From Ingenue to Grande Dame: Role Models

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of the term “role model” is:

• a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated

In the theater world, “role” has an alternative definition – that of a character in a play, movie, or film. When a singer is developing their audition book, they are looking at what roles they could convincingly portray on a vocal and physical basis. The audition book will evolve over time, as the singer evolves – the roles a singer can play at the beginning of their career are not the same roles they can (or should) play as they grow older. (And young singers should not be singing roles that are intended for older singers – with the exception of high school/college productions, of course.)

One thing I tell my students to do when looking at the repertoire that they should work on is to look up specific artists who they admire, especially if that artist is similar to them in voice type, range, persona, age, or appearance (although the last one is not as important.) Listen to their recordings, research their careers, watch their videos (YouTube is a great resource!).

For example, a young lyric soprano (ingenue) could look at the work of artists at the beginning of their careers. 

Let’s take the late Rebecca Luker (1961-2020) as an example of an artist whose career spanned from her 20s through her 50s:

• What was her career trajectory?
  • Where did she study? 
    • BA, University of Montevallo (Alabama)
  • What were her early roles?
    • Anne in A Little Night Music, Michigan Opera Theater, 1983
    • Johanna in Sweeney Todd, MOT, 1984
    • When did she make her Broadway debut?
      • 1988, Christine in Phantom of the Opera
  • Did she work steadily throughout her entire life?
    • Yes, she was a regular performer in regional theater before and after her Broadway debut, and received three Tony nominations for her work in Show Boat (1995 revival – Magnolia), Music Man (2000 revival – Marian Paroo) and Mary Poppins (2007 – Winifred Banks)

“But what roles can I sing if I’m a soprano who is not an ingenue? What if I’ve outgrown Anne, Johanna, and Christine?”

I find it very helpful, when helping a student find repertoire that they can sing convincingly, to look to artists who have had successful performing careers that may have began while they were quite young, but have continued to have the staying power well into their “golden years.” 

Let’s continue to look at Rebecca Luker, since she was a soprano who worked steadily throughout her career, until she succumbed to ALS at age 59. She played Cinderella in regional theater when she was 26; and then played Marie, the Fairy Godmother, on Broadway (replacing Victoria Clark) in 2013 at 52. 

She originated the role of Lily in the 1991 Broadway production of Secret Garden and played her again in 2016 in a benefit concert. This was an exception. In her 50s, she played a variety of age-appropriate roles, including:

• Donna Lucia D’Alvadorez, Where’s Charley, Encores!, 2011
• Duchess Stephanie Lamberti, Death Takes a Holiday, Roundabout Theatre Company, 2011 (This Maury Yeston show has a sublime soprano solo that I found on SheetMusicDirect, “Losing Roberto.”)
• Marie von Goethem (adult), Little Dancer, Kennedy Center, 2014*
• Helen Bechdel, Fun Home, 2016 (replacing Judy Kuhn)
• Vi Moore, Footloose, Kennedy Center, 2019

*Here’s a video of Ms. Luker singing “Looking back at myself” in rehearsal at the Kennedy Center:

One thing that stands out to me about Ms. Luker is that she created roles, both in her youth and as she grew older.  While she also performed in revivals, many of her roles after 40 were roles that were written with her in mind. There are other singers of whom this can also be said, and who might, in fact, have gained even greater fame since they turned 40:

• Patti LuPone (b. 1948), mezzo-soprano – active since 1973, Tony Awards 1980, 2008, 2022
• Christine Ebersole (b. 1953), soprano – active since 1972, Tony Awards 2001, 2007
• Victoria Clark (b. 1959), soprano – active since 1984, Tony Awards 2005, 2023
• Kristin Chenoweth (b. 1968), soprano – active since 1991, Tony Award 1999
• Audra McDonald (b. 1970), soprano – active since 1992, Tony Awards 1994, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2012, 2014
• Kelli O’Hara (b. 1976), soprano – active since 2000, Tony Award 2014

There are so many more who don’t have multiple Tony award nominations and wins. Tony awards don’t mean success. Having a career on Broadway (or at the Metropolitan Opera, for my classical friends) doesn’t mean that you’re a success. It’s certainly nice, don’t get me wrong – but it’s merely a benchmark in this case. These are singers who have been recognized for their roles and are role models for singers looking at longevity as a measure of success.

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If you’re looking for someone to help you pick out repertoire that will help you find your voice, no matter what “certain age” you’re at, find out how to work with me, either online or in-person (in Baltimore).