<p>I have talked with two of my friends who both have D's pursuing MT BFAs at different universities and each of them told me a similar story about their D's type casting in college...</p>
<p>In HS, both were almost always cast as the comedic characters and specifically told to choose college audition material with that in mind...and they did! Interestingly enough, both of them, a freshman and sophomore, have been told by their college voice teachers that they are getting groomed for leading lady. The stranger part is neither is a "classic" leading lady as described to me.</p>
<p>I wonder if the influence of Contemporary Musical Theatre is causing a shift in the definition of leading lady, leading man...</p>
<p>Huh. That would be interesting. My D is also the funny supporting character type. She has also chosen material that highlights that feature. Timing is a good thing :)</p>
<p>MrsDrz- This is an interesting topic. I saw a recent video of a university MT voice teacher giving a demo lecture. She said (not quoting precisely) that two girls came to the school singing in a style that didn’t really match their appearance, so she was working with them to build vocal skills that matched their type (by appearance). The legit singer was learning to belt, the belter was getting a nice head voice. So in this case these two young women were doing a 180 from whatever they were doing in high-school. Of course learning these new skills did not mean deleting the old skills. I was very impressed. I would hope all the schools would work hard with the students to help them identify and develop their type as did this prof. Perhaps that is what you are witnessing in your example.
What’s funny/odd is that both our examples are showing that having one’s type and material just so for college auditions may not be so critical, if, when they get to college, they get switched up so dramatically. Hmmm.</p>
<p>Interesting, and a good example of making the students more well-rounded performers. Although I’m a little confused by the idea of making their “vocal skills match their type.” Is there a particular way one is expected to sing based on one’s appearance? How SHOULD my very petite 4’11" D be singing? Is there a mismatch currently between her voice and her type?</p>
<p>I think there is. I don’t know much about your D beyond her height, but based on looks I believe people get a first impression of what you “should” sound like when you walk in the door. I’m small as well (5’1- well 5 foot 1/2 but we’ll say 5’1) and I’m a brunette with a bob. Automatically, most people will think “belter” because of the kind of roles short brunettes with bobs play. I’m never going to be an ingenue, that’s just not the way I was made. I do have a strong soprano that I develop in my voice lessons because it’s good for my voice as a unit (and if Jenn Gambatese can play Carrie Pipperidge so can I! :)). However, it’s probably not going to serve me as well in the real world as my mezzo voice will to type. </p>
<p>The initial question was: is the definition of leading type changing? Probably! It’s morphing with the times as musical theatre morphs with the times. There’s still roles like Clara in “Light in the Piazza” but now there is hope for girls like me who just want to play Natalie in “Next to Normal”. Type is also relative. Some people are going to think your perfect for roles, but certain directors may not. I think trusting the guidance of faculty in your department in college is probably safer than a high school teacher, but these girls mentioned in the OP could also just be growing up and growing into their new type. Age changes things.</p>
<p>It was brought up in one of my classes the other day that we should be modeling our careers after performers who play roles that we like and we think we could play (i.e. that are truly our type). I mention Jenn Gambatese because she’s one of those people for me. On Broadway: Urleen in “Footloose”, “A Year with Frog and Todd”, Natalie in “All Shook Up”, Penny in “Hairspray”, Jane in “Tarzan”, etc. I think it’s fun to kind of track a career like that, it opens up ideas of what roles are out there for you.</p>
<p>Very true – my D looks to Celia Keenan-Bolger and, of course, Kristin Chenoweth. Speaking of type, one of her friends who is a sophomore MT student told her that because of her “type” my D doesn’t have to worry as much about dance as she would if she were 5’7", blonde and built. What is your experience with this?</p>
<p>There’s always a risk of being type cast but, given the chance, you can overcome it. My D (college junior) spent her first two years in college being cast in serious, dramatic roles based upon her look and natural demeanor. She’s great at that - but they were not necessarily her favorite roles. Then a director took a chance and cast her in an “over the top” comedic role and my D rocked it. That one role changed how everyone saw her and, this year, she has gotten two more “out there” roles and is loving it.</p>
<p>^Merlehay
The answer to #4 is YES, there is a way that your D should be singing based on her size/shape/looks. I don’t know her so I can’t comment, but like AlexaMT stated, that is changing.</p>
<p>Finally, mezzos (like my D) are getting a chance to rock the stage : )</p>
<p>Megpmom, I personally hate the idea of putting anyone in a particular box for casting. I love to hear that your D is getting some amazing opportunities to showcase her talent in different lights.</p>
<p>My D and I had lunch together today and I told her about this discussion. She gave me one of those teenage eye rolls that told me I was clueless. Evidently I worry for nothing – her voice matches her type :)</p>
<p>I think “leading lady” is a misnomer…I think of Bernadette Peters, Sherie Rene Scott, Idina Menzel, Angela Lansbury as leading ladies…women who can hold their own onstage, pulling the whole show together. A ‘classic leading lady’ is usually the ingenue. </p>
<p>As far as age is concerned, high school and college are one and the same, because all the actors are roughly the same age and must play a wide variety. But by college, people have matured enough to settle into their type and with their learning, can be focused properly into their type.</p>
<p>Type is always expanding: fifty years ago, it was always the ingenue soprano/the sexy alto/the aunt soprano. Now compare it to today’s shows and roles!</p>
<p>This is what I look forward to when my daughter (hopefully) gets to whatever MT program she makes. What will they do with a 5’9" 110 pound girl who has a range anywhere from alto to soprano, who dosen’t belt (but I think she can learn), who I’ve been told is an ingenue (which I have no idea what that even means), and thus far in musicals and theater has been cast as everything from a bird (Gertrude McFuzz), to an Irish mother (Music Man) to ensembles in Beauty and the Beast and Ragtime and Chorus Line, and from her junior year through now being cast as a guy, a bigot (in 12 Angry Jurors), a prostitute (in Les Mis), and most recently a fairy queen who falls in love with a donkey (coming up in Midsummer Jersey, where somehow they combine Shakespeare with Jersey Shores). And in the spring musical maybe a gorilla.</p>
<p>I just shake my head and laugh sometimes, but this is what she loves and seems to have a gift for, and I can only hope whatever program she winds up in sees what she can and should become.</p>