thattheatrekid
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Assassins Vocal RangesIf anyone can help I'd appreciate it very much:
What are the vocal ranges for the characters in Assassins? I've spent some time looking around and have come up empty handed. I'm most specifically interested in hearing about the male roles, but it would be great to hear about the entire cast. Thanks!!!! 
By the way: I am looking for specific ranges, not voice parts. I already know which character is a Bass or Mezzo or whatever. I'm trying to get as specific as possible here.
Thanks again in advance for any help!!
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Pannic
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Okay... let me try.
Proprietor is a bass or a baritone. Lots of low stuff, around a G. However, he does have a high F in the opening number.
Booth is a baritone. Highest note, I believe, is F#, in the Ballad of Booth.
Czolgosz is a bass or a baritone. Don't know specific notes though. I don't think he goes anywhere high, though. Might hold an F with Booth in the last number.
Balladeer is a tenor. Highest note is a G, I think.
Guiteau is a baritone or tenor. Highest note is a G in the Gun Song.
Hinkley is a simple pop voice. Highest note is F#. Fairly mid-range, classed as baritone.
Zangara is a tenor. Holds an A.
Byck... I'm not sure about him. I imagine it's basically an easy baritone part. High E, likely. But nobody cares about how well he sings.
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bittenbythetheatrebug
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If you know all of those, can you tell me the range of Squeaky Fromme? Thanks much!
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Pannic
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I don't know Fromme's exact range. From the sound of it, it seems like it's just your standard belting fare.
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SomeoneLikeYou
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Yeah, because Sarah Jane Moore is a soprano, there is the mezzo belt female, Squeaky Fromme, to offset her.
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thattheatrekid
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Okay thank you so much for the quick (and very helpful) response. That was exactly what I have been looking for.
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Vichysois
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| Pannic wrote: | Okay... let me try.
Balladeer is a tenor. Highest note is a G, I think.
Guiteau is a baritone or tenor. Highest note is a G in the Gun Song. |
This is a question that always comes to mind when I see descriptions like these. Baritones, as you no doubt are aware, are supposed to have the notes between E4 and G4. When a character is classified as a "tenor" but goes no higher than that span of notes, I'm guessing the classification is based on the tessitura?
I think the distinctions lend themselves to confusion, such as in the case where people identify Anthony from ST as a tenor, though he only has F#4 and can easily played by a baritone. Or Motel and Perchik from Fiddler, who go no higher than F or F#
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Pannic
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| Vichysois wrote: | | Pannic wrote: | Okay... let me try.
Balladeer is a tenor. Highest note is a G, I think.
Guiteau is a baritone or tenor. Highest note is a G in the Gun Song. |
This is a question that always comes to mind when I see descriptions like these. Baritones, as you no doubt are aware, are supposed to have the notes between E4 and G4. When a character is classified as a "tenor" but goes no higher than that span of notes, I'm guessing the classification is based on the tessitura?
I think the distinctions lend themselves to confusion, such as in the case where people identify Anthony from ST as a tenor, though he only has F#4 and can easily played by a baritone. Or Motel and Perchik from Fiddler, who go no higher than F or F# |
Eh. Varies. Balladeer we can call a tenor because he's around those high notes all the time.
Alot of people call Anthony a tenor because of the guy in the movie or the guy in the Hearn/Lansbury dvd, and he has the typical personality of romantic tenor leads.
Most casting sites generally just say that Guiteau is a baritone or a tenor. I'm guessing it's sort of just a sorting way, because with the three successful assassins, you sorta just figure "Czolgosz=bass, Booth=baritone, Guiteau=tenor." Granted, I get the feeling Czolgosz is played more by baritones than basses, simply because there aren't many basses.
Ranges in musical theatre are really just wonky is all.
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Vichysois
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| Pannic wrote: | Eh. Varies. Balladeer we can call a tenor because he's around those high notes all the time.
Alot of people call Anthony a tenor because of the guy in the movie or the guy in the Hearn/Lansbury dvd, and he has the typical personality of romantic tenor leads....
Ranges in musical theatre are really just wonky is all. |
I figured as much for the Balladeer - the tessitura question.
I agree with you about Anthony, and about the ranges. Really what gets me is the attitude of monopoly that tenors sometimes have when it comes to roles in musical theatre. Plus I get annoyed when I come across characters whom I enjoy immensely but cannot play because they're tenors....
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Pannic
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Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean, I'm a low bass, so that means alot of roles, even many baritone roles, are out of the question for me.
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Vichysois
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Ugh. I shouldn't complain then. But still, you've got the advantage (based on your description) of being a legit bass. Too many "bass" choir guys I know are either basses by default (in other words, they can't sing) or can only sing down to low E. If a guy's a bass, I want that Low C, man!
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Pannic
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I got a C. Nice asset to have in choir last year. We sang a Rachmaninoff piece, "Bogoroditse." We were doing a workshop before a competition, and one of the guest directors asked if any basses could sing a low C at the end. And I did.
But I know what you mean. Most of the basses in choir are just baritones. Last year, I was one of only two real basses in the chamber choir.
I just wish I could handle the high notes better.
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Vichysois
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^Bogoroditse is a fun piece...and the low C contributes a pleasing, pardoning the pun, depth. There was a dude in my high school choir that just barely had it. It was something of a throaty growl, but it got the job done for high school.
I get somewhat saddened when I consider how much the common musical theatre audience places an emphasis on very high notes - sometimes even to the discredit of healthy and correct singing.
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Pannic
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Yeah, but that's the way that pop music's been going.
When was it your choir sang the Rachmaninoff? We sang that last year.
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Vichysois
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Don't remember. 4 years ago at least.
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