco Little (poco a poco crescendo)Moto motionAssai Much, very much (Allegro Assai)Hemiola A musical gesture wherein a rhythmic figure with a duple metric pulse replaces

one with a triple metric pulse.Colla Voce Literally with the voice. Indication that the accompaniment should allow

freedom for the soloist

You may wish to purchase an inexpensive dictionary of musical terms such as The Hal Leonard Pocket Music Dictionary. New York: Hal Leonard, 1993.

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Musical Form in Songs

An analysis of form in the songs you sing will help you in many ways. It will assist you in memorizing the song musically and lyrically and it will help you to understand and map out the dramatic arc of the song. Fortunately, most songs fall into two categories: 1. Verse/Refrain, the dominant song form from 1900 through much of the theatre songs of

today.2. Pop form, or Verse/Chorus/Bridge form. This became the primary song organizing form for

songs in the Rock and Roll era (1950s to today).

Verse/Refrain Songs

The verse is the musical passage that sets up the dramatic action of the refrain. In many ways, this form owes its structure to the operatic convention of recitative and aria where the recitative advances the plot and the aria explores the emotions of the characters. In theatre music for most of the 20th century, the verse was used to help bridge the gap between spoken dialogue and full song. The verse lies someplace between speech and song and is often freer in rhythm. If you moved directly from dialogue to full song with no transition, the results may be laughable. The refrain always contains the title of the song, either at the beginning or at the end of the first section. It is also the melody one remembers most frequently.

Here is an example, Rodgers and Hart’s “You’re Nearer” from Too Many Girls (1939).

VERSETime is a healer but it cannot heal my heart.My mind says I've forgotten you and then I feel my heart.The miles lie between us, but your fingers touch my own.You're nearer far away from me, for you're too much my own.

REFRAINYou're nearer than my head to my pillow.Nearer than the wind is to the willow.Dearer than the rain is to the earth below.Precious as the sun to the things that grow.You're nearer than the ivy to the wall is.Nearer than the winter to the fall is.Leave me, but when you're away you'll knowYou're nearer for I love you so.

Refrains are usually 32 bars and can usually be divided into four sections. The similarity or dissimilarity of the music in these sections helps us to determine the form. Most refrains are

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AABA or ABAB in form. This means that every A section is more or less the same music with only a few differences. The B sections are contrasting musically. It is worth noting that the AABA form is perfectly suited to theatre music since composers assume that their audience does not know a song before entering the theatre thus you are given two chances to hear the same music (and often with a similar lyrical idea) before moving on to something contrasting. The B section introduces contrasting music material and is often a chance for a change in the dramatic action to occur. When the final familiar A section returns, a new resolve or change of perspective has occurred in the B section. This combination of familiar music with heightening of the dramatic arc is incredibly satisfying and a very useful tool in story telling.

Pop-inflected Song Forms

The basic building blocks of Pop-inflected song forms are the verse, chorus and bridge. Please note that the verse in this form functions differently than verse in the previous form. Obviously this form comes from popular music from the Rock era, beginning in the 1950s. It is the dominant form for most radio music to today. Often the verse presents the situation while the chorus presents the resolution of the situation. Then there is usually a repeated verse with the same music but with new lyrics. This is followed by a repeat of the chorus. A bridge may or may not be introduced in order to present new material. The difficulty with this form is that we have been presented with the resolution of the situation early in the song—by the first chorus. The dramatic arc is somewhat disappointing when it comes so early. This is a challenge to the singer and one you must keep in mind when singing a song with this form. When recently seeing Rock of Ages, a new jukebox musical of 1980s pop songs, I was pleased in the way the creators managed to keep songs from peaking too early through some ingenious methods such as introducing new singers into a song or by allowing the choruses to have different meanings and/or purposes.

Musicality

After you have learned a song musically and done your actor’s homework, it is a good idea to go back to do some work on the musicality of your song. This may include working with a pianist to make sure that musical details such as pitches and rhythm have not been lost as you were focusing on the acting work. It will also mean looking at phrasing. It also may mean looking deeper in the musical information that the accompaniment and melody contain. Music, all music, contains many kinds of subjective emotional and story-telling information that is worth exploring. The music of a well-written song is the music of your character in the given situation. The music is you. You must take this into account when putting the finishing touches on your song. For instance, the flowing music in “I Had a Dream About You” may represent the constant forward motion of a car ride. The repeated two-note figure in “Just a Housewife” may

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be the boredom of the character. The accompanimental figure in “Talent” may be both the motion of the train and the ambitious drive of the character. Arrangements of show music are set. The actor does not have the liberty of changing the accompaniment, the harmony or the style of a song in a musical. In cabaret styles, however, you are completely free to reinterpret songs in order to make them your very own. That is what we want in a cabaret setting and if you are fortunate enough to work with a talented pianist/arranger/music director, you can do an infinite number of treatments to well-known songs and make them completely new. When you are asked to sing a song in a musical (i.e., not in a cabaret setting), you must look for the musical details that the composer has given you which inform both the character and the situation. It must appear as if you, the character, are spontaneously creating the words and the music in the moment as a result of the dramatic action.

Phrasing

We use this term to refer to the small and large decisions a singer makes regarding the melody. As well-phrased song communicates the character’s situation, their decisions, their tactics and their objective. We want everything that we do to cumulatively tell the same story. For instance, a breath in the middle of a phrase about what a character wants may disrupt the thought and confuse the audience. Singing a song about one’s love of another with a staccato articulation may confuse the audience as this articulation communicates something different entirely. Some of the following steps may seem like a repeat from earlier activities but since our focus is now on phrasing, the steps are helpful to repeat.

Steps toward creating a well-phrased song:1. Silently read the lyric while making observations about rhyme and alliteration. These

two devices serve to make these words more important. Is there a reason that these words are more important? Good lyricists don’t rhyme unimportant words.

2. You may wish to do the first four monologue activities on page 23.3. Without accompaniment, sing the song following the dramatic action of the lyric. If the

action speeds up, allow the melody to speed up. If the action calls for a whispered tone, sing the melody with a whispered voice. The purpose of this activity is to match the action of song with your vocal choices. At this point, it is a good idea to decide, if you haven’t already, where you will breathe. Making choices based on the lyric rather than the necessity for air is preferable.

4. Repeat this step asking the pianist to follow you and the dramatic action. If the action is harsh, ask them to play harshly. If the action is gentle, ask them to play gently.

5. Sing the song again with the printed accompaniment while retaining all of the colors you have found in previous steps. The danger when doing this step is to lose all the subtle variations in timber and articulation you had earlier. Do not allow the tyranny of the printed page to overtake you.

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Additional activities:1.Imagine your song played by an instrument. What instrument would that be? What information

about style and articulation does this give you?2.Try singing your song at a different tempo or in a different style. This can help to free up your

phrasing and/or give you different options.

Preparing your Music for a Pianist

• Music for audition and classwork should be placed in a moderately sized three-ring binder. You should not use a published book for an audition but if you use a book for classwork, make sure that the book will stay open on the piano.

• Please do not use the extremely large binders.• Music should be copied double-sided onto heavier paper or placed in plastic sheets. If you use

plastic sheets, purchase non-glare sheets. • If the music is just two pages, present it such that the pianist does not need to turn pages.• Check the tops and bottoms of the page carefully to ensure that no music is cut off. Reduce the

copy ratio as needed. 89% generally works.• If you are going to do a shortened cutting of a song, prepare this cutting such that there is no

other music on the page. This will help avoid confusion at an audition.• Any cutting of a song should also include a separate copy of the full version of the song in case

you are asked to sing the whole song.• Eliminate extraneous markings on your music.• Clearly indicate introductions and endings.• Create a table of contents and use tabs so that you can quickly find any song.

Cast Albums

I often find that singers adhere to one of these two extremes regarding listening to cast albums when preparing a song. The first extreme is to learn the song exclusively by listening. This is to be avoided because the singer on the recording may sing wrong notes or they may phrase the song differently than what is written on the page, or worse. You always need to go back to the printed music to see what that composer has written. This is your most important source. The other extreme is to avoid recordings all together for fear of imitation. This is understandable, but unnecessary. The best option is to learn a song musically and then listen to the cast album (or revivals or other great singers singing your song) for clues about performance practice such as style, tempo, and vocal timbre. Stay open to as many options as possible.

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Excavating the Song: Cabaret Styles

In the final year at Webster University, musical theatre majors will be asked to create a cabaret of about 5 songs or under 15 minutes. These cabarets are an excellent opportunity for you to explore what is unique and special about you as a performer and as a person. Preparing and doing your show will help in preparing for the senior showcase. Casting agents want to see who you are and what you bring into the room, not just what skills you have. Your skills as an actor and a singer are vital to a great performance and yet what you do in this opportunity is different from anything else you will do at Webster. You are not preparing a role or presenting a character. You are YOU on the stage. This can be scary—like working without a net. But, it can be thrilling for you and your audience. You will prepare with your music director, Neal Richardson, arrangements for your show which may be very different from the way we are used to hearing a particular song. This is one of the great joys in seeing a show—for the audience to hear a song in a brand new way that is from your unique perspective. One of my favorites ways to think of cabaret is as a great first date. It is as if someone who you really like has said, “So tell me about yourself. I’m really interested.” On a first date there are things that are appropriate to reveal and things you want to save for later. One common trap is to make cabaret akin to psychotherapy. Instead, keep it light, interesting, authentic, genuine, and most of all, YOU. Lastly, no matter what kind of song you sing, you must have a personal connection to it and a point of view. If you sing “Being Green” from Sesame Street, for instance, you cannot sing it from Kermit the Frog’s perspective. You can, however, make the song about how you used to be afraid to be yourself completely around your friends for fear of rejection. Pop songs can be interpreted in many varied and interesting way.

The First Question The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “What do I want to say? What is special about my life experience that can hold the attention of someone that does not know me?” This last thing is very important since there is nothing worse than a cabaret of inside jokes and stories about things that an audience member may not know anything about. It has been said that each of our lives is fascinating enough to make a great movie. I believe this is true. The difficult task is to edit your story and present it in a way that is interesting, compelling and entertaining. You will be doing your show for an audience that includes many of your friends. Put that aside for this opportunity and act as if you don’t know anyone. There will likely be people you don’t know in the audience. Do your cabaret for them. Look for ways that you can tell positive stories that are universal in nature so that the audience can relate to you. The most exciting thing for me is when I can be reminded of what is important in life without being preached at.Song Selection The songs you choose for your cabaret can come from anywhere…musical theatre, pop, children’s songs, folk, etc. You will need to shape your ideas so that every song is there for a reason, tells a specific story and fits into the arc of your cabaret. There needs to be a beginning,

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middle and an end. A variety of styles, tempos and moods is crucial. Please don’t choose too many ballads. It is good to choose a mixture of well-known and less well-known material. Present familiar songs in ways that the listener can hear it afresh and such that it tells your story.

Patter Your patter, or the spoken, linking material, needs to be well-written and memorized. You may not improvise your patter. Both Lara and Neal are experienced in writing patter and we will ask you to submit your patter for comments and editing. It should be a mixture of funny and serious.

Vocal Style and the Microphone In keeping with the axiom that cabaret is the “art of being yourself, on purpose,” your singing style needs to match your speaking timbre. Use your true, authentic voice unless you choose to do an impersonation or something for comedic effect. In cabaret, we use a microphone so that one doesn’t need to project in the same way you must do if you are in a big theatre. Think of the audience as being very close to you. It is an intimate art form. Keep these things in mind as you are preparing your show vocally. Your blocking and movement choices need to be informed by the use of a microphone. Economy of movement is key. Less is more. There are essentially four positions for cabaret singing: standing with the microphone in your hand, standing with the microphone in the stand, seated with the microphone in your hand, and seated with the microphone in the stand. Each one of these positions communicates something different. The seated position with the microphone in your hand communicates a casual intimacy. The seated position with the microphone in a stand communicates that the song is very significant and that you want to remove any distractions from the ideas in the song.

Emotion There is a delicate balance at work in terms of emotional display. We, the audience, want to know there is a living, breathing human, like us, on stage—someone that has experienced the full range of life's ups and downs. But too much sad emotion is out of place and can make the audience uncomfortable. In terms of emotional colors, once again, variety is encouraged. The last thing you want from your show is to allow self-indulgence to creep in.

A Final Word The audience wants to be moved, wants their hearts be touched, and may even want to be moved to tears. Mostly though, they want to be entertained. Some think of “entertaining” as a bad word or an unworthy objective. But most audience members who go to a show go to hear a few good tunes, to laugh and to have a few drinks (but not at our show). They want to feel, but mostly, they want to be entertained.

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The Actor’s HomeworkPreparing a Song from a Book Musical

Before you complete this sheet, it is assumed that you have read the libretto and are able to sing the song in the correct style with the correct pitches and rhythms.

Song title:

Show title:Year of the show’s Broadway opening:Composer/Lyricist:List a few of the important musicals this team wrote:

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

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Character Analysis1. List and briefly describe the significant relationships your character has with other characters in the musical. (For example: Judd in OKLAHOMA!)Curley - my adversary. He's the guy that stands in the way of my happiness with Laurie.

2. In one paragraph, write the essential story of your character from their first entrance to their last scene. What is their story arch and super objective?

3. Describe the important details about the location and time period of the events in the musical.

Song Analysis1. Why have the show's creators decided that this moment in the musical is better sung than spoken? This question is, of course, subjective but nonetheless important to consider.

2. What information about the character and situation is revealed in the song?

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3. What information do we get about the character and/or situation from the music (without the lyrics)? You will want to listen just to the piano accompaniment.

Who, What, When, Where & Why• Describe your character using clear, definitive statements.

• Who are you singing to?

• When is it?

• Where are you?

• Why do you need to say these words?

• What changes during the song?

• What do you want during the song? What will happen if you don’t get it?

• Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

Defining SentenceThe form of the defining sentence is slightly different for book musicals. Follow this model. Soliloquy is the moment where Billy decides that he will do whatever it takes to provide for his child.

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The Bigger Picture• What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, “ending up where you started”, or a serendipity

arc?

• Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form.

• Read the lyric from the first page of this worksheet and find the beat changes. Look for musical changes as well as changes in the lyric. Summarize the beats below. You may want to include a few lyrics at beat changes.

Considering what you now know about the character, situation and the song’s arch, choose a strong, active verb for each beat and write that verb next to the beat in the section just above. I would advise you to choose verbs that are what the character is actually doing with their words and body for each beat. Actions such as caress are fine if that is actually what your character is doing. In other words, don’t choose caress if it is a metaphorical caress.

Briefly describe the three pre-beat events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it. Also consider your character’s history, story arch and super objective as you think about the pre-beat.

1.

2.

3.

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The Actor’s HomeworkPreparing the “I Am Song”

Can also be used for Cabaret Preparation

Before you complete this sheet, it is assumed that you are able to sing the song in the correct style with the correct pitches and rhythms.

You may choose to keep your worksheet private if you wish.

Song title:

Composer/Lyricist:

Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.

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Beginning QuestionsWhy are you the perfect person to sing this song? What it is about you that makes this song a good choice for you?

What do you need to say through this song?

What are the traps of this song?

Are there ways that the music, accompaniment or melody, could or should be adjusted for the story you want to tell?

Describe the situation.

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Who, What, When, Where & Why• Who are you singing to?

• When is it?

• Where are you?

• Why do you need to say these words?

• What changes during the song?

• What do you want during the song? What will happen if you don’t get it?

• Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?

• What is the arc of your song?

Briefly describe the three pre-beat events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it.

1.

2.

3.

Defining SentenceWrite your defining sentence in a form that makes sense for your situation. You might begin with: “This song is about . . .” or “This song is the moment where . . .”

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Inner MonologueWrite your inner monologue below following the example on the following pages. Divide the

lyric in beat units as in the example and describe the action of each beat. Please note that some of the actions below are not as physical. That is okay for this opportunity.

Write Lyric below Write Inner Monologue below

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Appendix 1

Audition Book Song CategoriesNeal Richardson, with Joe Deer and Rocco Dal Vera

The following song types should appear in your well-organized audition book.

1. Operatic aria or classical art song. If it's not in English, you should know what every word means. The piece should be something that shows technique and range.2. Operetta. The Merry Widow, The Desert Song, The Student Prince and others by Romberg, Friml and Victor Herbert.3. Gilbert and Sullivan. These songs show diction, vocal technique and a sense of humor. Women, select a song that fits your vocal range and color. Men, choose a patter song and a ballad.4. Early Musical Comedy/Tin Pan Alley or a Vaudeville Novelty Song. Choose an up-tempo song that is catchy and straightforward that shows your charm, personality and sense of humor. This is especially important for character men and women. Sheet music can be downloaded at library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/hasm/5. Musical Comedy Ballad and Up-tempo, pre-1943. These songs are commonly called Standards but should not be confused with Golden Era musical theatre. Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin are the places to start. You want to find something that you can both act and sing well…something that shows your voice and your “essence.” Up tempos should be something that allows your body to respond to the rhythm of the song.6. Golden Age ballad and up tempo. Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Loesser, late Porter, late Irving Berlin and many, many others. Choose something from a book musical between 1943 and the late-1960s that fits your type.7. Top 40 songs from these different eras. These songs are not necessarily from shows. A. 1940s/1950s pre-rock standards. Radio hits from this period that were not from shows. B. Early Rock and Roll. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Early Beatles. C. 1960s/1970s pop rock. Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder,

mid- to late-Beatles and others. D. Country and Western. From any period, by keep it faithful to the original. Don't make

fun of the style. Choose something that's “real” country and not pop/rock Country of the last few years. That style should go in the next category.

E. Pop/Rock 1980s to today. Some suggestions include Elton John, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Bonny Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Rick Springfield, Melissa Ethridge, Phil Collins, Queen, Carly Simon, Donna Summer, Sheena Easton, Janis Joplin, Beach Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Diane Warwick, Tina Turner, Styx, Christopher Cross, Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins and Michael Jackson.

8. Sondheim. Choose a song that shows intelligence, maturity and strong musicianship. N.B. Funny Thing...Forum doesn't qualify for this category as it is so different from the style of the rest of his shows.

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9. Rock Musical from the late 60s to the mid-80s. Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, Godspell, Hair, Dreamgirls, Chess, etc. This is about the combination of singing style and acting skills.10. 1960s/1970s Show tunes (Ballad and up-tempo, not pop/rock) Kander and Ebb, Cy Coleman, Jule Styne, Jerry Hermann.11. Contemporary musical theatre (Ballad and up-tempo). Frank Wildhorn, Jason Robert Brown, Ahrens & Flaherty, Michael John LaChiusa and others. Choose songs that reveal something true about you.12. Disney or film tune. Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, the Sherman Brothers or any great song from a movie (especially 1960s to 1980s). These songs are often very straightforward and well known. The point is to sing a well-known song well so that they can really hear the strength your voice.13. Contemporary Art Song. Ricky Ian Gordon, Adam Guettel, Georgia Stitt, John Bucchino. Something that shows both acting skills, singing skills and strong musicianship.14. Post-millennium (since 2000). Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, Joe Iconis, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Peter Mills, Seth Bisen-Hersh, Chris Miller, Scott Alan and many others. See Appendix 3.15. Specialty number. This could be anything that shows something unique and special about your abilities. Yodel, high soprano, comedy, patter, super high belt are some possibilities. Be creative and outside the box. 16. The Money Cutting. Regardless of style or period, this short cutting (you need a 32-bar version, a 16-bar version and an 8-bar version) shows you at your very best vocally and matches your personality and strengths as a performer.

Some final thoughts and instructions•Depending on your vocal and character type, it may not be necessary to have absolutely

every one of these categories. You should have most of them however.•Prepare each song in its complete form (60 to 120 seconds. You don't need to do repeats), a

32-bar cutting and a 16-bar cutting.•Music should be copied double-sided. If the music is on just two pages, present it in your

book such that the pianist doesn't need to turn pages.•To avoid confusion, eliminate extraneous markings on your music. Clearly indicate

introductions and endings.•Music should be photocopied onto heavier paper or in plastic sheets. None of the music

should be cut off the page. Check the tops and bottoms of the pages carefully. Reduce the copy ratio as needed. 89% generally works.

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Appendix 2

New and Notable Young Composers: The Post-Millennium Generation

This is my master list of Post-millennium composers. Some were writing before 2000 but I use this term for its simplicity. Almost none of their music is in print but can be often be purchased from their website or from newmusicaltheatre.com. The names in bold type are some of the more well known. The music of these composers represents a new style, a new stream, in musical theatre writing that, while sharing some commonalities with earlier styles, is unique. Some of these songs and composers might be lumped in with other contemporary composers such as Jason Robert Brown or Stephen Flaherty, but this music is a different kind of literature than composers of the preceding generation. It is often more straight-forward and directly related to melodic pop music while maximizing a dramatic situation. The vocal style is usually mix/belt for women and pop/rock for men. The best way to familiarize yourself with this music is by checking out their website and searching for their music on YouTube. The fact that few of these composers have had success on Broadway currently is due to the economics of putting on a big show and that most of their music is smaller in scale than the typical Broadway show. Please note that not every song since 2000 is considered Post-millennium. Addams Family, Memphis, Billy Elliot, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, Aida, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Producers, The Light in the Piazza, Wicked and others are a continuation of other, earlier traditions. The Broadway and off-Broadway shows that can legitimately be considered Post-Millennium are Glory Days, Vanities, [title of show], Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, Next to Normal and arguably Avenue Q and In the Heights.

Post-millennium Composers Jack Aaronson www.aaronsonco.comDeborah Abramson www.deborahabramson.comScott Alan www.scottalan.netBrad Alexander www.bradalexander.com/Mark Allen www.markallenmusic.com/Gaby Alter gabyalter.com/Barbara AnselmiMichael Arden www.michaelarden.netDavid A AustinRobert Bartley and Danny Whitman bartleywhitman.com/Neil Bartram and Brian Hill www.bartramandhill.comRob Baumgartner robbaumgartner.com/Nick Blaemire www.jamesandnick.com/ Charles Bloom www.charlesbloomusic.com/Jeff Blumenkrantz www.jeffblumenkrantz.com/Eli Bolin elibolin.net/

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Jeff Bowen [title of show] is available from Hal LeonardBobby Cronin bobbycronin.com/David Dabbon www.dabbonbruett.com/Julianne Wick DavisJared M DembowskiChris Dimond and Michael KoomanDrew Fornarola www.drewfornarola.comPaul FujimotoJonathan Reid Gealt www.jonathan-reid-gealt.com/Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler www.goldrichandheisler.com/Matt GouldDaniel Green www.danielgreenmusic.com/Adam Gwon www.adamgwon.com/Rob Hartmann robhartmann.comPeter Hilliard and Matt Boresi hilliardandboresi.com/Joe Iconis www.mrjoeiconis.comAaron Jafferis and Ian Williams www.aaronjafferis.comStephanie Johnstone www.stephaniejohnstone.com/Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk kerrigan-lowdermilk.comAnthony King www.theanthonyking.comDavid KirshenbaumDanny LarsenBrett Macias www.reverbnation.com/brettmaciasMichael Mahler www.michaelmahler.com/Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen www.myspace.com/millerandtysenJ Oconer Navarro web.mac.com/joconernavarroThomas NewmannRyan Scott Oliver www.ryanscottoliver.comBenj Pasek and Justin Paul www.pasekandpaul.com/Mike Pettry www.mikepettry.com/Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham www.salzmanandcunningham.com/Jeremy Schonfeld www.jeremyschonfeld.com/Paul StarobaGeorgia Stitt www.georgiastitt.comJeff Thomson and Jordan Mann www.thomsonandmannAdam Wagner www.adamjwagner.comSam Willmott www.samwillmott.com

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Musical Theatre Song Study and Audition Annotated Bibliography

Alper, Steven M. Next! Auditioning for the Musical Theatre. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann, 1995.

Extensive lists of dos and don’ts including what not to sing. Written by a working audition pianist. Very practical.

Bell, John and Chicurel, Steven R. Music Theory for Musical Theatre. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press, 2008.

A unique book that helps with the basic musical skills one needs. It includes interesting analyses of musical theatre songs. Unnecessary if you’ve had Neal’s Musicianship for Musical Theatre class.

Brunetti, David. Acting Songs. New York: David Brunetti, 2006. Decent but slim book. There are more comprehensive books available. It contains short

chapters on song as monologue, gestures and focus, and auditions.

Caldarone, Marina, and Lloyd-Williams, Maggie. Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus. Hollywood: Drama Publishers, 2004.

Essentially a thesaurus for finding the perfect actable verb for any situation. If you can come up with a verb that is close to what you want but not the perfect verb, look up that word and you’ll see others that may be better. For example, “Abolish” lists Annihilate, Destroy, Dismiss, Eradicate and Nullify.

Cohen, Darren, and Perilstein, Michael. The Complete Professional Audition. New York: Back Stage Books, 2005.

An incredibly helpful and exhaustive book for musical theatre auditions. It discusses such nuts and bolts as constructing the perfect 16-bar audition. Also helpful for choosing appropriate material for a specific role. Highly recommended.

Craig, David. A Performer Prepares: A Guide to Song Preparation for Actors, Singers and Dancers. New York: Applause, 1993.

Like Mr. Craig’s magnum opus, On Singing Onstage, this book takes the form of transcribed coaching sessions within various styles such as Narrative show ballad, Theatre blues, Patter song, etc. The best thing about this book for me is the way he is able to categorize songs by type. Recommended primarily for that reason.

Craig, David. On Singing Onstage. New York: Applause, 1978. Mr. Craig’s book was the first of its kind and influences nearly everything that comes after it

concerning theatrical song interpretation. The core of the book is a detailed process of five steps for preparing a song. We all are indebted to this book. Highly recommended.

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Deer, Joe and Dal Vera, Rocco. Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course. New York, Routledge, 2008.

This is an extremely comprehensive textbook for the complete training of the musical theatre performer. It leaves no stone uncovered. Highly recommended.

Kayes, Gillyanne, and Fisher, Jeremy. Successful Singing Auditions. New York, Routledge, 2002.

The best part of this book for me is something she calls the “FOAL process”– “falling off a log.” It is a series of activities that help you to hone in on great material for you. The remainder of the book gives very solid and practical advice although her perspective is that of a West End professional.

Kayes, Gillyanne. Singing and the Actor. New York: Theatre Arts, 2004. This is a vocal technique book for musical theatre singers. It comes highly recommended by

voice teachers.

Melton, Joan. Singing in Musical Theatre. New York: Allworth Press, 2007. A series of interviews with musical theatre educators from around the world.

Merlin, Joanna. Auditioning: An Actor-Friendly Guide. New York: First Vintage Books, 2001.

For my money, the best, most helpful, most humane, most sensible book on the subject. Incomparable.

Moore, Tracey, and Bergman, Allison. Acting the Song. New York: Allworth Press, 2008. Essentially an handbook for musical theatre educators in teaching song interpretation. Clearly

owes a debt to David Craig’s work but is less off-putting. This book may not be particularly helpful to the young professional.

Oliver, Donald. How to Audition for the Musical Theatre: A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Preparation. Lyme, NH: Smith and Kraus, 1995.

Ostrow, Stuart. Thank You Very Much. Hanover, NH: Smith and Kraus, Inc., 2002. A very slight book with a few lists of good songs to sing. Not particularly helpful in general.

Ostwald, David. Acting for Singers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. A big fancy book published by a fancy company. The musical theatre singer may be put off

by the fact that at least half of the book is about acting in opera. The technique here, however, is solid.

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Robison, Kevin. The Actor Sings. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann, 2000. Singing technique for the actor who has had little experience.

Silver, Fred. Auditioning for the Musical Theatre. New York: Penguin Book, 1985. Another early book on the subject. While the book is fine, I think there are better things on

the subject.

Suskin, Steven. Showtunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway’s Major Composers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. An encyclopedic work about Broadway music. Indispensable. This is where I learned that Meridith Willson didn’t write “My White Knight”! For musical theatre nerds only.

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Acknowledgements

I am indebted to many people for these resources. First, I would be nowhere without the many writers who have inspired me. David Craig and Steven Suskin and all the writers listed on the bibliography page have been my teachers. Secondly, I must thank Lara Teeter for the great joy I have in teaching with him on a daily basis. I’m very proud to have such a wonderful life teaching at Webster University with him. And finally I need to thank Ethan Edwards, a man who knows more about musicals than I do and has my companion to countless shows.

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