The Challenge of Musical Theatre - Part 1

A conversation on Voice Types

 Through my experience at a Jesus Christ Superstar audition rehearsal.

One of the biggest challenges you may come across in your Musical Theatre journey is understanding where or if you fit. What type of voice you have will determine if you qualify for the next round, which then depends on what you look like and your body type.

So , recently I attended an audition rehearsal for Jesus Christ Superstar. As a voice coach and a singer I generally walk into these situations quite confident, however after we all got together to sing through the different audition pieces, I soon realised I was a fish out of water. 

Though the environment was supportive, there was a hint of ego in the room and I very quickly discovered that ‘who sings loudest wins.’ This was a problem for me, as I have a lyric voice. My voice naturally is flexible and has an element of depth in the sound ( a little bit like Sam Smith but heavier,) however the other men in the room were able to belt significantly better than me. To be honest, they were very good at it and some voices are built like that. 

Now this show can be done a number of ways depending on what the Director wants. There are different versions of this play, some ‘rocky’ and ‘belty,’ and some more controlled with more vocal finesse. 

Depending on what voice type you are, you may sit either side of the equation. In fact, some people can exist in both domains, however it is important to understand what your strengths and gifts are, and what they’re not. The sooner you can discover and accept this about yourself, the better decisions you’ll be able to make when it comes to auditioning-  you may find that your voice is more suited to Pop for example , and you can then adjust your course. 

A final thought - when my Singing Coach came to my home city of Perth, Western Australia for a seminar, we came across a 17 y.o girl who loved musical theatre. She lived and breathed it and even sang in front of us, so he gave a public workshop using her voice as an example. She wanted so badly to make it in the industry and after she walked out the room my teacher said to us “ unfortunately she will never make it in musical theatre.” This seems harsh and many may question the boldness of his prediction, until you realise that he has taught countless Broadway stars and pop rock stars around the globe, not to mention an impressive Musical Director resume. This girl could sing well and she was gorgeous, however she had the wrong voice, and unfortunately the wrong height to be cast well. However, she could be an amazing pop singer, and I hope she will adjust her course and give herself a better chance.

In light of above, please feel free share your comments below.