In these days of non-traditional casting, it is not unusual for BIPOC women to be cast in roles originated by White women. However, the reverse is rarely done, and for good reasons. There are tons of songs to sing and to teach. If a song is for a character in a show and that show is racially or culturally focused, it is not for you or your students, if neither you nor they are a POC. To do so is crossing the line from appreciation to appropriation..
Tag Archives: musical theater
Casting and Women of an UNcertain Age
The raison d’etre for this book is to spotlight musical theater repertoire and roles for women who are or over 40 years old. In other words, “Women of a Certain Age.” But sometimes it’s hard to say what that “certain age” is.
Momgenues, Battleaxes, and Dowagers
If opera has biddies, boys, and bitches (or witches, bitches, and britches), then musical theater has momgenues, battleaxes, and dowagers. The difference is that in opera, it’s about voice parts (the mezzo), and in musical theater, it’s about type.
From Ingenue to Grande Dame: Role Models
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.
Jerry’s Women (or Hello, Jerry!)
While the majority of leading ladies in American musical theater are cast as ingenues, there is one composer who found success writing many of his early shows for women over 40, some of which were in titular roles. This was Jerry Herman (1931-2019). In this post, I discuss these shows and their impact on American musical theater.
Growing Older – My Musical Journey (Part 1)
The book that I’m writing is about musical theater roles/repertoire for women of a certain age. Women who are growing older. And as much as that pains me, I count myself among that demographic. But I spent most of my adult life studying classical repertoire – how did I get here? When I was startingContinue reading “Growing Older – My Musical Journey (Part 1)”
Rorem and Sondheim
I just wrote a tribute to Ned Rorem on his 99th birthday. And just a few weeks later, he died. I feel like this is my fault, somehow. Of course, it’s not, but it’s kind of like saying “Beetlejuice/Betelgeuse” 3x in reverse. Instead of him appearing, he… left. I have written a lot about StephenContinue reading “Rorem and Sondheim”
Takeaways from NATS Conference – July 1, 2022
I promised I’d share my takeaways from the NATS Conference this summer, and here’s the first one!! (These are from the report I submitted to the MDDC NATS chapter on October 23.) July 1: “That was Intense! Cool-downs for Vocal Athletes” presented by Gwendolyn Walker and Edrie Means Weekly (off-site at Roosevelt University) Takeaways: Alexander TechniqueContinue reading “Takeaways from NATS Conference – July 1, 2022”
Showcase 2022!
On June 5, I will be hosting a showcase featuring 12 of my current students performing primarily ensembles from musical theater, opera, and nu-folk. The performance will be at Trinity Episcopal Church in Towson at 3pm and is free to the public. I have done a few studio programs since I’ve been back in BaltimoreContinue reading “Showcase 2022!”
College Bound 2022
It’s that time of year when my students make the decision about where to go for college. (I was going to write about past studio showcases, but this is more important.) This year I have three students who are pursuing arts career tracks and have gone through a rather grueling audition process. They had aContinue reading “College Bound 2022”