Singing

college audition success
Auditioning for college theatre programs needn’t be a mysterious process.  Here are some things you can do to increase your odds of success: Work with a coach This is not blatant self-promotion on my part.  You’d be foolish to rely on the advice of your high-school drama teacher, friends or family for such an important audition.  Go to a professional with a record of success preparing students for college auditions. Start Early I can’t stress this enough.  Please don’t wait until the audition is coming up to begin preparing. As soon as you know you want to audition start working.  You put yourself at a distinct disadvantage if you don’t.  Choose your audition pieces wisely Check out my blog about how to choose an audition monologue here.  Some things to consider are: Choose monologues from plays instead of films or television.  When choosing musical pieces avoid songs strongly associated with […]

5 Steps To College Audition Success

How i learned to sing professionally
People often ask me how I learned to sing and how I was able to sing both the baritone role (Javert) and the tenor role (Valjean) in Les Miserables on Broadway.  Although this is a blog about singing, those actors among you who don’t sing should still find the discussion of vocal technique interesting as it applies to speaking on stage as well. I began vocal lessons, as a baritone, with an opera teacher at age 16 but I grew up listening to rock and roll, jazz, R&B, funk and soul.  When my friends were starting bands I couldn’t figure out how to use the technique I was learning to sing the contemporary music I loved.  My voice training only equipped me to sing opera, operetta and some of the “golden age” musical theatre repertoire. . My voice teacher warned me that “belting” was dangerous, would damage my “instrument” and […]

How I Learned To Sing Professionally

are you ready for an agent?
One of the biggest questions students ask is “How do I get an agent.”  Some of these people have coached with me for awhile, have credits and are truly ready for representation but many are just starting off and need to get a few more ducks in a row before seeking representation.  Here are 5 ducks you need to have lined up before you ever contact an agent! . . 1. Training  In no other profession would you advertise your services for hire without being trained to provide that service.  I’d like to be a doctor but I know before I start performing surgery I should probably go to medical school.  Yet “actors” think they’re ready for an agent just because they want to be an actor.  To be an actor you need to learn your craft.  Start by reading books.  For a list of great suggestions, click here.  Take […]

Are you ready to get an Agent?

singing in concert
People don’t come to a concert to hear songs.  Yes, you heard me right. Then why do they come if not to hear songs? I’m glad you asked.  They come to experience an emotional connection with you, the singer. . . Music is emotion.  Music with no lyric is the pure expression of the emotional river running through the musician.  Sing a song on an “Ah” vowel and each person listening will still have a subjective emotional response to the music.  Their individual feelings and pictures will be triggered by what they hear. . Lyrics are intellect.  That is not to say words are not emotional; quite the contrary in fact.  But add lyrics to that same piece of music and suddenly, we are all on the same page.  An audience instantly becomes a community sharing a common experience as the river’s emotion is given a specific context. We all […]

Singing in Concert

8 ways to improve your singing
No matter how accomplished, singing with ease is every singer’s goal. Whether it’s seamless transitions between registers or effortless high notes, I’m often asked for tips about how to sing better. Singing well is a balancing act between active energy and relaxation and knowing the difference between tensions (not good) and the sensations of pressure in your body the active energy creates (just fine). It sounds more complicated than it is. It’s a little like trying to explain how to ride a bicycle but in reality it’s no more complicated than talking. So here are a few simple things you can do on your own to make “riding your bike” easier. Of course, it’s safer and you’ll learn to ride faster with someone teaching you so, give me a shout if you need me. I’m happy to help. . 1. Instead of “taking a breath” before you sing, think your […]

8 Ways To Sing Better

Talent Schmalent
I’ve been a working professional actor for over thirty years on Broadway, television, and concert stages all over the world.  In that time I’ve learned that the way we feel about our world is who we are.  Expressing that is what we have to offer and in doing so, we shape our destiny. . Artists, share what’s important to them.  When we step on a stage, rehearse or audition we communicate what is vitally important to us.  Our job is thinking long and hard about what we want to say; knowing deeply what it means to us and finding a way to say it so an audience will feel our words and be changed by them. There is no greater calling, responsibility or joy than that. . This life-long process is challenging and often difficult.  But anything worthwhile will likely be hard. Reward comes through exploration, awareness and discipline. . […]

Talent Schmalent!

performing when not 100%
Changes of season are a time we are susceptible to vocal issues due to colds, allergies, flu, etc. Here are a few tips for maintaining good vocal health: A -Eat well and exercise. Your overall health impacts your vocal health. Take care of yourself! A -Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water acts like lubrication to help your vocal cords vibrate efficiently. This borders on too much information but, if you’re doing hydration right you’ll have to pee more often. If you’re performing a demanding role work pee breaks in as part of your track. If you’re shooting, pee right before you go on set. A – Get adequate rest. Sleep is the great healer! Don’t underestimate its power. A -For obvious reasons, please don’t smoke. A -Try to avoid alcohol; it swells your vocal cords. Minimize caffeine too. (I know!) A -If you’re using your voice a lot, take vocal […]

Acting and Singing When You’re Not 100%

how to choose the perfect audition song
For many people choosing an audition song is about as much fun as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. It really doesn’t have to be. It can actually be a lot of fun and as a bonus you get to hear all kinds of great music in the process. I hope the following general guidelines will help make the task of choosing material to use for auditions a little easier for you. . Surprise! Lyrics are more important than notes. I almost always read the lyric before I listen to the song. That’s how I decide if a song is right for me. Choose a song whose lyric moves you. If it makes you laugh or cry and you say to yourself “Wow, I get that” or “Ouch, I’ve been there” or “Damn, that’s what I want too,” it’s a good candidate for further investigation. When a […]

How to Choose an Audition Song