Excavating the Song A (ACTING).

Transcription

Excavating the Song:
Tools for the Modern Singing
Actor
!
!
!
!
The Ultimate Guide to
Musical Theatre Skills and Repertoire
!
!
!
Neal Richardson
Summer 2014
!
!
About the author
BM Piano, Belmont; MM in piano performance, Baylor, MM in music theory, Baylor;
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, three years of Doctoral work in piano performance
with a cognate in music theory. I have been teaching musical theatre for the past 17 years––
Northern Kentucky University for 2 years and Webster University for 15 years. I was a
musical director and teaching assistant for two years previously at Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music.
!
At Webster University I teach all four levels of the musical theatre curriculum as well as
sophomore advanced theory and musicianship for the musical theatre majors. I also work with
all of our majors as a private teacher/vocal coach.
!
For the last 10 years, I’ve worked freelance for Hal Leonard publishing as an arranger,
working primarily in musical theatre. I was the arranger for the vocal selections of Spamalot,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Brooklyn, Jersey Boys, The Drowsy Chaperone, Grey Gardens, The
Color Purple, The Pirate Queen, Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, Passing Strange,
Legally Blonde, Memphis, 9 to 5, Women on the Verge…, People in the Picture, Newsies,
Ghost, A Christmas Story, NOW.HERE.THIS among others. The newest project for Hal
Leonard is The Broadway Singer’s Edition. The first batch of shows includes Les Miserables,
Rent, Sound of Music, and Annie. I'm currently working on the newest edition of the The
Ultimate Broadway Fake Book.
!
•
•
•
•
•
•
Other professional work
Principal arranger for Gateway Men’s Chorus, Men Alive (Orange County), The Gay Men’s
Chorus of Washington D.C. Others include Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Twin Cities Gay
Men’s Chorus, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Buffalo Gay Men's Chorus, Huntington
Men's Chorus and many others.
Musical Director at The Muny, St. Louis. The nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical
theatre venue.
Church music and composer for the last 30 years.
Principal Composer and Musical Director for The St. Louis Repertoire’s Imaginary Theatre
Company. Original shows include The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Tortoise and the Hare,
Robin Hood, A Peter Rabbit Tale, My Father’s Dragon and Hansel and Gretel: The Next
Generation. Shows licensed through Playscripts Inc.
Choral Music published by Yelton-Rhodes
Paper presented at the International Musical Theatre Educator’s Conference, January 2013.
"Song Analysis as a Key to Interpretation."
!
!2
Introduction
!
Excavating the Song is a guide to musical theatre performance and repertoire for the modern
singing actor. Strictly speaking, it is not an acting book, a singing book or an audition book, but
instead it looks at all three and examines the ways they interact and impact one another. Musical
Theatre is a beautifully complex craft. As a writer and a teacher, I try to address the complexity
by looking at it as a whole rather than as separate tasks. If you’re a world class singer, great! But
that skill alone won't take you very far. The same goes for acting and auditioning. I am most
interested in how you can integrate these skills as you work toward your career goals.
Even if you dance beautifully and are a strong actor, in most cases, the skill that will help you
stand out is an ability to sing a song honestly, with a strong objective, a connection to your
partner, with a clearly devised and actable situation and sing it well. If you can do that and have
us believe you are creating the song in the moment, you can create a bit of magic in a small
audition room or on the big stage. Of course, it doesn't guarantee you will get cast, but it will go
a long way toward getting you in the "Yes pile" more often. Your dancing and acting skills matter
a great deal, but your ability to sing a song with these attributes is the secret that will help you
more than anything. !
I've been fortunate to earn my living in musical theatre for more than twenty-five years as a
musical director, composer, arranger, orchestrator, pianist, conductor and teacher. Although I’ve
studied acting a great deal, I have never earned my living as one. I believe I offer something
different from the other outstanding books about acting and musical theatre—a balance and
integration of professional theatre and academia as well as a balance between the acting world
and the singing world. This book addresses musical and vocal matters that other books don't.
REWRITE. DONT JUSTIFY !
The exercises and activities in Excavating the Song were created to provide a structure and
process to insure that you leave no stone uncovered as you prepare a song for performance. It is
your tour guide through the astonishing and heart-stirring things that can happen when you sing
the great songs in the musical theatre canon. The word, excavating, conjures up the image of an
archeologist scientifically digging into a significant artifact. I've chosen this word mindfully to
remind us that as singers, it is too easy to think of a great performance as something mysterious
and illusive. It is tempting to think of a masterful interpretation as something like alchemy or
magic. It is not. It can be understood and achieved with practice, time, and thoughtful
excavation.
!
We can use the image of a pyramid when talking about great works of art to remind us of the
immense time and effort required to build, step-by-step, block-by-block something significant
and lasting. In the work I will lead you through, we are using the building blocks of text, music,
physicality and emotion to create a meaningful and significant song performance. But if we step
!3
back for a moment, we can look at the song itself as the pyramid––as something that a composer
and lyricist worked very hard to get just right. Lyrics are a special kind of language, most likely
rhymed, created in a syntax that strikes a balance between prose and poetry and containing
complex allusions that go beyond the surface of the words. In addition, the composer has crafted
a melody and accompaniment which support the lyric and help to tell the story even more
clearly. Good songs and especially good theater songs are more than nice tunes. The music
assists the lyric by providing a structure that the audience can make sense of in the moment.
These songs deserve, even demand, to be excavated thoroughly !
I begin using the ideas in this book when I started teaching 20 years ago. I would often see strong
acting in scenes from actors who could sing well, but when it came time for the song, the
character, which had been presented in a clear and truthful manner, disappeared. Musicals are
unique and special in the way a truthful, naturalistic scene can flow directly into something that
can't be explained with mere words––music. When a character sings in the middle of a scene,
something remarkable happens. The audience is allowed inside the character's mind and heart
and we are privy to a life that goes beyond words.
Considering the vast numbers of Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals, not to mention
theatrical songs from un-produced or unfinished works, knowing the repertoire can be
overwhelming. Finding the right song for the right situation is daunting. In my work as a teacher
and coach, I’ve made discovering great under-sung songs a high priority as well as matching
songs with singers. This book can help everyone, no matter your voice type, character type or
skill level to find material that suits you and shows off your best qualities.
We all have favorite singers—ones who inspired us and helped us to decide to follow the dream
of musical theatre. Your favorites may include Patti LuPone, Idina Menzel, Sutton Foster, Liz
Callaway, Audra McDonald, Laura Osnes, Norbert Leo Butz, Marc Kudisch, George Hearn,
Brian Stokes Mitchell or Jeremy Jordan. These Musical Theatre actors are unquestionably great,
but why? Is it simply their voices? Their acting skills? Their personality? Or is it a combination
of these? And what do they have in common? Did they attend one of the great training
institutions? Do they share similar interpretative styles? Did they study with the same acting
teachers? No, each of their journeys was different and so was their training. Your path will be
your own as well. !
You may say, “I am a good singer and a good actor, what else do I need except the chance for a
breakthrough role?” While you may have many skills in your back pocket, there are probably
still some things you have difficulty with. You may struggle with what to do with your hands
when you sing, finding material that shows you off, or difficulty in auditions. Each of these
difficulties relates to problems in skill integration which is what the resource you hold in your
hand is about.
There is a great chance that some of the things discussed here will be things you already know
and do well. There may be, however, other things that will inspire an “aha moment.” Some of the
!4
things I ask you to do may frustrate you. Other times they may inspire 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 in the tasks fully and give them a chance to work. Without question,
becoming a singing actor today is an enormous challenge. The objective of this resource is to
name and explore the tasks you will be doing on a daily basis for the remainder of your career.
As you read this book, I encourage you to keep a journal of thoughts and questions. Given
enough time and investigation, you will be able to answer many questions yourself. A computer
or smart phone will also be helpful as you will want to listen to the songs I discuss. Buy cast
albums, borrow them from the library, use YouTube, Spotify, or Pandora. You will get much
more out of the book if you track down these songs and listen to them. I also encourage you to
keep this book with your audition materials and refer to it when you are stuck or in need of a bit
of inspiration and encouragement. Put it in your audition bag and browse as you’re waiting. Each
topic discussed is presented in a way that can be digested in one sitting. The book is filled with
many repertoire lists and reference guides that will help you find great songs that you don’t know
yet.
!
No other singer working today has more asked of them than the musical theatre singer. You are
asked to belt, sing legit, sing pop and rock, asked to be funny, asked to dance, and more. 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! My objective is to help the singing
actor do each of these tasks more confidently and with more integration. I want to help you dig
so deeply into a song that it becomes a part of you.
!
!
!
!
!
!5
!
Table of Contents
Forward ....................................................................................................3
!
Acting the Song
Excavating the Song: An Introduction to Song Study ...............................7
A Model Excavation: “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”...............................26
Guidelines for Different Song Types ..........................................................39
Creating Situations for Song .......................................................................50
The Post-millennium Style ........................................................................55
!
Music and the Voice
Expectations of Modern Musical Theatre Singers ......................................
Musical Theatre Singers to Know...............................................................
Vocal Colors ................................................................................................
Qualities of a Great Musical Theatre Performance ....................................
Learning Songs ...........................................................................................
Music Terms to Know .................................................................................
Learning to Riff...........................................................................................
Cabaret Styles .............................................................................................
Critical Listening and Analytical Tools for Song Performance ..................
Musical Style through History ...................................................................
!
Repertoire
Creating your Audition book ......................................................................
Include topics from Creating the perfect audition book
Audition Book Song Categories .................................................................
Audition Repertoire ....................................................................................
Cabaret Repertoire ......................................................................................
Standards .....................................................................................................
Vaudeville (And Other Songs from the 10s and 20s) .................................
Gilbert and Sullivan ...................................................................................
Film songs ...................................................................................................
Standard Literature......................................................................................
Choice songs ...............................................................................................
Sondheim ....................................................................................................
!
Glossary ......................................................................................................
Bibliography ...............................................................................................
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... !6
Excavating the Song: An Introduction to Song Study
Excavate [eks-kuh-veyt]—to expose or lay bare as if by digging
!
!
!
I NEED TO WRITE MORE ABOUT THE NATURE OF CONFLICT IN THE WHOLE FIRST
SECTION.
Excavating the Song is about creating memorable, specific and entertaining live performances of
songs. But before we get into the nuts and bolts, I want to share an exemplary performance with
you. Do a YouTube search for "Kate Baldwin" and "I Don't Need a Roof." As you watched, what
did you notice? Did you notice the subtle ways she colored important words and how she led us
on a clear journey from beginning to end? Did you notice how she's fighting for something and
the way she didn't give into the sadness of the situation? Did you notice the way her physicality
communicated subtext? What else did you see? I have been fortunate to see Kate Baldwin in four great leading roles in four wildly differing
productions: Kathy in The Last Five Years at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Babe in The
Pajama Game at The Muny, Sharon in Finian’s Rainbow and Sandra Bloom in Big Fish on
Broadway. From a small black box theatre in St. Louis to an 11,000 seat outdoor auditorium to
the finest Broadway houses, Kate Baldwin has demonstrated a superb synthesis of strong acting
and singing skills in every production. As someone who lives for great performances, I've asked
myself what makes her so great in everything I've seen. Is it purely her acting? Her voice,
whether singing legit or belt? Is is something less tangible? While her acting, singing and
dancing are outstanding, what makes her performances so compelling, to me, is that she
completely lives in her characters (rendering her acting invisible) while giving her songs shape
and variety and utilizing vocal colors that communicate the inner meaning of what her character
is thinking and feeling. I'm sure you could add more qualities to this list. !
We could do this exercise with any number of great performances but I wanted to start with a
single, clear example of the things I will be discussing. Kate Baldwin did not read
this book, nor do I know her process. But as the video demonstrates, she knows how to use a
song to communicate something beyond words and music. We could be left speechless by the
skill that she brings to her work or we can learn from it. I believe the craft of theatrical singing
can be discussed objectively and that when we have fully excavated a song to discover as much
about it as possible, the act of performance is easier. My goal is to help you do this with every
song you sing.
!
Nearly every written or taught system of acting theatrical songs is Stanislawski-based, asking
who, what, when, where and why questions. Based on twenty years of research and teaching, the
system I’ve devised is a method of sorting through the many things to be considered when you
prepare a song for performance. You may be doing many of the things I'm asking you to do
already, but by following these guidelines, you might be able to go even further, thoroughly
!7
excavating your song and leaving no questions unanswered. There may be some activities that
seem new and strange, but they will pay off. This paragraph needs revision for clarity.
!
First, we want to ask questions about the text. We want to know who you, the singer is, who you
are singing to and what you need. We want to know who the singer is, where they are, what
they're doing and who they are singing to. It's very important to start with this text work first so
that we don't allow the sensuous nature of music to cloud critical questions. We must start with
the text, making thoughtfully considered decisions based on our insight, intuition and instincts.
!
Next, we want to look at the song as a monologue, separate from its music. At this point, the
music is disregarded and we can rehearse and explore the monologue as we would if it were
from a straight play. The most important piece of the puzzle is understanding our objective,
which we will discover by asking, “What am I really saying?” “What am I doing to my partner?”
“Why do I need to do it?” and “What do I need to accomplish by saying these words?”
!
We will also want to pay special attention to the physicality that we bring to the monologue.
Pursuing an objective will cause the body to move and move in a manner that is congruent with
the text being communicated. If you give yourself over completely to pursuing your objective,
you won't be bothered with the common nagging question, "What do I do with my hands?"
!
Before we perform the song, we will do some preliminary work with the music in order to pay
special attention to phrasing, musical inflection and pacing. This is a specialized part of the
process that is not often written about or discussed. Phrasing comes quite naturally to some
people, while for other people it is more of a challenge. But phrasing is not mysterious. It is
something that can be learned with practice. With practice and text analysis, phrasing is
something you will learn to do.
!
Before we move on, it's important to mention that while some songs will suit you well, others
will not. This is a fact that we cannot change and one that has nothing to do with talent. I like to
use this image with my students. Imagine that you’ve visited a department store to pick out a suit
or a dress for an important event. You go to the racks and pick out what you think will look best,
but it is only after trying on the clothes that you can tell which one looks best on you. It is the
same with songs. Give songs a period of time to settle before you sing them for an audition or
you choose to discard them. Later in the book, I will give you a broad survey of song literature
from the 1900s to today, theatrical and non-theatrical, to help you choose the perfect song for
every occasion.
Excavating The Song What follows is a guide through the process of preparing a song for performance. By answering
simple questions and doing some guided activities, I intend to help you create a performance that
!8
is detailed, specific and personalized. !
1. Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
Song title: Dancing Through Life
Composer/Lyricist: Stephen Schwartz
Show 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.
!
I’m frequently asked why we would need to write the lyric in longhand in an age of
computers and Google. Writing the lyrics in prose will slow you down to consider the lyric
more deeply. In a good lyric, every word is significant. Until you take the time to consider
each word, image and allusion, it is too easy to miss something. You will be more apt to learn
a lyric correctly the first time and to be able to say it verbatim if you write it. With theatre
music, the lyric is everything. There are many more steps before a final performance, but if
you don’t do this first one, your performance is guaranteed to be lacking.
!
What is the difference between a period, comma, em dash and ellipses? What purposes do
each serve? Which gets more space? How does punctuation impact inflection?
!
!
2. What are the facts of the song? Before inserting your personal interpretation, what
can we deduce about the character and situation? We will call this the objective
interpretation.
"Dancing Through Life" is 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 assimilate these facts, we can ask questions which will will lead to a new,
original song reading I call the subjective interpretation.
!
!9
A. Who is the Singer? Describe your idea of the character and situation using specific and
precise statements in first person.
I'm a freshmen at California State University. I barely made the grades to get into school but I
need this degree so I can be a lawyer like dad. I'm scared of failing but of school right but I'm
in my second month of college and I love having a good time. Girls say I'm good-looking and
I've come to accept that. I had lots of girl friends in high school. I lost my virginity at 16. I
prefer to be with my friends or out with a girl because when I'm alone, I get sad.
B. Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and
conflict.
I am singing to the most beautiful girl I know, Samantha Collins. I can also tell she's really
smart but I don't know much else about her. English class is a blur because I just want to stare
at her and imagine being with her.
C. When is it?
It's 4:00 and we just finished English class. After class I watched her flirt with the biggest
arrogant jerk I know from my floor, Roger.
D. Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you.
We are on the third floor of the English Building.
E. Why do you need to say these words? The stronger the need, the better.
I broke up with my girlfriend from home last week. Homecoming is this weekend. The idea of
not going to the dance is unthinkable. If I don’t, I’ll be a complete failure and my new friends
will tease me mercilessly.
F. What changes during the song?
I’m able to convince Samantha to go with me. At first she resists but I turned on my charm. Of
course she agreed!
G.What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it?
I need her to say yes because if she doesn't, my status as the popular, cool guy will be lost.
My self-worth will plummet.
H. Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow?
I can’t wait until tomorrow because she might go to the dance with Roger.
!
Notice that I'm not using the story or character from Wicked and how I've answered each
question quite specifically. Don't be satisfied with easy answers. Dig into the story and make it
interesting and exciting.
!
Write a defining sentence. The defining sentence is a concise summation of the song’s action
you will say to yourself before you sing.
This is a song about a boy (a girl, a man, Dr. Monroe) who _______________________.
These words should sum up in a concise sentence or two your version of what happens during
the song and what your objective is. The defining sentence may include both the objective
observations about the lyric and your subjective interpretation.
!
!10
Defining sentence for "Dancing Through Life": This is a song about Frank, me, who needs to
hold on to his status as the coolest guy in school. I must convince Samantha to go with me to the
dance or risk losing that status.
!
Songs Arcs
!
Songs tell stories and stories have a dramatic shape. Consider two contrasting songs in Wicked:
the comedic character number "Popular" or the private moment of reflection and growth when
Elphaba claims her power in "Defying Gravity." Both songs have an important function in the
overall shape of the show. There is a back story that leads us to each song and each song
continues the story. I'm sure you've seen a performance where nothing happens dramatically. It's
simply not the way songs are meant to function. All novels, short stories, plays and films have an
arc—a sequence of rising and falling action that brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Think
of your song as a 3 minute, one-act play that has been crafted by a gifted playwright, you, to
entertain, instruct and delight an audience. There are four distinctly different story arcs:
!
•
•
•
•
!
The winning arc
The losing arc
The “ending up where you started” arc or spiral arc1
The serendipity arc - ending in a place you hadn’t anticipated.
1. Winning Arc
A winning arc is the most common shape. The song ends with your character achieving their
objective and getting what they’ve been fighting for. But, as in life, you must confront conflict.
Perhaps you believe your boyfriend is being negatively influenced by his mother and you must
convince him that the two of you are perfect for each other. Or perhaps you must confront a
crumbling marriage because a work assignment is keeping your wife away from home. Romantic
comedy films share this story arc. In these films, the couple has to work through conflict to be
together. You may have to confront former boyfriends, a job that requires you to relocate or a
complication with your sex life. Overcoming these obstacles gives the film a shape that leads to a
satisfying conclusion. There are moments of loss but in the end, there is triumph.
!
1
Joe Deer Acting in Musical Theatre: A Comprehensive Course
!11
!
!
!
!
!
2. Losing Arc
The losing arc is like the winning arc, only inverted. There is a final losing moment but there are
also some wins before that. One of my favorite examples of a losing arc song is “Good Thing
Going” from Merrily We Roll Along. This song of a failed relationship ends with “We had a
good thing going, going gone.” But the ending is a brilliant surprise because throughout the
song, the relationship has been described in mostly positive terms. “It started out like a song,/We
started quiet and slow with no surprise./And then one morning I woke to realize:/We had a good
thing going.”
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!12
3. Spiral Arc
The spiral arc begins and ends in the same place. The Wizard of Oz is the clearest cinematic
example of this type of story. It starts and ends in a place of comfortable familiarity. But the
journey to get there is quite an adventure and the character goes many places before arriving
back home. I see the spiral arc as a sort of variation on the winning arc but with the beginning
and ending linked. It's possible for this arc to feel like a losing arc depending on the emotional
place at the start. The most important thing is that the middle sections need to contrast to the
outer sections.
!
!
!
!
4. Serendipity Arc
This final story arc is rare but powerful. There is a logical, predictable beginning and middle but
the ending is a complete surprise. The element of surprise is the key to making it a satisfying
arc. What purpose does the surprise serve? Usually it's to highlight a special discovery of some
sort. The audience believes you are telling us one kind of story, but near the end you reveal what
the story was about all along. The character's discovery is mirrored in the audience. This is the
toughest arc to pull off, but it's quite special when you do. .
!13
!
!
Further Exploration:
“I’m Not Afraid” from Songs For a New World is a unique song in that all four types of arcs are
possible. Explore these questions:
•For a winning arc, what are the obstacles, how do you overcome them and what is the nature of
the victory at the end?
•For a losing arc, what do you lose at the end and what are the wins before that?
•For a spiral arc, what is the beginning and ending place? Where do you go in the middle?
•For a serendipity arc, what is the ending surprise? Where do you start and what does the middle
look like?
!
This concludes the text work for "Dancing Through Life." Let’s move to song with a losing arc.
!
Song title: “I Had a Dream About You”
Composer/Lyricist: Maury Yeston’s
Show: December Songs (song cycle)
!
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. 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
!14
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 i t 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.
!
Objective interpretation: What are the facts of the song?
The song is about a women relating a dream to her former partner. It starts nicely but by the end,
she realizes that this dream is not reality.
!
Subjective interpretation: Who is the singer? Describe the character and situation using
definite statements in first person. The subjective interpretation is the story of your account
of the song.
My name is Francine Story and I and work in a Connecticut independent bookstore I own. I’m
28. Intelligence is my best trait. I work long hours and it's been a strain on my relationships. But
I met Giorgio three years ago and we moved in together after a year. It was great and I felt I had
finally found the one great love of my life. Our breakup two months ago was very hard and I've
been depressed.
!
Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict.
I am singing to my former partner, Giorgio. We broke-up over our disagreements about having a
child and the amount of time we can spend together. He wanted a child and I am not ready.
!
When is it?
It’s 11:00 AM after seeing my therapist.
!
Where are you?
We’ve run into each other unexpectedly at the restaurant we had our first date. 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 Giorgio. We
did not, however, talk about this recurring dream because we ran out of time. The dream has
been going through my mind constantly. 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 and without thinking about the
wisdom of it, I start telling him my dream.
!
What changes during the song?
It finally hits me for the first time that there is no chance for us. I see from his reaction, that he
wants desperately to leave. As I tell him the dream, I can see how uncomfortable he is. The
meaning of “of course, it was only a dream” changes during the song. The first time I say it, I’m
!15
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 Giorgio 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 him. If I don’t
win Giorgio 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.
!
Why sing this song now?
We are here together unexpectedly and must tell him how I feel quickly because 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, Francine, who needs to seize this opportunity to win back the man I
love in order to achieve the security I am lacking.
!
Breaking Down a Song Into Beats
No word used in the theatre has a more confusing and conflicting usage than the word, beat. I
won't try to sort out the differing definitions but I will tell you what I mean when I use it in
relation to songs. Beats are the smallest unit of dramatic action with each distinguished by a
change of objective. The objectives or actions are performed on and grounded in the partner. The
objectives for each beat work together to form the super-objective for the whole song.
Everything we do can be understood as being driven by one of these super objectives:
!
Power
Love
Validation
Happiness
Survival
!
Francine’s super-objective is happiness. Here is “I Had a Dream About You” in beats and actions.
!16
Lyric
Action
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 has the same
accompaniment. The dream gets stranger with
the image of two moons but it concludes with
a kiss. I seduce him with this exotic story in
order to charm him and get him to kiss me. In
the dream he kisses me but in actuality, he
does not. I am unsuccessful.
Oh, I remember two orange moons rise in the
sky to sound of loons and you were there, my
dream.
The accompaniment changes in the B section.
I worry that I am losing his attention so I pulls
him by reminding him that this is a magical
dream with two moons. One represents me
and the other represents him. I am successful
in the objective which gives me strength,
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.
The accompaniment returns to the ideas at the
beginning but the key change intensifies the
situation. My objective is to encourage him to
kiss me and tell me that he will love me
forever. I am unsuccessful.
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. I realizes for the first
time that we will never be together and this is
less of a dream and more of a nightmare. I
punish myself for being such a fool.The
repeated “It was only a dream” is me waking
up to the reality of a doomed relationship.
This is not what I expected. I realize that I
will never get what I want from him. She is
unsuccessful.
!
!
Avoiding Traps
!17
Every song has a trap—something that must be avoided when you rehearse the song so that it is
successful. The key to avoiding traps is to answer this question: What is the most obvious
interpretation of the song? The most obvious things are to be avoided. Your audience is smart
and you need to stay well ahead of them.
!
The danger in singing a losing arc song such as “I Had a Dream About You” is to play the losses
from the very beginning. The actor, who knows how the song will end, needs to be careful not to
give the ending away. The character doesn’t know how it will end. Playing the end of the song
from the beginning is the trap of this song. It is your job to identify the trap of the song and not
fall into it. “Good Thing Going”, as discussed earlier 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.
!
Identifying the trap of songs is something you'll learn to do in time, but I want to bring up
common traps for two classes of songs. In general, the trap of romantic love songs like "Some
Enchanted Evening," "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful," "My Romance," "I'll Be Seeing
You," "What More Can I Do?" "I Chose Right" or "If I Didn't Believe in You" is fail to consider
the conflict. All good stories have conflict and when it comes to theatrical love, there is always
something in the way. The complications are usually just beneath the surface in good love lyrics.
When they aren't in the lyric, it's up to you to supply.
!
With comedy songs, the trap is usually to not consider the high stakes or the cause of the humor.
The formula, "Comedy is tragedy plus time" has been attributed to Steve Allen but the formula is
evident in the comedy of Carol Burnett, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Louis C.K. and many
others. Consider the stakes and root cause for humor in "Adelaide's Lament," "Happy To Keep
His Dinner Warm," "You Must Meet My Wife," "Getting Married Today," "I Am Aldolpho," and
"Taylor the Latte Boy." Another aspect of the comedy song trap is to play the song as a comedy
song. Characters singing these songs don't know they are funny.
Actions
!
For each beat, choose an action verb that will give shape to your physicality for that beat. Choose
verbs that are actable that will inspire your body to move. Below you will find a list of wellchosen verbs that work. You can begin by thinking about what you are doing to you partner. Are
you lifting them or pushing them down? Are you reaching out to them or drawing them to you?
There are four broad categories of action verbs in two pairs of opposing categories: helping verbs
vs. hurting verbs and reaching verbs vs. gathering verbs.
!
Helping verbs
Hurting verbs
Reaching verbs
Gathering verbs
to uplift
to destroy
to share
to invite
!18
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
to paint
to punish
to overwhelm
to prepare
to suppress
to inspire
!
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. Choose words that can be
physicalized easily. Remember, these are things that you are doing to achieve your objective.
Most of the time, your actions will be performed on your unseen scene parter, your other. Many
acting texts will say something like, the actions should be "rooted or grounded in your partner."
You are mocking them, or reassuring them or caressing them. But you may also choose actions
that you are performing to affect your partner but aren't on them directly. You could paint a
picture of what your life will be together or you could build a world that you two could share or
you annihilate an obstacle that stands in your way.
!
I need to mention the kinds of actions that don't work. To instruct or to teach (him the way to
love you), to show (him how I feel), or to tell (him he's wrong) are weak choices because they
wont cause the body to move in specific ways. To be angry or to be hurt are emotional states that
are impossible to play. You want each action you choose to inspire your body and mind.
Optimally, the body doesn't move unless there is an overwhelming need to move. If there is, the
physicality will be natural and organic. Stillness is the most powerful action and a lack of
physical motion doesn't necessarily mean there is a lack of action.
!
I am asking you to create and follow a map that is defined and shaped by the actions of each
beat. In essence, you are blocking the physical and emotional life of your song as a director
blocks a play. Thinking visually by actually diagraming your performance will help. By doing
this, you can avoid playing emotions and attitudes like sad or angry. The physical life will be
spontaneous and you will easily maintain connection to your partner.
!
Graph of “I Had a Dream About You”
!
!19
!
!
!
Here is an exercise for combining lyric and physical actions. Choose any relatively short song
you know well such as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and divide the lyric into approximately
four or five beats (see below). Choose an action from page 18 for each beat as I have done. For
this exercise, the actions don't need to correspond to the lyric or to a specific story. Maybe you
selected "To crush" for the second beat and think it's strange for that lyric and that action to be in
harmony. We will choose our actions more carefully later, but for now, just pick random actions.
Write the lyrics and the actions on chalkboard or piece of paper. As you sing, engage in each
physical action completely.
!
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high (To pull)
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue (To crush )
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me (To caress)
Where troubles melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly (To uplift)
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh, why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, (To celebrate)
Why, oh why can't I? !
!
EXCavATE: The Monologue
!20
Exploring the song as a monologue will allow you to look at the lyrics separately from the music.
In doing so, you will allow the time needed to take note of the lyric's construction and content,
without distraction. Without this separation the music has a way of taking control and lyrics can
become mere placeholders.
!
After much experimentation with song monologues, I've devised an efficient six-part process that
will help you become more intimately acquainted with your lyrics. You'll be looking at rhyme,
imagery, pacing, subtext, physicalization, syntax, memorization and more. I've created a
pneumonic device to help you remember each activity in order.
!
E-Energized speech
X-EXplore objectives through movement
CAV-Combine action and verse
A-Act. True monologue
T-Tune. Accuracy of phrasing
E-Elevate your performance. Everything combined
!
1. Energized speech. 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 or can’t be understood.
Additional activities:
A. 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. Imagine that you’ve written
the lyrics and are reading them at a poetry reading. Savor every image, rhyme and
alliteration.
B. Locate the images in your song. As you do the monologue, physicalize the images such
as love, heaven or fear. At this point, it’s preferable that you go too far in indicating the
images. This will help you to see the images in later steps. In other places in the book, I
discuss the pros and cons of indicating in a song. Don’t worry about that for now.
2. EXplore objectives through movement. 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. Combine action and verse. 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
!21
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. Be sure to make a
clear distinction between each action. To check this, have a friend watch and then list the
actions that they saw you do. If they don’t tell you the correct actions, that means that you
can be more specific.
4. Act. 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 moment before.
5. Tune. 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. You
are doing the same monologue but simply adding pitch. This is an excellent way to work on
phrasing and pacing the song. The goal of this activity is to take full possession of the song
and make it yours. In songs, music can have the tendency to take over the story-telling. You
must avoid this at all costs. Strive for making this activity feel like a monologue with pitch.
6. Elevate your performance. 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.
!
Watch the videos on the Excavating the Song app that demonstrate each step. Choose a song in
your repertoire and apply the process. It’s important that each activity is secure before moving on
to the next. When you get to step 4 or 5, I suggest returning to earlier activities to refresh your
work. It’s likely that they will be stronger now.
!
!
The Moment Before
I’ve mentioned saying to yourself the defining sentence before beginning each the six activities
above. Repeating the defining sentence is an efficient way to remind you of the objective of the
song and the arc. Once you have done that, there is another step before you begin singing, living
the moment before. The Moment Before is what happens before you sing and consists of three
separate events:
1. Seeing the Inciting Event2 (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 Giorgio at The
restaurant. Francine 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 Giorgio. She’s surprised and
2
The Inciting Event is the event which elicits or causes the beginning of the song to be inevitable.
!22
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 ride-out is the music after you
complete your last note. The first verb in our analysis is “to awaken.” You are awakening Giorgio
during the first chunk of the lyrics but the piano introduction is you awakening from the haze
you’ve been in. .
!
I find that doing an improvisation with a fellow actor helps tremendously to make this active first
beat more solid. Choose a partner and explain the situation, giving them an idea of what you
need for them to do. Improvise the scene before the song begins. On the active first beat, the
pianist starts the introduction. The scene partner stays 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 moment before is secure and you are confident in knowing
what this moment is, repeat the exercise without the scene partner.
!
Choose a standard ballad or any simple love song that is open to differing interpretations. You'll
find many great options in the Standard Ballad section to follow. Locate beat changes, assign
actions to each and think about the moment before. “You’re Nearer” or “Our Love is Here to
Stay” are good choices. Sing the song given these three following contrasting situations and
compare the results.
!
Sing the song given these three following contrasting situations and compare the results.
Song: “Love is Here to Stay” by George and Ira Gershwin
Situation #1. I’m going away on a work assignment for 9 months and we won’t be able to see
each other during that time. The objective is convince my wife of 5 years that things will be okay
and our relationship will stay secure while I’m gone. Suggested actions: to reassure, to paint, to
caress, to pull, to uplift.
!
Situation #2. My wife has given me hints that she’s going to end the relationship. The objective
is heal over any of the problems that we have and convince her that our relationship is meant to
last. Suggested actions: to reassure, to crush, to celebrate, to open, to pull.
!
Situation #3. My fiancé and are having dinner in our favorite restaurant and this is a proposal.
My objective is to convince her that our love can withstand any problem that we face. Suggested
actions: to prepare, to caress, to pull, to paint, to celebrate.
!
“Love is Here to Stay”
The more I read the papers the less I comprehend (Action 1)
The world with all its capers and how it all will end.
Nothing seems to be lasting. But that isn't our affair;
!23
!
We've got something permanent, I mean in the way we care.
It's very clear our love is here to stay; (Action 2)
Not for a year but ever and a day.
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know (Action 3)
May just be passing fancies, and in time may go.
But, oh my dear, our love is here to stay; (Action 4)
Together we're going a long, long way.
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, (Action 5)
They're only made of clay, but our love is here to stay.
Begin by physicalizing the actions as you say the lyrics without music. Without talking
beforehand, have a friend watch and identify each action. Remember that the actions are there to
specify the objective in each beat. When you feel secure, add music. How did singing the song
with these three differing situations change the vocal colors? Did it change you tempo? The
stakes? The transitions?
!
!
Conclusion
A major challenge to musical theatre singing is sculpting an interpretation that is unique and
special to you. Nearly every song we sing has been sung by a countless number of singers before
us. But the Musical Theatre repertoire is rich and resilient. There is an infinite variety of subtle
choices available to you which can make your performance distinct. The work you've read about
in this chapter will help you toward that goal. The process may seem long and arduous, but you
will see the benefits. You'll be better able to personalize the material and to dig deeper into its
emotional life. The more you apply the process, the faster it will go.
!
You will discover the need to make adjustments for songs in other contexts, such as preparing a
role in a full musical or preparing for a cabaret or similar setting where you are singing as
yourself. You will find guides for these situations in the following pages. Consider the work we
have done in this chapter to be the essential steps in any song excavation—the foundation to
build your pyramid on.
!
I had the privilege of visiting the Alcott's Orchid House in Concord, Massachusetts--the home of
Louis May Alcott and place she wrote and set Little Women. I was impressed by our tour guide, a
college-aged woman who was was obviously passionate about sharing the story of the house and
its inhabitants. Her knowledge of the history was impressive, but I most remember how she told
the story with love for everyone and every thing involved.
!
Because I had been thinking about the musical, Little Women, and because my companion and I
joked that "here was where she sang 'Astonishing'," I couldn't help but make the connection
between our tour guide and the readers of this book. I don't remember all of the historical facts,
but I do remember the way our guide demonstrated how this story was signifiant to her
personally: the way that Louisa, an ordinary girl, determinedly wrote a personal story that people
!24
around the world have responded to. Through this tour guide, I was connected to the life of
Louisa May Alcott.
!
In the course of an afternoon, I saw how the history of this house had a direct influence on the
life of someone living today. The songs you sing say something significant about our shared
humanity. Ask yourself, "How does what happens in the song intersect with my life?" Even if
you haven't experienced it, you must imagine the details of that experience physically and
emotionally. This is the "What If" Stanislavsky wrote about.
!
The more you love and invest in the music you perform, the more your audience will take away.
They will notice how well you sing but they will remember how you revealed what was most
meaningful and the way that impacts you. Have you seen a performance of a song you knew well
and thought, " The performance was so good that it was like I'd never heard the song before?" It's
possible to achieve that quality with everything you sing.
!
!
!
!25
!
A Model Excavation: "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
I am aware that the previous chapter might be a little overwhelming and technical. I threw a
number of difficult concepts and activities at you. I may have asked you to do things you had
never considered before, even if you've been singing for a while. Please don't be discouraged. I
want to take a step back and focus on a single song, looking at specific ways we can shape a
unique and singular performance.
!
As there have been innumerable singers of nearly every song we sing, we all struggle with being
fresh and memorable. One of the primary goals for this book is to address how we might do this
consistently. The first step toward a strong interpretation is a thorough understanding of the
music and lyrics as well as how the two are interrelated. A nuanced, original and specific
performance is dependent on careful analysis and smart, well-reasoned choices.
!
Initial Questions for Lyric Analysis
1. What are your first impressions of the lyric? What does it say to you and does it touch on your
personal experience somehow?
2. What is the story of the song? Can you relate the story in a couple of sentences or less?
3. After writing the lyric in prose form in longhand, underline rhyming words. In what ways are
the rhymed words significant? Discover the more difficult to find internal rhymes by speaking
the lyric aloud slowly.
4. Observe the punctuation. How will the punctuation affect your phrasing?
5. Are there any words or images in the lyric that you don’t understand? Look those up.
6. What are the most important images in the lyric? How do they help illustrate and enrich the
song?
7. Are there allusions that add to the story?
!
Initial Questions for Music Analysis
1. Observe the musical indications such as tempo markings, style indications, dynamics,
crescendo/decrescendo, etc. How do these things support the song and help to communicate
the lyric? Look up any musical terms you do not know. The most common terms are defined
in chapter ??.
2. How does the music help to tell the story of your song? Does the music work with the lyric or
somehow against the lyric? Critical listening and analytical skills are discussed in chapter ??.
3. What is the musical form?
!
Initial Interpretative Questions
1. How does this song reflect your personal experience? Trust that information and the unique
subtext that it provides. While we want to personalize songs such that you, the singer, and
your character are united, don't make the character you, yet. The character should be one you
have created. I would encourage you, however, to create a character that is similar to you in
!26
2.
3.
4.
5.
!
some ways. Later on in the book when I discuss "I Am Songs," I will help you prepare when
you've chosen to make the character yourself.
Who are you singing to? You may be singing to someone who is not physically present. Find a
way to visualize your partner, even if you’re singing to yourself. In those cases, imagine that
one part of you is singing to another part. Maybe your timid side is singing to your braver self.
Or, perhaps your intellect is singing to your heart.
What do you want? What’s at stake? What will happen if you don't get it?
Imagine in detail the world in which your character exists and needs to say these words.
Where are you? When is it? What are you wearing? The more detailed you are, the more the
story will be real and visceral to you and your audience.
What changes happen during the song? Musical Theatre songs are special moments in which a
character undergoes some kind of change or the world around them does. One of the benefits
of taking songs out of context is you get to sculpt the outcome of your actions
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 to the lyric. I have chosen “Ev’ry Time We Say
Goodbye” by Cole Porter as a great song to start with due to its classic structure, rich lyrics and
significant melodic shape. This beautiful and touching song tells the story of how absence affects
the heart. The trap of the song is to fall under the spell of the sad lyrics and play only the
negative. An interpretation made from a single color only is deadly dull--especially if the
emotion is sadness or anger. I encourage you to always make an attempt to find the positive in
every song. A losing arc is certainly possible for this song considering the poignant lyric, but you
will do well to remember that a winning arc is usually preferable.
!
This song is in the traditional musical form for Standards. I will discuss Standards in much detail
later but for now you just need to know that a Standard is any enduring song from the first part of
the 20th C. It opens with a short Verse that sets up the conflict of the story followed by a Refrain
in which 4 eight-bars sections explore the emotional and sensuous aspects of the story. This
refrain is an ABAB form, meaning the first and third eight-bar units are alike musically while the
second and fourth eight-bar units are alike. Verses, because they are expository and less
emotional, frequently have a less melodic outline and are rhythmically closer to the freedom of
speech. It's important when singing Standards that you understand the stylistic differences
between Verse and Refrain. In general, Verses are more parlando (speech-like) and more
rhythmically free, while Refrains are more rhythmically stable, melodic and emotionally potent.
Common performance practice indicates a new acting choice at each structural marker and beat
change. This means a new choice for each of the four sections in the ABAB Refrain. But the
biggest change should happen between the Verse and Refrain since the objective changes from
setting up the story to actually living it. It's important to mention that at the performer's
discretion, the Verse may be skipped. If you do, remember that the backstory is still there tacitly.
!
Standards are usually in an AABA or ABAB form. The form matters as it will impact your
choices in a number of ways. In the AABA form there are two repetitions of the same melody
with different lyrics. The melodic repetition allows for a sense of familiarity when you are
!27
hearing the song for the first time. Usually the lyric content of the first two A sections are similar.
You will want to find some contrast between these sections but not too much. The B section is
the real chance for something new in the Refrain since we get brand new music and a lyric that
moves us in a new direction emotionally. The contrasting third beat beautifully sets up the return
to the final A. We come back to familiar music, but because we have been taken to a new
emotional place in the B section, we experience the final beat very differently from the first two.
It may seem like a simple structure but the AABA form is every bit as ripe for drama and beauty
as the Shakespearean sonnet is for poetry. Approximately 85 percent of standards are in AABA
form, sometimes called “Song Form.”
!
The ABAB structure found in "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is balanced and elegant but
ultimately, less dramatically complex than the AABA form. Here we get straightforward
alternating material. To make this song form satisfying, we will want to find an interesting
contrasting action with every beat.
!
Standards are a terrific introductory song to the sort of work we are doing because they have a
wonderful combination of specific action and story mixed with a certain openness to
interpretation. These songs have never left the repertoire due to their enduring qualities.
!
!
Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
From 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
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. “Ev’ry Time We Say
!28
Goodbye” first appeared in Seven Lively Arts—an interesting musical revue that celebrated the
art forms of 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 for you to create your own story. Of course, there will be opportunities when you will
want to sing a song using the givens of the show that it is from, but for now, let’s be creative with
the storytelling.
!
Read the lyric carefully. Look for keywords, phrases and allusions. 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 akin to poetry, and as such, they contain hidden treasures that you
must discover through thoughtful excavation. Failure to excavate these treasures runs the risk of
a performance lacking specificity and nuance. A few keywords or phrases in the verse are “love,”
“deeply,” “sweetheart,” “quarrel,” “clever,” and “never to part.” These key words are excellent
opportunities to employ the kind of Vocal Color work I describe in chapter ??. They can have an
onomatopoeic effect: sounding like the literal meaning of the word. The allusions to aural events
outside the song, "lark" and "major to minor," are quite beautiful and poetic.
!
It is useful to think about how the Verse/Refrain song form came about and how verses function
in relationship to the refrain. The Verse/AABA and Verse/ABAB song forms originate in early
20th C. musical theatre as a way to transition seamlessly from dialogue into 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 free rhythmically, less about
melody and more about setting up the context for the refrain. The Verse is a bridge between
dialogue and true song.
!
In the following analysis, I make a clear differentiation between objective 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 interpretative differences will or
should see. From the lyric, 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 they
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
The subjective interpretation is your unique version of the story as opposed to the objective
interpretation, or the simple facts given in the lyric. In the subjective interpretation, you fill in
the blanks the lyric does not supply. Consider the questions that remain unanswered which will
lead to a more satisfying, specific performance. What is not in the lyric? In “Ev’ry Time We Say
Goodbye” you may ask, “Why are these two separating?” and “What is the nature of the
!29
relationship?” and “How long have they known each other?” and “How long are they
separated?” Other questions may occur to you. The big question that is among the first that must
be answered is “Who is the other?” Who are you singing to? The answer to this question will
inform nearly every other question and answer.
!
I find that many singers new to acting songs tend to choose the most obvious answers to their
questions. The conventional wisdom is that the choices with the most angst provide the greatest
fuel for a performance. There is a logic to this way of thinking and finding the conflict in songs
is excellent. 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 look for positive choices, where possible.
!
Some Possible Situations
!
Here are a couple of different possibilities for an original situation.
!
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. Fredrick 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. Fredrick 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.
!
!30
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 asked 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 to
avoid at all costs. I've had many students whose idea of a life and death situation involves a
serious illness of a loved one. The problem is there is nothing we can do to change a diagnosis of
cancer or brain tumor. Cancer could be a part of the story but not the main focus. Musical theatre
songs are at their most powerful when characters work 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. These songs may seem a little corny but they are great theatre.
!
Analyzing the Lyric
!
Once you have created the situation for your song, the real work of interpretation begins. Often
people make the mistake of ending their questions when the situation is set. This is only the
beginning of the process. You will need to analyze the lyric, analyze the form, consider the ways
that the music and the lyrics are related, then look for ways to keep the song “in motion” and
active. 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 like poetry. Let’s look
at the poetic devices in the refrain.
!
Rhyme
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
!
Musical
scheme form
A
A
A
BB
B
When you're near / There's such an air of spring about it C A
I can hear a lark somewhere / Begin to sing about it
C
!
But how strange the change from major to minor
DB
D
E
E Coda
!
!31
!
The refrain falls into a common 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 rhyme emphasizes important
words. The italicized words are made more important because of their rhyme. You will want to
consider why these rhymed words are important. The two B sections contain the rhyming pairs
of know/go and finer/minor.
!
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 source, Porter’s lyrics may have come first. Whichever the
case, it is clear that there is much word painting 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. When 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 critical listening and time..
!
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
!32
the singer?”, “Who are you singing to?”, “Where are you?”, and “Why do you need to say these
words?” But we have not addressed the all-important question: “What changes during the song?”
!
I have chosen my first story from the two possibilities: A college student with a girlfriend of one
year has to say goodbye to her for the summer.
!
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:
• I need Grace to know that I will return to her after summer break if I can make money at
home.
• I need Grace to understand that I must earn money this summer or I cannot return to school in
the fall.
• I know that Grace is very upset with the fact that I am leaving.
• I don’t want to fight about this anymore.
• I must catch the train.
• I have to tell Grace all of these things carefully or I run the risk of leaving on a sour note.
• I want Grace to be okay and to understand that I must leave. I need for her to accept this
decision.
• 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. They are my
objectives. 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.” The defining sentence incapsulates your story in a concise
way so that you can repeat it to yourself before beginning to sing.
!
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.
!
!
!33
I die a little
I wonder why a little
To 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.
Why the gods above me
Who must be in the know
Think so little of me
They allow you to go
To 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 near
There's such an air of spring about it
I can hear a lark somewhere
Begin to sing about it
To 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.
But how strange the change from
major to minor
To Pull. 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.
!
Work to achieve a sequence of actions that vary in texture and emotion and support the story arc.
The actions will delineate beats and give structure to the song. Notice that in my sequence there
is a variety of tactics. Creating this kind of variety will give your interpretation distinctive
qualities that will set it apart from other interpretations.
!
Putting your Choices into Action
All of the work we have done is only theoretical until we make the song “live” in real time. I will
remind you of the pyramid. This initial work has laid the foundation of the pyramid, and now we
must build upon it by doing the EXCavATE Monologue work.
!
!34
1. Energized speech. 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 or can’t be understood.
Additional activities:
A. 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. Imagine that you’ve written
the lyrics and are reading them at a poetry reading. Savor every image, rhyme and
alliteration.
B. Locate the images in your song. As you do the monologue, physicalize the images such
as love, heaven or fear. At this point, it’s preferable that you go too far in indicating the
images. This will help you to see the images in later steps. In other places in the book, I
discuss the pros and cons of indicating in a song. Don’t worry about that for now.
2. EXplore objectives through movement. 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. Combine action and verse. 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. Be sure to make a
clear distinction between each action. To check this, have a friend watch and then list the
actions that they saw you do. If they don’t tell you the correct actions, that means that you
can be more specific.
4. Act. 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 moment before.
5. Tune. 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. You
are doing the same monologue but simply adding pitch. This is an excellent way to work on
phrasing and pacing the song. The goal of this activity is to take full possession of the song
and make it yours. In songs, music can have the tendency to take over the story-telling. You
must avoid this at all costs. Strive for making this activity feel like a monologue with pitch.
!35
6. Elevate your performance. 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.
!
Use this pneumonic device to help you remember the order of the monologue steps.
!
E-Energized speech
X-EXplore objectives through movement
CAV-Combine action and verse
A-Act. True monologue
T-Tune. Accuracy of phrasing
E-Elevate your performance. Everything combined
!
!
Conclusion
I realize that I am asking you to do quite a lot to sing a song. Are you exhausted just reading
about it? I would invite you to watch the associated videos to help you understand how each part
of the process works and how it will help your performance. It may seem time-consuming or
frustrating but it will lead you to a more specific, detailed and nuanced performance. If you do it,
step-by-step, and build it layer upon layer, it promise it will show in your work. You will find
that the song will be shaped organically, unfolding moment to moment with a clear beginning,
middle and end. There will be a clear pursuit of objective. 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 hands?” Your singing will be more effortless and your work
more specific.
!36
Figure 2
!
!37
!
!
!
!38
!
Guidelines for Different Types of Songs:
The Actor’s Homework
The sets of questions which follow will guide you in preparing three different kinds of songs for
three different settings. The first is for creating an original situation. It is recommended that you
do this for most of your songs, including songs for an audition. The second is for preparing a role
in a show. The story and situation is supplied for you and it is your job to bring the character to
life and for the song to make sense at that exact location in the show. The last guide is for what I
call "Disclosure Songs" and can be used anytime it is desirable for the character to be YOU. A
solo cabaret is a good example. This process is especially beneficial when you want to
personalize material, no matter the context. !39
!
The Actor’s Homework:
Singing a Song With a New Context and Situation
!
Write the lyrics in prose form, carefully observing punctuation marks.
!
Objective Interpretation
What is this song about objectively? Looking at the lyrics, and without adding your
interpretation, what is the song about and what happens? One or two sentences.
!
!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
Subjective Interpretation
Who is the singer? Describe the singer using clear, definite statements.
Who are you singing to? Choose a person or persons that will create interest and conflict.
When is it?
Where are you? The more specific your location, the more real it will be for you.
Why do you need to say these words? Obviously, the stronger the need, the better.
What do you want? What will happen if you don’t get it?
Why sing this song now, and not yesterday or tomorrow?
Your Created Situation
Write a summary of the situation you have created. If you are using the situation from a musical,
use the next set of questions, Preparing a Song for a Role
!
Defining Sentence
This is a song about_____________________that (continue the sentence below)
!
Song Analysis
What is the arc of your song? Winning, losing, spiral, or a serendipity arc?
!
Do an analysis of the music, making specific note of the relationship between the lyric and the
music. Make mention of the song’s formal structure, changes in tempo, changes in style and
changes in accompaniment.
!
Read the lyric and make decisions as to where beat changes 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. Choose a strong, active verb for each beat.
!
Helping verbs
Hurting verbs
Reaching verbs
Gathering verbs
to uplift
to destroy
to share
to invite
!40
Helping verbs
Hurting verbs
Reaching verbs
Gathering verbs
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
to paint
to punish
to overwhelm
to prepare
to suppress
to inspire
!
Describe the three moment before events: Inciting Event (what do you see?), taking it in (what
effect does it have on you?) and responding to it (what is your response?).
!
Do the EXCavATE Monologue work.
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!41
The Actor’s Homework:
Preparing a Song for a Role
!
Talk about Tim OCEL's point. Actors in musical theatre have a second language
that they communicate in.
!
!
Character Analysis
1. List and briefly describe the significant relationships your character has with other characters
in the musical. (For example: Curley in OKLAHOMA!)
Laurie - the love of my life.
Judd - my adversary. He's the guy that stands in the way of my happiness with Laurie.
Aunt Eller - My parental figure.
!
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 Analysis
1. Why have the show's creators decided that this moment in the musical is better sung than
spoken? This question is subjective but important to consider.
!
2. What information about the character and situation is revealed in the song?
!
3. Do an analysis of the music, making specific note of the relationship between the lyric and the
music. Make mention of the song’s formal structure, changes in tempo, changes in style and
changes in 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 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 Sentence
!42
The 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.
!
The Bigger Picture
• What is the arc of your song?
!
• Looking at the sheet music, do a simple analysis of the form. What does the music
communicate about the character and the situation?
!
• Read the lyric, observing where the beat changes occur. Look for musical changes as well as
changes in the lyric. Summarize the action of the song in one or two paragraphs making note of
the beat changes.
!
Considering what you now know about the character, situation and the song’s arc, choose a
strong, active verb for each beat. I would advise you to choose actions that support what the
character is doing with their words and body for each beat.
!
Describe the three moment before events: Inciting Event, taking it in, and responding to it.
Consider your character’s history, story arch and super objective as you think about the moment
before.
!
Do the EXCavATE Monologue work. !43
The Actor’s Homework
The "Song of Disclosure” and Other Song Types
!
Soliloquy is an I Am song
!
So far, we have looked at acting Standard songs with an original situation and theatre songs
using the givens of the show. Having the skills to do both enables you to tackle nearly every
circumstance you will face as a singer. For a general audition or in showcase situations, telling a
story that you have crafted and are personally connected to may be your best option. When
preparing a role or doing a callback, you will of course want to use the givens from the show.
!
The last skill set I would like to discuss is for what I call "Songs of Disclosure." These are the
powerful songs where characters share secret information with another character or the audience.
They advance the story by allowing the character to tell us who they are (I Am songs) or what
they want (I Want songs). Both challenge the actor to make a truthful connection and to tell a
personal story. This is easier said than done. To personalize material, I encourage you to practice
incorporating your essence and experiences into your work. I believe this is one of the greatest
secrets of masterful performances and a quality shared by many of the artists we love. That's why
I believe it's important to master this skill too. Personalization simply means that empathy can
guide us to greater believability and specificity. The question to ask is, "How would I feel in this
situation?" When we do this well, the audience may wonder if your story was something that
really happened to you or even if you wrote the song.
!
According to Bob Fosse, the message of "I Am" songs may be ‘I feel good about life’ (A
Cockeyed Optimist from South Pacific), ‘I’m in love’ (I Feel Pretty’ from West Side Story), or ‘I
am capable of dealing with what appears to be a failed relationship (Many a New Day from
Oklahoma!)3. What is the message of these "I Am" songs? “The Jet Song” (West Side Story), “All
I Care About is Love” (Chicago), “I’m Alive” (Next to Normal), “Some People” (Gypsy) and
“C’est Moi” (Camelot).
!
Fosse also said that from a director's point of view, there were only three types of theatre songs –
•
•
•
I Am songs – Any song that explains a character, a group of characters, or a situation.
I Want songs – These tell us what characters desire, what motivates them. Most love
songs fit into this category.
New songs – This includes any number that does not fit the other two categories, usually
because they serve special dramatic needs4. I call these Book Numbers as they are woven
intrinsically into book's story and plot.
!
3
The Musical: A Look at the American Musical Theater by Richard Kislan
4
http://www.musicals101.com/1950bway3.htm
!44
Song Types in Musicals
!
In addition to Fosse's three song types, I would like to add the following clarifying designations.
Each can function as one of the three primary types while establishing specific boundaries and
dramatic functions.
!
1. Expository songs. The opening number establishes the ground rules for the show, its style
and permissions. Some expository numbers like, "Tradition," "Christopher Street," and "In
The Heights" give us specific information about characters while songs like "Magic To Do,"
"Ragtime," and Titanic's opening sequence give us only a thumbnail sketch. The theme
should be clear from the first song but sometimes as in "Try to Remember" and "We Dance,"
we aren't told much more than theme. Expository songs can function as "I Am" songs, "The
Jet Song" (West Side Story), as "I Want" songs, "Belle (reprise)" (Beauty and the Beast), or as
book numbers, "Six Months Out Of Every Year" (Damn Yankees).
2. Songs of romance. Since most shows involve romantic love as a primary or a secondary plot
point, love songs allow an opportunity for the couple to connect romantically. "One Hand,
One Heart" is an example of a romantic song that is also an "I Want" song: "I want to be
joined with you forever." Others like "Twin Soliloquies" or "Sue Me" are romantic Book
numbers.
3. Song and Dance. Any time the emotions become stronger than can be expressed with only
the voice, characters dance. This can happen in Expository songs like "All That Jazz" and "I
Hope I Get It." It may also happen in "I Am" songs like "I Can Do That" (A Chorus Line) or
"Kansas City" (OKLAHOMA!). "Shall We Dance" is a romantic song and dance.
4. Songs of extravagance are the exciting songs near the end of Act II where the central
character (in nearly every case5) expresses themselves fully at a climactic moment. Emotions
are expressed extravagantly with no restraint, following either the "I Am" or "I Want"
models. Traditionally they were called "11 o'clock Numbers" because the second act needed
a jolt of electricity around 11:00 to keep the audience's attention to the end. It was common
for celebrity performers like Ethyl Merman and Al Jolson to have contract provisions that
mandated a rousing number at the show's climax. Some of the most famous "11:00 Numbers"
are: "Roses Turn," "This Nearly Was Mine," "Send in The Clowns," "Being Alive," and
"Memory." In modern practice, "Defying Gravity" and "Astonishing" are 11 o'clock numbers
moved to the end of Act I. "Don't Rain on My Parade" did this same structural adjustment
some 40 years earlier.
!
Because "I Want" and "I Am" songs are about a character sharing important, heretofore
undisclosed truths with the audience or another character, I've created the term, "Songs of
Disclosure," to indicate both types. By this point, it should be clear how important Songs of
Disclosure are to theatrical storytelling and why it's important to learn to do them effectively.
They are an indispensable part of your book as they can reveal your essence better than any other
5
Molasses to Rum, The Miller's Son and The Ladies Who Lunch are for secondary characters.
!45
type. The work we do with disclosure songs will lead very naturally to the Cabaret work we do
later.
!
When singing a Disclosure song, I suggest using personal experiences to shape your
interpretation around. One caveat: please don’t sing about truly painful feelings or situations too
revealing. This will lead to a performance that is too inward looking and uncomfortable to your
audience. An actor friend of mine calls this "picking wounds." Steer clear of playing mood or
emotion, something many people do naturally when first singing personal material. It's easy to
fall into the trap of simplistic thinking, "This song is sentimental" or "This song is sad." Nothing
in life of any worth is about one thing only. Our thoughts and feelings about people and things
we love or hate are invariably a jumble of complex, conflicting information.
!
But I am not saying that you should only use happy situations for a Disclosure Song. Tears may
come from your work and that is not necessarily a bad thing. But crying during a performance is
to be avoided for all the obvious reasons. Tears come when we make a connection to something
or someone and when a connection is broken. My advice is that you should allow the tears to
come if you're singing about a lost connection but only during rehearsal. Let them flow freely
because in doing so, you'll be able to work through the situation in a healthy manner that will
help the song. The feelings you felt in your rehearsal will still be evident in the final performance
but you'll be able to avoid tears. I like this image: think of tears and the situations that cause
them as a fire. If you feel cold or lacking connection, move toward the fire. If you feel too warm,
move away by thinking of something more positive. I want to share a beautiful Disclosure song
performance by Karen Mason illustrating this point beautifully. Youtube: Karen Mason “We
Never Ran Out of Love.” How does she handle the emotional complexity of this personal
story?
!
You’ll want answer the following questions and do the associated activities reminding yourself to
keep the work very personal--so personal that you’ll want to keep it private.
!
INCLUDE THE SONG TYPE DIAGRAM. DO I MEED A LIST OF MORE I WANT SONGS.
!
The Actor's Homework: The Song Of Disclosure
!
!
Beginning Questions
Why are you the perfect person to sing this song? What it is about the song that makes it a good
choice for you?
!
What do you want to say through the song?
!
What are the traps of the song?
!
!46
Are there ways that the music, accompaniment or melody, could or should be adjusted to better
tell the story you want to tell?
!
Describe the situation.
!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Who are you singing to?
When is it?
Where are you?
Why do you need to say these words?
What do you want in 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?
!
Describe the three moment before events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it.
!
Do the EXCavATE Monologue work.
!
Inner Monologue
!
Write an Inner Monologue that tells the story of your song. An inner monologue is the
conversation we have with ourselves at a conscious or semi-conscious level. In writing an inner
monologue, we will create a tangible representation of the thoughts we have as we sing.
!
“The Rainbow Connection” by Paul Williams and Kenneth L. Ascher:
An Example
!
Here are the thoughts of an actor we will call Reuben.
!
This is a very personal song and one that I have trouble speaking about because it means so
much to me. I’ve always been a dreamer. Even as a kid, I imagined doing great things that would
make significant changes in the world. I now see this quality as a positive but it hasn’t always
been that way. When I was in my teens and 20s, I didn’t have a sense of direction. Although they
never said it, my family and friends thought I was strange and hard to understand. I heard this
song when I was about 13 and it stuck with me. When I would randomly hear it as an adult, I
would feel a strange combination of sadness and relief—like someone understood me. Now that
I’ve decided to sing it, I need to unpack those feelings and use them in my work.
!
The story of the song, as I see it, is about figuring out who I am and claiming that identity with
pride. I see it from the perspective of someone who is a dreamer but trying to be realistic at the
same time. In the song, the rainbow suggests the ideas about what my life might become. These
ideas are grand, somewhat magical and likely to cause me a great deal of grief. When I was
!47
younger, I dreamed about making a living creating art and affecting people for positive change. I
wanted to be engaged fully in the world around me. I needed to find a way to be a realistic
dreamer. Now that I’m in my 30s, I can take stock of my life and see that I’ve been largely
successful in achieving my goals. I feel a sense of accomplishment, pride and humility.
!
My inner monologue will be about my journey to get where I am today. The monologue is a
conversation I have with myself as I am checking to see if I’ve reached the goals I set for myself
when I was younger. The song asks a lot of questions. “What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might see?” and "Have you been half asleep and have you heard
voices?" When I sing, I want to ask those questions in an honest way. I really don’t know the
answer at the time. The journey of the song is realizing that I have achieved my goal and it’s
something I should be happy about. That's what the rainbow connection means to me. The
connection is one with myself and to everything around me. The song starts when I am 13 and
ends in the present moment.
!
Why are you the perfect person to sing this song? What it is about the song that makes it a
good choice for you? This song has been with me for what seems like my whole life. It
describes my inner conflict in a way that I couldn’t.
!
What do you want to say through the song? Being a dreamer is a good thing when you can
also be realistic. I want to encourage others to dream too.
!
What are the traps of the song? This isn’t a sad song but the wistful lyrics and haunting
melody could lead me toward a sad affect. I need to keep it positive and affirming.
!
Are there ways that the music, accompaniment or melody, could or should be adjusted to
better tell the story you want to tell? The original version is accompanied by a banjo and has a
sing-song, child-like quality. I want my version to be more adult by making the accompaniment
smoother and the melody more free. The freedom of my singing should reflect my process in
figuring out my questions.
!
Describe the situation. I had a conversation with a close friend this morning. They said
playfully, “You’re such a dreamer. When are you going to grow up?” My first response was to
get mad but I decided that I needed to take some time at home to really answer her question.
!
Who are you singing to? Myself.
When is it? Friday night at midnight.
Where are you? In my bedroom.
Why do you need to say these words? I need to understand myself better and to check in to
see if I’ve accomplished my goals.
• What changes during the song? I realize that I have achieved my goals and I feel relieved
and happy as a result.
•
•
•
•
!48
• What do you want in the song? What will happen if you don’t get it? I want to understand
myself better.
• Why sing this song now and not yesterday or tomorrow? My friend’s question has bothered
me all day. I have to have some answers so I can sleep well.
What
is the arc of your song? A winning arc.
•
!
Describe the three moment before events: seeing the event, taking it in, and responding to it.
I remember my friend’s question and at first I feel a sense of shame. As I think about it, I come to
the conclusion that I shouldn’t feel shame, but what do I feel instead? I have to go back to a time
when I first starting thinking this way and take an honest look at those patterns from then until
now.
!
Inner Monologue
!
Lyric
Inner Monologue
Why are they’re so many song about
rainbows, and what’s on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only
illusions, and rainbows have nothing to
hide.
When I was a kid and
thought about the great big
world, it seemed like a
jumble of people and
random events. I want to
understand what it means so
I can make it better. I want
people to be happy.
To Build. I’m
building a model of
the world so I can
examine and
understand it. I pick
up each piece and
examine it for the
magic it contains.
So we’ve be told, and some choose to
believe it; I know they’re wrong, wait
and see. Someday we’ll find it, the
rainbow connection, the lovers, the
dreamers and me.
My scout leader said that
science was the most
important thing—cold, hard
facts are what the world is
made of. I don’t think he’s
right. I don’t know why I
think like this but I know
there’s more.
To Push. I am
resisting the ideas
that go against the
way I understand the
world.
Who said that every wish would be
heard and answered when wished on
the morning star? Somebody thought of
that, and someone believe it; Look what
it’s done so far.
Then when I was in college,
I came to believe that the
scout master was right. I
couldn’t allow myself to
dream about a better world
because that was for
religious zealots and crazy
people. Realism is the key.
To Convince. I am
convincing myself of
a new way of
understanding. I have
to abandon my old,
childish way of
thinking.
!49
Action
Lyric
Inner Monologue
Action
What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might
see? Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow
connection, the lovers, the dreamers
and me.
But am I deceiving myself?
When I stop thinking and
start feeling, I know that
people and things are
connected in a way we can’t
see.
To Push. I am
pushing against a
system that goes
against what my heart
says. I need to push
the negative thoughts
out of my head.
All of us under its spell; we know that
it’s probably magic.
And when I think like this,
I’m at peace. I feel free. I
am energized.
To Celebrate. I have
to celebrate because I
am at peace and now
I’m happy.
Have you been half-asleep and have
you heard voices? I’ve heard them
calling my name. Is it the sweet sound
that calls the young sailors? The voice
might be one and the same.
I am going to allow myself
to think this way no matter
what anyone else says. I
have to be true to myself.
Am I zealot? Am I crazy? I
don’t care.
To Uplift. I will
show everyone what
I’ve found. I know
that it will make a
difference in the
world.
I’ve heard it too many times to ignore
it. It’s something that I’m supposed to
be. Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow
connection, the lovers, the dreamers
and me. La, la, da, da, da, da, de, da,
do.
I have to act today. I have to
create. I have to find
connections with people and
things. It’s our only hope.
To Paint. I will paint
a new world where
things finally make
sense.
!
Working in this way can be scary and vulnerable, but there is great power in personalizing
material to this degree. When you tell your story, the acting will be organic and natural. And
remember, songs are an extraordinary synthesis of words and music that transcend our every-day
existence. Something exceptional can happen when we personalize our material and share our
truest selves. !50
!
Creating Situations for Songs
In musicals, songs exist in specific locations and contexts to move the story to new places
dramatically. All the details about the character, the story, the relationships and the reason for
singing are supplied by the librettist and lyricist. But, creating an original story that supplies the
framework for your songs will help you give a more specific, personal performance and will
likely make the song even more enjoyable to sing.
!
Without a doubt, you will have the opportunity to sing the same song many times over a period
of time. Enjoying a long run of a show is a wonderful thing but keeping the material fresh each
night is a challenge. I encourage you to look at every chance to sing as an opportunity to
authentically share a slice of your life as it is that day--the joys and pains, the successes and
failures. It's a good idea to check in with yourself before you sing. Is there a particular joy or
pain that inhabits your thoughts. Spend some time thinking about those things and then decide to
temporarily put those aside so you can tell other stories. Quite likely, your work will be more
grounded in your body and more authentic.
!
Are we going against the writer's intentions by changing the song's story? Why not simply use
the story from the show? Beyond the fact that sometimes the original story associated with a
song is either uninteresting or unplayable, creating a new situation can open up space for a
singular, unique performance--one where it will appear to your audience as if you are creating
the song in the moment. This is what all theatre writers want from their songs. They hope that
they are authentic to the character and that they tell an engaging, specific story. The purpose of
auditions is to evaluate your ability to share honestly, to connect with a partner and to inhabit a
vividly drawn character while singing. Since you won't be doing a scene from the auditioned
show, it is helpful to those casting to see your imagination and creativity at work. When you tell
an original story that you have an intimate connection to, you will be better equipped to reveal
your full potential and essence. You’ll also be living in the moment. Because a great situation
does much of the preparatory work for you, strive for a story that gets your creative juices
flowing and engages you completely.
!
5 Characteristics of a Great Situation
!
Creative storytelling may or may not be a skill that comes naturally to you. But, I've never met
an actor who didn't have a vivid imagination and wasn't fascinated by the human condition. All
I'm asking you to do is to imagine what it would be like to be in your song's story and to use
some simple storytelling guides.
!
1. It has a conflict that drives the action.
2. It has interesting, specific details pertaining to location, events and the character's attributes.
3. There is a strong, vivid scene partner ("other") that you connect to.
4. It allows for your character to change.
!51
5. It supplies a clear reason for singing.
!
Make sure that these sections are parallel to the 5 characteristics.
!
Conflict drives action
Conflict is a crucial component of every good story. Without it, there is no reason for stories to
be told. Conflict comes in many different forms. It can be internal or external. It can be grand or
intimate. It can be caused by an external life event or an internal change. The conflict could be
the emotional distance I feel toward my fiancé that must be bridged before we marry. Or it could
result from something intangible missing from my life that I must find or risk living a
meaningless existence. It could be that even though I am different from everyone I know, I must
remain true to myself. Be aware that conflict does not need to take your song into a negative
emotional space. The opportunity to see a character work through problems is one reason why
Shakespeare can be so thrilling. His soliloquies and many theatre songs have this in common.
!
Earlier, we looked at both the objective and subjective interpretation of songs. In like fashion,
there is an objective and a subjective conflict in songs. Every good theatre piece has a conflict
embedded within its fabric. Some songs are quite specific about the nature of the conflict. In
"Breathe (In the Heights)," Nina must face her family's disappointment after dropping out of
Stanford. She must gather her strength and confront what her failure means for her and her
future. The conflict is much less specific in "Waitin' For the Light To Shine" (Big River).
Obviously, when the givens are not specific, they must be very specific in our minds.
!
The conflict we write when we create original situations can be called the subjective conflict.
When creating an original story, we must be aware of the original objective conflict and shape
our story with it in mind. It is exciting when an actor can pay homage to the song's original
context but make the subjective conflict significantly different. The objective conflict of "Not
While I'm Around" (Sweeney Todd) is "Because I can sense evil all around me, I must protect the
person who has protected me." When you create a new situation, you can use the idea of
protection from bad things but turn it around to something like this: "I must comfort my best
friend through her divorce and remind her that she has a reason to remain productive and open.
!
Interesting, specific details
To quote Stephen Sondheim, “God is in the details6.” If you know where you are, who you are
and what time of day it is, it will be more real to you and easier to perform. If you play the scene
remembering that your partner is 12 years old, or has a brain tumor or is going on a long trip,
your work will be more specific. Your performance will be different if you know that your
character is more heroic than cowardly. You will sing the song differently if the time is 3:00 in
the morning as opposed to 3:00 in the afternoon. You will also sing the song differently if you are
in a park rather than in your apartment.
!
6
Finishing the Hat ETC
!52
It has a strong other
Songs are extraordinary moments of connection--between ideas, between people and with
ourselves. Choose a partner that will stir your creativity and give you a strong need to connect.
This person is the one you are responding too and acting upon. The relationship should have a
certain amount of emotional weight and importance. A boss, an ex-spouse, your mother, a
potential lover are good examples. A best friend or sibling could also work but only if you supply
a strong need for change. I've seen people try to use something like, "I'm hanging out with my
best friend at Starbucks and I need to tell them I'm in love." Both the partner and the need are
weak. There's nothing out-of-the-ordinary about the average best friend and an objective of
"telling" is not active.
!
Many songs are concerned with sharing something intimate about ourselves or something private
about the world and how it can and should change. I wrote about "Songs of disclosure" in the last
chapter. I consider "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" the first important disclosure song. Dorothy
is telling us (the audience, even though we aren't acknowledged) that she knows there's
something beyond her present existence. The search for what that means is what the remainder of
the film is about. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," "Part of Your World," "Where is Love?"
"Corner of the Sky," "Simple Little Things" and "The Wizard and I" are sometimes called "I
Want" songs because the character's burning desires are the subject. While Songs of Disclosure
reveal any important, unknown information, "I Want" Songs are a subset which reveal the
specific desires of the character. "I Want" songs are important structurally because they clue the
audience into the show's most important issue and create an emotional bond between audience
and leading player.
!
When what is wished for isn't clear to the character, the expressed "want" isn't specific either. I
still consider them "I Want" songs when there is a desire for life changes. "It Might As Well Be
Spring," "Lonely Town" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" are classic examples. The great
thing about these songs is that since the wish isn't specific, the listener is allowed to substitute
their personal desires into the song. When you do one of these songs, you, the actor, should have
a specific, personal desire in mind but the audience will subconsciously insert their own wish.
This is part of the reason why "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is one of the most enduring
songs.
!
When singing a disclosure song, your partner could be the audience but more than likely, it is
yourself. But how do you connect with yourself? You must, in a sense, separate yourself into
two parts and have one part act upon the other. Have the “intellect” sing to the “heart” or the
other way around. Or have your brave side act on the cowardly side. You could have the "body"
sing to the "brain." You can play the scene in the same way you would if you were talking to
another character. You are acting upon the character of your "brain" or "heart."
!
!
Disclosure songs: CHECK EACH OF THESE. MOVE THIS TO THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER.
I Could Have Danced All Night
!53
The Man I Love
Something's Coming
Finishing the Hat
I Dreamed a Dream
On the Steps of the Palace
Some People
Breathe
!
I Want Songs:
Wouldn't It Be Loverly
My White Knight
Simple Little Things
Maybe
Tonight At Eight
Waitin' For My Dearie
One Song Glory
Much More
Maybe This Time
!
!
Graph an image of disclose songs, I want songs, character songs
!
Change happens
Composers, lyricists and book writers create songs for moments of volatility. We love to see
characters transform and work through problems. The nature of theatrical songs, because they are
exceptional, begs for a significant change within characters.
!
Clear reason for singing
Because music has a way of elevating the importance of a situation, the stakes will need to be
high. If the situation is too prosaic or ordinary, doing something as exceptional as singing is not
required. Acting teachers frequently say, “Raise the stakes” because the moment a song, any
song, occurs is of great importance, intrinsically.
!
!
New Heading
Throughout the preceding chapters you have read some situations I have created. Perhaps you
are already getting the hang of it. Let’s look at "I Got the Sun In The Morning" specifically with
the idea of creating a situation that brings life to the song and stirs creative juices.
!
“I Got the Sun in the Morning” from Annie Get Your Gun
!
Taking stock of what I have and what I haven't
What do I find?
!54
!
The things I got will keep me satisfied
Checking up on what I have and what I haven't
What do I find?
A healthy balance on the credit side
Got no diamond, got no pearl
Still I think I'm a lucky girl
I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night
Got no mansion, got no yacht
Still I'm happy with what I got
Sunshine, gives me a lovely day
Moonlight, gives me the Milky Way
Got no checkbooks, got no banks
Still I'd like to express my thanks
And with the sun in the morning
And the moon in the evening
I'm all right
What is the song about objectively?
It’s about a person declaring their good fortune in life despite not having much of what people
might think makes them happy.
!
Who might say these words?
This is where things begin to get tough. Be careful to choose someone who can say these words
and mean them truthfully. It makes the most sense for your other to be someone who needs to
hear these words. Try singing to a family member who is wealthy, someone you love who needs
to enjoy the simpler things in life as you do. You are worried about the way their life is going. If
you don’t convince him to change his ways, he’ll continue to be a workaholic without deep love.
!
Or perhaps your other is yourself. You are sad because you fear that you aren’t as successful as
you could be. The song affirms that success is measured by many standards and that you don’t
need money to be happy. Your “heart” could sing to your “head.” A choice that isn’t as strong is
that you are singing to your best friend who has lost his job. If you aren’t careful, these words
could make him feel as if you think you are superior because you understand life better. I've
chosen a situation where I have a wealthy brother who needs to enjoy the simpler things in life to
be happy.
!
Conflict
The conflict is in your brother’s actions that you fear will lead him to a life without the rewards
of love and happiness.
!
Interesting details
!55
You’ve invited your brother and his wife over for dinner. You’ve spent most of dinner hearing
him brag about how much money he makes even though he doesn’t have the opportunity to
spend much time with his wife or doing the things he used to enjoy. You are a visual artist who
tries her best to live life to its fullest in good times and bad. He has criticized you because you
don’t have a retirement plan and only a small savings account. You want to convince him that
even through this is true you are as happy as you can imagine being.
!
It has a strong other
The other in this situation, your workaholic brother is strong because of contrast between the two
of you. He needs to hear these words and you need to say them because you love him and are
concerned about what might happen to him.
!
Change happens within the character
The change could be in your character because you understand your convictions in a deeper way
about what is important in life. In addition, perhaps you are able to change, if only in a small
way, how your brother sees his life in relationship to his work and the people he loves.
!
It has a “Why”
This is probably obvious by now but the “Why” is your need to change your brother’s mindset.
It’s vitally important because you fear he is headed toward a life of great unhappiness.
!
What have we learned by creating this particular situation?
•It’s important that we understand what the gist of this song is.
•It’s important to choose someone who can say these things and mean them truthfully,
•Its important to create details that flesh out the story and make it interesting for you, the
performer.
•It’s important to have conflict.
•It’s important to have an other that intensifies the conflict.
•It’s important that change happens in the song.
•It’s important that there is a strong “Why” that these words are sung in this moment.
!
I’d like to talk about creating a situation that isn’t strong for a song. “I’m Old Fashioned” is a
tender, simple song that extolls virtues that are perhaps out of date. I’ve worked with several
singers who wanted to make the subtext of this song: “I don’t want to have sex with you until we
are married.” This story line is very modern and while I celebrate giving older songs a modern
touch, it takes the song in a very negative direction. The song is about reaching out to someone
and celebrating old-fashioned qualities. Making the song about abstinence ignores the song's
essence. There is no room for change within either character and disregards the "positive choices
are better" adage.
!
I’m Old Fashioned
I am not such a clever one
About the latest fads
!56
!
!
Conclusion
!
I admit I was never one
Adored by local lads
Not that I ever try to be a saint
Im the type that they classify as quaint
I’m old fashioned
I love the moonlight
I love the old fashioned things
The sound of rain
Upon a window pane
The starry song that April sings
This years fancies
Are passing fancies
But sighing sighs holding hands
These my heart understands
I’m old fashioned
But I don't mind it
That's how I want to be
As long as you agree
To stay old fashioned with me.
Theatre is the art of empathy. We take on the skin of someone else and tell their story. Empathy
is why we tell stories in the first place. When you write a situation, you become the playwright
for the musical you will star in. At bedrock, we are alike and songs tell the story of our shared
condition: love, heartbreak, failure and triumph. These are the things that make up each of our
lives. When you tell a story well, you allow an audience to find themselves and see their lives
more clearly.
!
Create a situation for “Johnny One-Note” (Rodgers & Hart). This is a song about appreciating
the unusual and quirky things in each of us. It’s about loving the things that make us special.
Maybe you’re singing to someone who feels that they aren’t gifted in a way that makes them
unique. Your job is to convince them that they are special so that they will decide to do
something extraordinary. Don't make fun of Johnny. You must love him. Try making it a story
you are telling in order to give your partner courage.”
!
Create a situation for “I Remember” from Stephen Sondheim's Evening Primrose. This is a very
good song to do because it’s such an unusual song from an unusual show. Because it's so strange,
you would never want to sing it in context of the show it's from. It would be too confusing
without an explanation.
!
!57
Choose a song in your repertoire to create a new situation for. Check to see that you can covered
all the bases for creating a strong situation.
!
Watch a strong performance of a song on YouTube that’s not from a full production of a musical.
I suggest Liz Callaways’s performance of “It Might As Well Be Spring," Audra McDonald's
performance of "Stars and Moon" or Marc Kudisch's performance of "I Was Here." Do your best
to figure out the situation they are using. What is the story? Who is the other? What is the
conflict?
!
!58
!
Post-Millennium Style
You are probably well aware of an incredibly popular stream of Musical Theatre and an
associated performance style that gained popularity in the late 2000s. While related to earlier
styles, I believe it stands apart in some fascinating ways. I became aware of this shift through the
newer material my students would bring me and through YouTube. I can trace it to a single song
and performance. In 2008, a student brought in Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's, "Come Away With
Me" and said I should watch Michael Arden's video. It had only been online a short while, but
many people in my circle were talking about it. I don't believe I'm overstating the point when I
say the video opened possibilities to me as a musical director, composer, coach and musical
theatre lover. Mr. Arden's performance for this pop/country moving ballad seemed fresh and
original to me. I find it to be beautifully simple, truthful, touching and powerful. Please watch it
if you haven't seen it.
!
You are also likely aware that Kerrigan and Lowdermilk are just one of many new musical
theatre composers or composer/lyricist teams who are publishing performances of their music on
YouTube. The teams are young, but to date, only a few have had widespread commercial
success. That is changing rapidly however with more frequent productions, recordings and a very
visible presence in the television series, Smash. Some of the significant commercial recordings I
recommend are Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's Our First Mistake, Kooman and Dimond's Out of
Our Heads, Jonathan Reid Gealt's Thirteen Stories Down and Joe Iconis's The Rock & Roll
Jamboree and Things To Ruin. Successful productions of musicals by this group include
Dogfight (Pasek and Paul, Off-Broadway), Ordinary Days (Adam Gwon, Off-Broadway), and
35MM (Ryan Scott Oliver, Off-Broadway). I recommend that you spend a pleasant evening
watching a couple hours of YouTube videos. Pick a suggested video after each one plays. To help
you get started, I've listed some important composers below. But because there are new ones
arriving practically daily, I'm sure there are some that I've overlooked.
!
I would be remiss to not mention that many in the Post-Millennium orbit are graduates of the
New York University Graduate Musical Theatre Writing degree. This MFA program which
boasts a faculty that has included William Finn, Michael John LaChiusa and Mindi Dickstein,
has made a lasting contribution to the face of modern theatre music. This program and The BMI
Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop are the most significant programs where composers
can learn the craft of creating musicals. Maury Yeston, Ahrens & Flaherty, Alan Menken, Tom
Kitt & Brian Yorkey, Michael Korie and Robert Lopez attended BMI Workshop.
!
When I began teaching this literature, I struggled with what to call it. "Contemporary" is a
generic term that has lost any real meaning. "Cutting edge musical theatre" didn't do it for me.
The best place to discover and buy this music is newmusicaltheatre.com but I felt that I could do
better than "New Musical Theatre." I wanted a term that captured this moment in time and
distinguished it from other modern musical theatre. In reading about millennials and teaching
them every day, I was struck by the fact that this music "belongs" to the current generation of
!59
folks in their teens and twenties. It captured the gestalt of today's youth brilliantly and feels
especially suited to singers born after 1984 or so.
!
Since most of this music appeared after 2000, I settled on the label, "Post-Millennium." To be
clear, I don't consider all musical theatre since 2000 to be Post-Millennium. The songs of great
younger composers like Andrew Lippa, Jason Robert Brown, David Yazbek, Adam Guettle and
others belong to a different stream I would call contemporary Musical Theatre. While decidedly
modern and original, their songs are more closely connected to earlier storytelling modalities and
structures. I believe there is something unique about Post-Millennium style and performance
practice. Before you read what I have to say, take a moment to articulate your thoughts on the
attributes of "Post-Millennium" songs and the performance style of the artists you'll inevitably
stumble across: Natalie Weiss, Jeremy Jordon, Lindsay Mendez, Nick Blaemire, Derek Klena,
Whitney Bashor and many others.
!
I most often see truthful, intimate and highly personalized performances. Because the
performances are usually in relatively small venues with a stand microphone, the style has much
in common with the one I discussed earlier in Disclosure songs and will describe in an upcoming
Cabaret chapter. With its simplicity and honesty, the acting is akin to film acting. The audience is
close and the scale is on the smaller side. The physicality is minimal and trust is placed on the
lyrics to do the storytelling. There are a wide variety of Post-Millennium song types: heartfelt,
emotional ballads, hilarious comedy numbers, story songs and powerful belt numbers. Each type
has specific expectations. The comedy numbers can be quite physical but most of the others
aren't. Both women and men usually sing in their mix except when belt is needed for moments of
higher stakes. Because the performance practice indicates smaller audiences and the use of
microphones, a quiet volume that would be unthinkable in other styles is welcome here. Above
all, it wants to feel like we are watching a person in and of the current time period, physically
and vocally.
!
These composers and lyricists have carved out a space that balances musical theatre and popular
idioms. One gets the sense that the creators could be equally comfortable with the structure and
expectations of both theatre music and modern pop. The pop and rock influenced musicals of the
70s and 80s were by theatre composers, not commercial pop composers. I'm referring to Stephen
Schwartz, Cy Coleman, Richard Maltby & David Shire and Alan Menken. Their most significant
accomplishment was opening up popular idioms to dramatic storytelling. In contrast, the 90s saw
many examples of shows containing songs by established Pop/Rock composers with no previous
theatrical experience. This group contains Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Pete Townshend
(The Who's Tommy), Frank Wildhorn (Jeckyll & Hyde, The Civil War) and Tom Snow and Dean
Pitchford (Footloose). The difference between that period and the Post-Millennium is that
current composers seem to be comfortable writing in both stage and radio-friendly styles. Instead
of focusing their energies on either true Pop or theatre music, they have chosen for artistic
reasons to straddle the line between the two camps.
!
!60
My advice when performing this style is similar to "Original Situation" and "I Am Song"
preparations with a few differences. First, you'll want to ensure that the monologue work is very
secure as this style is dependent on absolute honesty whether the story is comedic or dramatic.
The fifth step in the EXCavATE process will be extremely helpful because the songs should feel
spontaneous and personalized. Much of the charm and power is lost if the audience feels like the
performance is in any way pre-planned. The "T" or Tune step will help the lyrics and story to feel
unencumbered by the rhythms on the page. As with every other song, you must first learn to sing
the song with rhythmic faithfulness to what the composer has given you. As Ryan Scott Oliver
says in the notes for his songbook, WHATS THE QUOTE. But after securing the song musically,
you will want to work toward making the song so natural that it sounds like the words are
flowing from you in the moment.
!
The X (Exploring objectives through movement) and Cav (Combine action and verse) are
important but remember that the physicality here is fairly muted. It's especially crucial that you
move only if the need is especially great. A natural, "every day" quality is one of the common
characteristics shared by the best singers of this style. A connection to partner and having a
strong need to sing are the final acting considerations I feel I need to mention before I discuss
vocal qualities.
!
Vocal considerations are akin to acting considerations--casually natural qualities predominate.
For me, this means both male and female should be largely in a mix characterized by an ease and
uniformity between low and high. Parlando singing that is closely connected to speech will help
achieve the desired vocal colors. A beautiful, pure head voice is a distraction as it will
communicate an "I'm singing now" quality. Belt is acceptable and even required at times, but
only if the moment justifies it. If you belt without justification it also communicates: "listen to
my voice."
!
It's exciting to be living in a time where there is a large body of new and significant material
being created and performed. Considering the doldrums of the 80s and 90s, this movement has
restored the place of musical theatre as one of our most vital art forms. For at least 20 years, I
sensed that the population at large thought showtunes were second rate and old-fashioned. When
I was coming up the ranks, true Musical Theatre lovers were rare. But in the last ten years, we
have witnessed how well-written songs attuned to today's world can energize a new generation of
audiences and singers.
!
Here are some of the most significant Post-Millennium composers. A Google search will take
you to their websites where you can discover how to get sheet music. Please do check out
newmusicaltheatre.com and contemporarymusicaltheatre.com for a wealth of information about
the composers as well as leads on brand new songs.
!
Other composers
Drew Gasparini
Lucie Silvas and Michael Busbee he's as real pop guy
!61
Andrew McMahon
!
!
Post-millennium Composers
Aaron Jafferis and Ian
Williams
www.aaronjafferis.com
Adam Gwon
www.adamgwon.com/
Adam Wachter
Adam Wagner
www.adamjwagner.com
Alexander Sage Oyen
Anthony King
www.theanthonyking.com
Barbara Anselmi
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
www.pasekandpaul.com/
Beth Blatt
Bobby Cronin
bobbycronin.com/
Brad Alexander
www.bradalexander.com/
Brad Ross
Brett Macias
www.reverbnation.com/brettmacias
Carmel Dean
Carner & Gregor
Charles Bloom
www.charlesbloomusic.com/
Chris Dimond and Michael
Kooman
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen www.millerandtysen.com
Daniel Green
www.danielgreenmusic.com/
Danny Larsen
Dave Malloy
David A Austin
David Dabbon
www.dabbonbruett.com/
David Kirshenbaum
davidkirshenbaum.com
Deborah Abramson
www.deborahabramson.com
Drew Fornarola
www.drewfornarola.com
Drew Gasparini
Eli Bolin
elibolin.net/
Gaby Alter
gabyalter.com/
!62
Georgia Stitt
www.georgiastitt.com
J Oconer Navarro
http://www.joconernavarro.com
Jack Aaronson
www.aaronsonco.com
Jake Wilson
Jared M Dembowski
Jeff Blumenkrantz
www.jeffblumenkrantz.com/
Jeff Bowen
[title of show] and Now.Here.This. are
published
Jeff Thomson and Jordan
Mann
www.thomsonandmann
Jenny Giering
Jeremy Schonfeld
www.jeremyschonfeld.com/
Joe Iconis
www.mrjoeiconis.com
Jonathan Reid Gealt
www.jonathan-reid-gealt.com/
Joseph and David Zellnik
Joshua Salzman and Ryan
Cunningham
www.salzmanandcunningham.com/
Joy Son
Julianne Wick Davis
Kait Kerrigan and Brian
Lowdermilk
kerrigan-lowdermilk.com
Kirsten Guenther
Lewis Flinn
Mark Allen
www.markallenmusic.com/
Matt Gould
Michael Arden
www.michaelarden.net
Michael Friedman
Michael Mahler
www.michaelmahler.com/
Michael Patrick Walker
Mike Pettry
www.mikepettry.com/
Mindi Dickstein
Neil Bartram and Brian Hill
www.bartramandhill.com
Nick Blaemire
www.jamesandnick.com/
Niko Tsakalakos
Paul Fujimoto
!63
Paul Gordon
Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi
hilliardandboresi.com/
Peter Mills
Rob Baumgartner
robbaumgartner.com/
Rob Hartmann
robhartmann.com
Rob Rokicki
Robert Bartley and Danny
Whitman
bartleywhitman.com/
Ryan Scott Oliver
www.ryanscottoliver.com
Sam Davis
Sam Willmott
www.samwillmott.com
Scott Alan
www.scottalan.net
Scott Evan Davis
Stephanie Johnstone
www.stephaniejohnstone.com/
Thomson and Mann
Timothy Huang
Will Reynolds
Will Van Dyke
Zack Zadek
Zina Goldrich and Marcy
Heisler
www.goldrichandheisler.com/
Zoe Samak
!
Ask people if there are others I’m leaving out.
End this section with composer list.
!
!
!
Where do the composers come from? What do they have in common? NYU.
!
'A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder'--written by GMTWP alums Steven Lutvak and
Robert Freedman (Cycle 1)--won 4 Tony Awards last Sunday at the 68th Annual Tony Awards!
After receiving 10 Nominations, 'A Gentleman's Guide...' won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
!64
Freedman also took home the award for Best Book of a Musical. The show took home awards
for "Best Direction" and "Best Costume Design" as well.
!
!
NYU COMPOSERS. All alumnus. http://gmtw.tisch.nyu.edu/object/ListofAlumni.html
Steven Lutvak
Brian Lowdermilk
Joe Iconis
!
http://www.contemporarymusicaltheatre.com/directory
!
!65

Excavating the Song A (ACTING).

Transcription

Similar documents

Songs 1 Second Edition

CANDID McKINLEY

ROLE:!!JERRY!LEE!LEWIS!

MORE THAN A GHOST IN TIME

Song: I Like The Way

Album Synopsis

Anjj Bio Page in Adobe PDF format

Maisie Lane Sample Song List

Did rock influence the music of the army entertainment troupes

Tan LeRacoon Titel