As a musical theatre major, it’s essential that you understand and protect your voice for the long term. Professional singers are vocal athletes and it takes serious commitment and training to work in the field.
by Nadine Gomes and Rebecca Schorsch
If you are considering turning your passion for musical theatre into a career, here are some important things to consider.
1. Imitation and over-singing
When the Musical Theater bug bites, the fever it causes can result in belting out show tunes in your bedroom, kitchen and car for hours on end. Imitation and over-singing are two significant dangers for the young MT singer. Listening to Idina Menzel or your favorite Broadway star can be fun, but the young high school and college level voice is still developing. The seductive nature of imitation can prevent a young singer from discovering and mastering their own individual and genuine sound. Manipulating your own voice to sound like someone else’s can result in serious and limiting stress and strain. Learning to sing without tension is an essential principle, not only of vocal study but of a long-lasting professional career in Musical Theater.
2. Warning signs
Eight to ten shows a week is a reality for the professional Musical Theater singer. This requires serious training and deep understanding of your voice and body, its strengths and limitations.
Vocal fatigue is unfortunately common among young singers, and it is important to recognize the symptoms. Listen to your body and learn to recognize the important messages it is sending you when singing. Hoarseness, physical discomfort and pain are signs of vocal exhaustion.
Good singing should not hurt . A singer should never lose their voice unless seriously ill. Singing to the point of vocal weakness or strain must be avoided. Know when to stop! If you are experiencing drastic vocal weakness or changes that last longer than a week, it may be time to consult an otolaryngologist, or the voice specialist ENT in your area.
3. Finding the right mentor
First and foremost, someone else needs to be your ears. If you are considering a career as a singer in any style, you need to work with a vocal technique teacher who is an experienced singer. This person should be well-versed in Musical Theater style and performance practice, and understand the principles of good vocal health, including how the body works. They should also be able to help you sing healthily and assist you in choosing appropriate repertoire for study and auditions.
Good singing feels good, sounds good, and is consistently repeatable. It takes time, regular practice and commitment to understand your own voice, and you need a knowledgeable partner on this journey. You should feel comfortable with the teacher and feel that they are helping you take ownership of your own instrument and how it works.
4. Warming up
Vocal warm-ups in your voice lessons are meant to be duplicated on your own as a ritual before all singing. Find time to warm up your voice and body before every practice session, rehearsal and performance. Skipping this essential step is physically dangerous. Think of it this way: Would you run 5 miles without first warming up?
5. Staying healthy
Staying in top physical shape is mandatory for a lasting career in Musical Theater. Drinking plenty of water, eating well, staying physically active and getting sleep aren’t just good for you as a human, they are necessary for career survival as a singer. Learning to go home and sleep instead of staying out partying with friends is a hard but important lesson to learn. The voice is a delicate instrument and it is easier to harm it than you might think.
6. Continuing education
A professional singer’s education never ends. It takes dedication, patience, years of work and healthy life habits to be a successful performer. If this is where your passion lies, the joy needs to be in the journey itself. Staying in top vocal and physical condition makes that journey so much more enjoyable!
Rebecca Schorsch and Nadine Gomes are both full-time lecturers in Studio Voice for the Theatre Conservatory at Chicago College of the Performing Arts (CCPA) at Roosevelt University. Their students sing on Broadway, Chicago, National Tours and regional stages.
Mastering a Wide Range of Styles
The genre of Musical Theater requires that singers master a wide variety of vocal styles, including legit, jazz, country and pop/rock. Within these genres, there are sub-genres. For example, “Legally Blonde,” “Rent,” “American Idiot” and “Spring Awakening” are all “Pop/Rock” musicals, but they vary greatly in style and require different vocal colors and stylistic nuance. As a professional performer, you may be hired to sing “Next To Normal,” “Oklahoma!” and “Les Mis” in quick succession and need to understand how those styles are different, how to sing healthily in all of those styles and how to communicate text clearly to properly tell the story.
The Road to a Professional Career
Becoming a Musical Theater professional is a long and demanding journey. Even though a singer can work in Musical Theater at a younger age than Opera, the voice still develops at the same pace. It truly takes years to master the principles of good, healthy and dynamic singing, as well as for your genuine voice to shine through.
Listening to great singers from every era is essential to your vocal education. Your voice teacher can help you identify good vocal role models to add to your playlist. YouTube is an incredible resource, because watching great singers is just as important as listening to them.
Photo Credits: CCPA Roosevelt University
More on Musical Theatre
Participating Schools Where You Can Study Musical Theatre
- Ithaca College (Music in combination with theater)
- Interlochen Arts Academy (pre-college)
- Walnut Hill School for the Arts (pre-college)
khosy
What eye opening tips you guys have for us. Thank you so much. I am currently a drama and music teacher and I’ve always emphasized warm ups before we start with our choir practices. Thank you for assuring me I am on the right track and pushing me to remember to apply such for myself before a show.
Judy
This is a wonderful bit of advice for singers of all ages as well as the young! The endless singing all day long in preparation for gigs, shows, etcetera can be damaging to your voice! If you are after longevity vocally-use your vocal chords sparingly, and practice for about 20 minutes at a time-then give it a rest! You can do this a couple of times a day for the best conservation of your voice. Warm up before a gig, especially physically-but limit your vocal exercise to a few minutes only! Also get plenty of sleep and reduce alcohol intake! If you follow simple rules you will still have your voice at a ripe old age! The joy of singing will last forever!!!
Leona Rund Zions
Thanks for posting. Succinct and to the point practical advice. Any suggestions for the more mature performer?
MajoringInMusic
A good place to start is by reading other articles on MajoringInMusic.com about maintaining vocal health. Look for them in the search bar or in the categories at the bottom of the homepage.