Classically trained singers are not new to the concept of preparation—of music, text, style, professional materials, character, etc. But some classical singers—who may be quite the experts in opera, art song, or oratorio—do not always know how to prepare for singing crossover music like light opera or musical theatre productions. When they walk into that first musical theatre audition, some might as well be wearing a nametag that says, “Hello, I’m an opera singer, and this is my first musical theatre audition.”
That is not to say classically trained singers cannot do crossover well or that they do not want to be better prepared for these auditions—but to be truly successful, whether they book a gig or not, singers must do some research.
To help singers get that information, I spoke with three industry experts who will be at this year’s Classical Singer Convention in Chicago to give their advice for crossover auditions. What follows is only a brief preview into the wealth of knowledge they will share with convention attendees.
Christoph Ptack is associate artistic administrator at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which produced Carousel starring Steven Pasquale and Laura Osnes this month. The 2015–16 season brings productions of The Merry Widow and The King and I.
Rudy Hogenmiller is artistic director of Evanston, Illinois-based music theater company Light Opera Works, which this season is mounting The Fantasticks, South Pacific, a greatest hits concert, and Guys and Dolls.
Soprano Alicia Berneche performs often with Light Opera Works, has been seen on the Lyric Opera of Chicago stage as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, and was in the world premiere of Philip Glass and Mary Zimmerman’s Galileo Galilei at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
Audition Format and Repertoire
The format of the audition will vary a bit at each company, so singers should research what to expect beforehand. Ptack says auditions at Lyric are on an invitation-only basis and that singers are often heard for a particular role rather than attending general mainstage auditions.
“For [musical theatre] productions, I usually like to hear specific selections from the score, plus have the artist bring their ‘book’ in the event I’d like to hear additional repertoire to show range, etc.,” Ptack says.
Berneche has done her fair share of auditioning and she has found that having music learned and memorized well in advance helps on many fronts. “It’s so important that whatever you bring in, you know it well,” she advises. “Don’t prepare [a piece] the week before.”
Hogenmiller, on the other hand, says he appreciates it when a singer has clearly learned a new piece to audition for the Light Opera Works season, but that being fully memorized means you will be more likely to have time to also work on character, style, and presenting the piece “truthfully”—things Berneche and Hogenmiller say are highly valued in musical theatre.
If an actor sings the same songs several years in a row for the same company and isn’t getting cast, however, the company might think, “Get a new song,” Hogenmiller says.
“Don’t they know anything else? Can they memorize other pieces?” Berneche adds.
Though a newer art form than opera, musical theatre still spans decades upon decades of styles and performance practices, and a singer should not expect to do the same things vocally with a Bernstein piece as he might do with one by Jason Robert Brown.
“All of these musical theatre works have a specific style,” Berneche says. “You need to immerse yourself in that style—really learn about it.”
In addition, studying movement helps with that truthful presentation. “Women move differently now than in a 1960s’ musical,” she adds. “We can’t bring 2015 mannerisms to things that were written back then.”
For Ptack, understanding the character you’re portraying and knowing what you are singing about can make a singer stand out. “Before you start your audition, always be at a place in your head where you understand dramatically what has gotten the character to this moment,” he says. “Without this, your performance will inevitably be uninformed and one dimensional.”
When auditioning at Light Opera Works, Hogenmiller asks singers to prepare 32 bars from or in the style of something in the upcoming season. “We tell them to be prepared for a second selection and to bring their book [with all their usual audition pieces],” he adds.
“When people come into our audition and they are singing something completely inappropriate for the season,” Hogenmiller says, “it makes me think, ‘OK, you don’t have a clue what we are as a company.’”
With so much information online these days, he says, an auditionee should be able to figure out what a company might want to hear. For Light Opera Works, which does a lot of classic musical theatre, a rock or pop song does not make sense.
“Some people only know the most contemporary music,” Hogenmiller says. “They don’t know anything like a Rodgers and Hammerstein song. These are kids who have their musical theatre certificates from a university and they don’t have a ‘legit’ song.”
Callbacks are common with musical theatre auditions, and some companies may ask for the auditionee to prepare music and lines from the upcoming season’s shows. While these selections do not often need to be memorized, Hogenmiller suggests being as familiar as possible with the materials so that you can have a chance to show character and interpretation in addition to good singing.
Monologues
Hogenmiller says monologues of any style or length might be useful “when you’re auditioning for acting companies or if you’re going to one of those mega auditions where you’re auditioning for multiple theater companies.” But he does not require them at initial auditions because he generally finds they are not a good indication of how an actor would be in a particular role of a particular show. If any actor is given a callback, he or she may be required to read from the show or shows in the upcoming season, Hogenmiller says.
Berneche agrees, saying she used to always have her “two monologues, one in classical style” ready, but she is rarely asked to present them these days. Instead, she reads lines from shows she’s being considered for. “You’re more likely to be reading with someone cold.”
But she is also quick to add that if you have time to work up a monologue, do it. “It can never hurt.”
Since Ptack often hears auditions for specific roles in a musical theatre production, he doesn’t usually hear monologues “but will use sides from the script depending on the situation.”
Attire
What should singers wear to a musical theatre audition? “Well, as the ol’ saying goes, ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression.’” Ptack says. “That said, nobody is ever going to fault you for looking nice.”
Hogenmiller says he likes to see auditionees in attire that allows them to present their best selves, while taking into account that musical theatre is less formal than opera, recitals, and oratorio engagements.
“For my seasons, I’m doing shows like My Fair Lady . . . and I do get the occasional opera singer in a full-length gown. They’ll bring their accompanist with them and it’s like they’re doing part of their recital,” which just doesn’t fit the situation, Hogenmiller says.
He also says he will notice shoes right off the bat—and not for their stylishness. “I can’t tell you how many times a young woman walks in with very high heels [and it’s clear] they never wear these on a regular basis because they can’t walk in them.”
Berneche stresses the importance of tailoring. “You can be a larger person, a smaller person—but if your clothes don’t fit you well, then that can sink you right there,” she says.
Ptack agrees that one should dress in nice clothing that is comfortable. “When it comes to auditions of any type, I’m all for creating an atmosphere where auditionees feel comfortable and like they can be themselves,” he says.
“For me,” Ptack continues, “a smart or casual look for musical theatre auditions is just fine: men in nice jeans and an oxford shirt (blazer optional), and women in a casual dress or appropriate length skirt.”
Other General Tips
As singers hone the multitude of skills they already work on every day, Hogenmiller and Berneche suggest taking a dance class.
“I can’t tell you how many times—inevitably everyone does a waltz—and all these young people coming out of musical theatre certificate programs don’t know how to waltz. I run into that all the time,” Hogenmiller says.
Berneche agrees, saying these musical theatre programs are packed full of other classes, so students have to do a lot of research and work on their own. “They have to go to the library after hours, watch old movies . . . they [have to] go the extra mile.”
And knowing what is expected of musical theatre actors can lead to a better method of preparation. “People that want to do musical theatre, they have to sing, dance, act,” Hogenmiller says. “For many years, a lot of singers just sang, a lot of dancers just danced. Now you have to do it all, and I am not finding a lot of people working on the acting of a piece.”
Being a good colleague can shine through in an audition. Ptack says having a “negative or disrespectful attitude” can immediately take someone out of the running. “No matter how great the talent, negative energy in a production is a liability that presenters can’t afford to invest in,” he says.
Final Thoughts
Each of the Classical Singer Convention panel members had some parting words for classically trained singers looking for more information about musical theatre auditions.
“Preparation, preparation, preparation,” Hogenmiller says. “Be prepared, know who you’re auditioning for, know the show you’re auditioning for, know whether you belong in it or not. That preparation goes a long way.”
Berneche says to be aware of casting differences in musical theatre. “In opera we can have the same voice type [almost our entire lives]” she explains. “In musical theatre, that doesn’t work. It’s a little more about the acting and the honesty. You see it sometimes, when there’s some stretching of the boundaries, but it’s more where you are in your life and how you can play where that is.”
“Casting a musical theatre production is an intricate equation,” Ptack says. “There are so many factors that enter into decisions that are made, many of which artists have absolutely no control over. It could be a look, height, timbre/type of voice in relation to others who have already been cast. For these reasons, all I want is for you to come in and give me your ‘best and final’—beyond that, the chips will fall where they fall.
“If you come out of an audition feeling like you’ve shown commitment to the character, understand where the character has been and where the character wants to go, and produce a performance that you’re proud of,” he continues, “then you’re a success regardless of whether you’re offered the contract.”
