<p>Coach, thanks for the compliment on my former student. I guess I can't take credit anymore. He's a CMU student now!</p>
<p>Prof, I have always been taught that Chekov is considered contemporary because of the dates of his writings being turn of the century. And the style of writing/translations.</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Well, when I ask for a contemporary monologue, or use one myself for professional auditions, Chekhov is too dated for what they are asking for (something that is much more contemporary in language). I guess you might use a very "hip" translation, but that seems to defeat the integrity of the material and the "high class" characters he writes about.</p>
<p>It's another of those "feel it out" scenarios - do they want material that is contemporary (like TV/movie generation reality), or are they looking for classic Realism to balance Shakespeare. Some schools will place more emphasis on the former, some on the latter. It can never hurt to ask if unsure.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>Yes, I have always thought it was strange to catagorize his writings as such. But the dates have to stay consistant with the definition of "classic/contemporary, I suppose. Also an actor could always choose one of the many of his less "high class" characters.</p>
<p>But I am with you, I would rather choose a really contemporary playwright for contrast. My students use Chekov usually as a third or forth piece. </p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>CoachC,
Thank you for your reply. Good luck with the end of the semester mania. I remember those days and don't miss them at all!</p>
<p>If DirectorC has any suggestions for shows after finals are over, I'd still be interested in hearing.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info regarding speaking range. One of my D's former voice teachers, who has since moved from our area, suggested that she needed to get her speaking pitch up. He worried that she would do damage. She and I certainly believed him, it's just been difficult for my D to break a lifelong habit. I too tend to speak very low in my range. I wonder if that's why my D does. I have noticed among the Japanese women I know (there are a lot in my area), they all speak in a very high, airy, light-sounding voice. They sound like young girls. I have always assumed that their speaking voices are a cultural phenomenon. They learned to speak they way their mothers spoke to them. Ahh!!! I suppose this is one more thing I have to feel guilty about! I taught my child bad speaking habits.</p>
<p>Elliottsmom,
Thanks for your reply. I had thought about "Hello, Dolly!", but the role of Dolly doesn't really seem right for D. Dolly's songs are for a very low voice. Though D can sing in that range, I'm not sure that doing an entire show in the low end of her range would be good for her. The character of Dolly is also, of course, much, much older than my D. The choice of Barbra Streisand for the movie version of "Dolly" was much criticized because she was too young for the role. I love "Hello, Dolly!", but I'm hoping to come up with a show that better suits my D's current casting range of teen to mid-20's.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if "Carmen Jones" (a retooling of the opera Carmen) is suitable for a mostly white cast? I know that it is traditionally done with an African American cast. </p>
<p>Also, at the risk of sounding totally ignorant, does anyone know what the singing style is like in "Starlight Express"? I've never seen nor heard this musical, but someone suggested that the role of Pearl would be good for D because it is an intense dance role and Pearl is a soprano. Is the singing rock or pop style?</p>
<p>So, Prof. Himmelheber, would an Ostrovsky monologue not be contemporary then at all, even though the wording all sounds modern? The only reason I'm asking is because my two favorite monologues are by Ostrovsky and Moliere, though I have till February if I need to learn a new one.</p>
<p>Hello, all.</p>
<p>I'm looking for a certain monolouge, and I'm having a lot of trouble finding it. Its from the play The Shape Of Things, and it is the very long monolouge at the end of the show where Evelyn talks about what her "relationship" with Adam really was.</p>
<p>Does anyone have it, by any chance? I would be in you debt FOREVER.</p>
<p>Hi again.</p>
<p>I am doing pretty good on the search for monologues but there is one thing that I have been avoiding. I am straight drama, but for schools like NCarts and purchase I will have to do a little singing and I am pretty clueless about that. I don't have a bad voice, but I am definatly not cut out for MT, I am a sop2 and can get a little pitchy. I was thinking about "lion tamer" from magic show, it is really new, but I don't think many people will be doing it, and it isn't like I am going to blow them away anyhow, any advice???</p>
<p>Thanks much
ckp</p>
<p>Pearl is "pop rock," though some of the songs in the show are country-western (U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. is one). Go to this site to listen to clips: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000005KOG/qid=1133506168/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-2345006-5021768?v=glance&s=music&n=507846%5B/url%5D">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000005KOG/qid=1133506168/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-2345006-5021768?v=glance&s=music&n=507846</a></p>
<p>Both Ostrovsky and Moliere would be considered "classical" in our school.</p>
<p>Note: Chekhov is not usually a part of the college actor's first year (or even second, in many schools) curriculum...there is a reason for that. The "style" is unique, and is a challenging one.</p>
<p>If you are looking for a contemporary, stick to "post 1930s" for safety and security. There is some FABULOUS material out there - you need to read a lot to find the nuggets.</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>I think that you should be able to find this play at a library. Have you tried? If you decide to use the monologue, you should read the play anyway (just seeing the movie won't do) - so sending you a cutting of a monologue would be doing you a great disservice.</p>
<p>You can also find very inexpensive used copies: as cheap as $9 plus shipping online. But go to the source, <a href="http://www.broadwayplaypubl.com/shape.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.broadwayplaypubl.com/shape.htm</a>, where it is $8.95 + shipping, and it is NEW!</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>The reason they ask this task (and it will feel like this if you aren't a singer) is to see how you handle yourself in the singing audition. They aren't considering you for a singing program, and don't expect you to have ANY training! Just the gumption to find a simple tune, get the sheet music, work with an accompanist (so you know what to expect when the music starts at the audition), and maybe even a vocal coach.</p>
<p>I recommend that everyone stay away from very new properties...just a word of caution to avoid any negative perception; and some schools even ask that you do nothing from the past (fill in the blank with a number) seasons.</p>
<p>Do you have a voice/choir teacher at school who might help you prepare your song? If not, do you have a musical theatre buddy who can refer you to their coach/accompanist? That's the route I suggest.</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>Have your daughter's teacher look at Once Upon A Mattress, The Pajama Game, How to Succeed in Business, Lucky Stiff, Weird Romance, South Pacific, and Guys & Dolls. All needn't have an "ingenue" body in leading roles.</p>
<p>I think Carmen Jones should be done by an African American cast, as that is an integral element in the libretto and lyrics.</p>
<p>And DEFINITELY consider seeking medical evaluation for possible vocal damage from downpitching. Coming from experience, even downpitching in your speech, even as little a m3, can be very, very damaging to the voice. I had "polyp-type growths" on my vocal folds due to downpitching and improperly breathing (actually, I wasn't breathing enough and would run on and on without a breath). After working with a speech therapist (referred by an E.N.T.) for 1/2 a year, I was WORLDS better and more healthy in my speech. Odd thing: I wasn't speaking or singing incorrectly onstage, where the support was proper - it was in my everyday life where I was abusing/misusing my voice, when I wasn't aware of support, pitch, tone, etc. Very hard to address, as it feels so personally and deeply tied to your "personality," but I don't regret it for a moment; and I haven't had vocal fry, loss of range, or any of the other persistent problems since then! </p>
<p>Thank you, God, for sending me the teacher who insisted I do this or be dropped from my BFA in Musical Theatre training problem. Dianne Winslow at the University of Arizona was my guardian angel - I can never thank her enough, nor will I ever forget her "tough love" approach to my total denial.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>Thanks eve, I was in choir and used to take voice lessons so I will see if my old teacher has time to help me out. This process is a little uncomfortable for me because although I cann read music and have a huge broadway fake book, I can't really sight read all that well without a piano and am having a real hard time getting started.</p>
<p>If anyone had any suggestions on where I should start (obviously I have no clue with my first choice being so contemp!) that would be great. Past big MT roles include Adelaide- guys and dolls, laurey- Oklahoma, and Ruby- dames at sea
Thanks a bunch
ckp</p>
<p>Magic Show
Maybe I am just confused - but if you mean Magic Show is "new" - it's from the 70's. From my experience, Lion Tamer is rarely done.</p>
<p>Agreeing with MusThCC - not too contemporary, but it sounded you were a non-singer. The roles you listed are singers' roles. So now I'm confused.</p>
<p>If you DO sing, I would look at something you know (and have been coached through, e.g., in a show). Out Of My Dreams is a lovely tune, and I really haven't heard it that often.</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>Duh, I'm stupid, I really don't know musical theatre...I think magic show just got redone or something, or I just heard an updated version, but yeah, shirly mcclane, i knew that.</p>
<p>The thing is, I can sing, but not nearly well enough to go into musical theatre, or (in my opinion) to have gotten singing roles, and because of that I never really got too much into MT outside of les and rent and such, so I was lost. Thanks for the suggestion eve!</p>
<p>Yeah Lion tamer is a great song. I have a question. I know some schools ask for 1 pre 1965 and one post 1965. Actually none of the schools i am applying to ask that but i am assuming its a good thing to do. I am finalizing my songs and i am going to sing 1 from 1992 and one from 1965. Can i get away with that? Does it HAVE to be before '65?</p>
<p>If the school is not asking for it to be pre 1965, it surely does not have to be. My daughter only did a song from pre 1960 when it was asked for. And when it WAS asked for, she certainly kept it to the dates they wanted which in this case was pre 1960. She used songs of her own choice no matter the date when a year was not specified.</p>
<p>Prof. Himmelheber,
Thank you so much for your advice. I will relay the show suggestions to my D's teacher.</p>
<p>What is your opinion of Dames at Sea, My Fair Lady, Crazy For You, A Day In Hollywood, A Night In The Ukraine, Falsettos, Follies, George M, The Golden Apple, The Most Happy Fella, No, No Nanette, On A clear Day You Can See Forever, Over Here!, Pal Joey, Re Head, She Loves Me, Steel Pier, Victor, Victoria, and Wonderful Town? those are shows that we are planning to investigate. Unfortunately, my knowledge of MT shows is very limited. I've never seen any of the shows I listed above, except for the movie versions of My Fair Lady and Victor, Victoria, so I don't know if any of them are suitable for a non-ingenue, soprano, dancer. We're not necessarily looking for a show that has lots of dancing, though it would be nice. D is learning to belt and can sing in alto range, but I'd like to see her do a show that features what she does best - legit soprano. That's why I thought of My Fair Lady. I don't think of Eliza Doolittle as an ingenue. Am I wrong?</p>
<p>Also thank you for the advice on speaking in the correct range. I will certainly share your comments with my D. I'm truly grateful to you and CoachC.</p>
<p>My Fair Lady (Eliza) might be good for her type, though is not much dance. The female leads in Follies are not really soprano. I don't know the specifics of all the shows you mentioned. How about Sound of Music (Maria) or Anything Goes (Hope or maybe even Reno) or Sweet Charity (Charity) or even Beauty and the Beast? Would Evita work...though she is a mezzo and it is not dance. While a high school staple, what about Guys and Dolls....there are two female leads but Sarah Brown is a soprano and need not be an ingenue at all. How about the role of Anne in A Little Night Music?</p>