Musical theatre shows no signs of slowing down in the U.S. With it’s ever-growing popularity, CS reached out to five singers who recently switched from opera to musical theatre to discuss this change.
Heather Hill recently finished a four-year run as the Innkeeper’s Wife and Carlotta understudy in The Phantom of the Opera. She also performed in the 2012 Tony Award-winning revival of Porgy and Bess.
Lori L’Italien is on the voice faculty at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and serves as an assistant professor at Lasell College. Her credits include Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Homeless Lady in A New Brain, and Lucille Frank in Parade.
Kimberly Moller recently appeared as Clarity in The Beautiful Machine, Vicki in The Full Monty, and Rose in Enchanted April. Other career highlights include touring as a soloist with the Boston Pops and performing with Kristin Chenoweth.
Andrew O’Shanick has performed in The Sound of Music, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George, Return to Spoon River, South Pacific, Dog Sees God, and Gianni Schicchi as well as Johann in Werther.
Pier Lamia Porter’s recent credits include The Music Man, Beauty and the Beast, The Wiz, and 1776. This year, she will appear as Ida and cover Orlofsky in MassOpera’s production of Die Fledermaus.
Were you always interested in musical theatre?
Andrew O’Shanick: I honestly didn’t know anything about musical theatre until I booked my first professional production. Since then, I have shifted the majority of my focus toward musical, straight play, and on-camera work.
Heather Hill: I always loved musical theatre. I moved to New York City intending to pursue Broadway. Then I went to grad school and became focused on strictly classical music and opera. But the love of theatre and acting was always there.
Pier Lamia Porter: In undergrad I was studying classical music and had to learn a musical theatre piece for a cabaret concert. My coach at the time suggested that I look at “Your Daddy’s Son” from Ragtime. I made my way to the music library, found the original cast recording, and that was when my love for musical theatre began.
Lori L’Italien: I got hooked in high school. I performed in a few musicals and always loved musical theatre but was shepherded over to opera and classical music by my undergraduate voice teacher.
How has your classical training affected your musical theatre singing and what are the biggest differences technique-wise?
Kimberly Moller: My classical training provided a foundation for strengthening and coordinating my instrument. However, after training classically, I had this focus on backspace and openness—especially in my middle voice—and that produced a retracted tongue. When I began studying musical theatre styles, the tongue was always more forward and released which improved my belt and mix greatly.
AO: To some extent, I think the training I got in a conservatory opera program hindered my performance within the musical theatre idiom. I often get the feedback: “Yes, you have a great voice. You don’t need to convince us of that. You need to show us you can act.” This was hard after years of being taught to respect the music above all. That said, my classical training has allowed me a solid base from which I can deviate, depending on the demands and style of the piece I’m singing.
LL: Musical theatre repertoire tends to call for a more forward, speech-like placement. Feeling the difference between loft and spread is one of the big challenges for young singers of musical theatre. I fought for a while to not pull back and add too much weight to my belt. Students of musical theatre need to learn to sing healthfully in the middle voice. Mixing is your friend; learn it and use it.
HH: Broadway is relentless at eight shows a week. Having a strong technique has been crucial as has knowing how to take care of my body and voice. Vocally it’s not always about the beauty of sound, but it is always about telling the story and leaning into the character.
What are some other differences between the opera and musical theatre worlds?
AO: The fields view young performers differently. In the opera world we are expected to continue to train and work in private and perfect our craft before being given a paid opportunity to work. Students don’t necessarily see themselves as artists who are honing their craft, instead they are “aspiring artists.” Though the difference is subtle, it can have such a negative psychological effect on a young singer.
HH: In musical theatre it is very important that you are able to move well and have body awareness. You have to take ownership of your character and choices. The days of park and bark are long gone. People want to be moved by more than the beauty of your voice.
The rehearsal processes are also very different. In classical, music preparation is the name of the game—show up day one musically prepared and with a good attitude. Often in musical theatre you get the music on the first day of rehearsal!
LL: In general, I have found the musical theatre crowd to be more supportive. The biggest reason I left opera was because of the social atmosphere backstage between singers. I saw and dealt with some really nasty behavior. It’s not hard to be kind and supportive of your cast mates. It takes so little. Words matter, tone matters . . . and directors remember!
Which field has more opportunity for paid work?
AO: Theatre provides more opportunities for working actors/singers than opera, hands down. I go on an average of four auditions a week year-round because there are that many jobs to be filled.
The pay for young artists is certainly better in musical theatre. Larger regional musical theatre contracts range from $700 to $1,000 a week; smaller regional contracts can be anywhere from $350 to $700. Broadway and production tour contract minimums are around $2,000 a week. Short engagement tour contracts can be anywhere from $900 to $1,200 a week.
KM: There is more work in musical theatre. Popular music and rock are over 60 percent of the musical theatre work out there now, so that makes it more mainstream than ever.
LL: As someone who has gone out and auditioned for both opera and musical theatre in both Boston and New York City, I feel confident saying that there are far more jobs in musical theatre. However, I firmly believe it’s up to the artist—both classical and musical theatre—to create their own opportunities and market themselves appropriately.
HH: I think there is more opportunity in theatre for a several reasons. First, there is just more theatre work in the U.S., period. Second, the expense of training and getting classical opportunities, especially if you are not the darling of a school or young artist company, is exorbitant. The fact that students and/or young artists making little to no money are asked to pay to apply for Young Artist Programs—regardless of if they are even granted an audition—is not fair or ethical in my opinion. You don’t pay to audition for musical theatre.
Third, theatre actors are taught to be more flexible. I don’t know why more classical singers don’t do work outside of their niche area: voice-over work, commercial work, extra work on TV and for film . . . it all pays!
What are the pros and cons of switching your focus from opera to musical theatre?
AO: The biggest pro has been focusing on my acting training. It has grounded my singing and allowed me to view myself as an artist with something valuable and unique to contribute to the world. One con is the lack of feedback from auditions. You’re in the dark more than 80 percent of the time. I’ve developed my own checklist to grade my performance on my own, without feedback from a third party.
LL: Pros—I love everything I sing. I never had that passion for classical music or opera. I tried so hard to love it, but I just don’t . . . and that’s OK! I also don’t have to “sell” my students on loving musical theatre. When I taught classical voice, I did a lot of convincing and selling the music and song selections to my students. Cons—people often think I gave up on opera because it was too hard, and that is very frustrating. Opera is not harder—just hard in a different way.
HH: I work a lot and if one door isn’t open, another one usually opens. I don’t get bored because my projects change. One challenge is being disciplined to continue exercising my voice for classical work, especially while in a Broadway show. It takes time and there are no shortcuts—you just have to do the work.
Any other advice for classical singers considering doing more musical theatre?
KM: Many discoveries in musical theatre pedagogy have been made in regard to body connection and the true athleticism of this kind of singing. Hop on that train and get a physical trainer. Get to dance classes as soon as possible. Most importantly, learn how to tell a story onstage—acting class is essential!
AO: I’m feeling very lucky right now as I’ve been working consistently for the last four months, but it took me a year and a half of auditioning in New York to get to this point. Ask your friends for help. Ask people for recommendations.
Find an acting class. Build your musical theatre book. Don’t try to do it on your own . . . and keep on working as hard as you can!
LL: Be yourself! Don’t try to audition with a big belt piece if your belt is your weakness. Do what you do best and find what roles fit you. Don’t try to mold your voice into a part just because it’s your favorite part. Be smart about your choices and show directors what you bring to the game.
Also, go to the right teachers for the specific genre. I have seen many students come from classical teachers who do not know how to teach healthy musical theatre technique. No one can be an expert in everything. If teachers would truly put the students’ needs over their own egos, it would solve a lot of problems and misunderstandings surrounding belting and musical theatre singing.
HH: Take a real acting class and learn to break down a scene and sides. Take an audition class from people in the business. It is a totally different audition process.
Work with a musical theatre coach on music theatre repertoire. Take a movement/dance class and learn short combos. Be flexible and positive and think outside of the box for work.
