Kim Questions

bwayblonde21 · Kim Questions

I have an audition for Bye Bye Birdie in September for school. I am going to be in the eighth grade which is the oldest in my middle school grades 5-8. I would like to audition for Kim McAfee and I have a question. Is Kim considered a mezzo or soprano, and does she belt? Thanks if someone can help.

what_the_heck013

Kim is a mezzo soprano. She doesn't need to belt (as I recall), but I guess she could (especially in "A Lot of Livin' to Do").

bwayblonde21

Thank you. I like to belt and sing soprano, so I was just wondering if Kim did both. I don't think she goes low though (which I hope). I cannot sing alto parts well at all!

MsDivaKate

I've always considered Kim to be more of a soprano role as she should have the lighter QUALITY to her voice that many mezzos lack. She's a 16 year old girl and her voice should be bright and clear. She sings up to a high A I believe though.

Kim does not belt. She should have a sweet, legit sound. Kim's vocal line in A Lot of Livin starts semi high and is almost past the point where most young girls would be able to belt safely, comfortably and without having to switch into full head voice. I've been in this production and seen many productions and have never really heard a girl belt this role. In the movie that was made in the 90's the songs were all lowered, but were still not really belted.

Being in 8th grade you should not really be belting too much yet or actually not at all, as your voice is a bit too young to really be able to handle the technique required of belters.

The role does not go very low at all and is in the mid to middle high register of the voice.

My recommendations to you are to sing this role sweetly and legitly (which you might associate with a nice soprano sound).

Ep-Griz-Reno

Yes. Sweet=Key. That way, when she wants to be with Conrad and "enter his world" it's a bigger step for her to take... PLUS the audience will adore her! Haha...yeah, Lighter Brighter quality adds more youth, and it's just better for the character...I too can see Belting in Livin...howeverrrrrrrr it's higher in the show than in the movie so number one it's difficult, and number two, you probably wouldn't want to change her vocal style mid show, you know? Break a leg darlin'!!!!!!!! =D

pinkstiletto510

Kim does have to sing fairly low in "what did I ever see in him" but since it's a duet, Rosie can carry most of it
kim sings a high A or Ab in One Boy, and has a sustained F or F# (cant remember which) in How Lovely to be a Woman

bwayblonde21

Thanks for all the help. If I do get Kim, I might consider just acting the part of "Lot of Livin' to Do" a little bit more, while singing legit (i think that's the word) and soprano-y. Since that part in the play she's basically saying "I got a lot of livin' to do" I would play it a little optimistic and a little daring, just in the acting. I don't think I should belt it either now, because it is pretty high. I guess I could, but as someone said before, it's not that good to belt young and I don't belt that often.

**Sorry if I'm using wrong terms or whatever (ex: soprano-y) I don't know much about all these terms and they're pretty new to me. If I am wrong about what legit sounds like or something please tell me.

bwayblonde21	Kim Questions I have an audition for Bye Bye Birdie in September for school. I am going to be in the eighth grade which is the oldest in my middle school grades 5-8. I would like to audition for Kim McAfee and I have a question. Is Kim considered a mezzo or soprano, and does she belt? Thanks if someone can help.
what_the_heck013	Kim is a mezzo soprano. She doesn't need to belt (as I recall), but I guess she could (especially in "A Lot of Livin' to Do").
bwayblonde21	Thank you. I like to belt and sing soprano, so I was just wondering if Kim did both. I don't think she goes low though (which I hope). I cannot sing alto parts well at all!
MsDivaKate	I've always considered Kim to be more of a soprano role as she should have the lighter QUALITY to her voice that many mezzos lack. She's a 16 year old girl and her voice should be bright and clear. She sings up to a high A I believe though. Kim does not belt. She should have a sweet, legit sound. Kim's vocal line in A Lot of Livin starts semi high and is almost past the point where most young girls would be able to belt safely, comfortably and without having to switch into full head voice. I've been in this production and seen many productions and have never really heard a girl belt this role. In the movie that was made in the 90's the songs were all lowered, but were still not really belted. Being in 8th grade you should not really be belting too much yet or actually not at all, as your voice is a bit too young to really be able to handle the technique required of belters. The role does not go very low at all and is in the mid to middle high register of the voice. My recommendations to you are to sing this role sweetly and legitly (which you might associate with a nice soprano sound).
Ep-Griz-Reno	Yes. Sweet=Key. That way, when she wants to be with Conrad and "enter his world" it's a bigger step for her to take... PLUS the audience will adore her! Haha...yeah, Lighter Brighter quality adds more youth, and it's just better for the character...I too can see Belting in Livin...howeverrrrrrrr it's higher in the show than in the movie so number one it's difficult, and number two, you probably wouldn't want to change her vocal style mid show, you know? Break a leg darlin'!!!!!!!! =D
pinkstiletto510	Kim does have to sing fairly low in "what did I ever see in him" but since it's a duet, Rosie can carry most of it kim sings a high A or Ab in One Boy, and has a sustained F or F# (cant remember which) in How Lovely to be a Woman
bwayblonde21	Thanks for all the help. If I do get Kim, I might consider just acting the part of "Lot of Livin' to Do" a little bit more, while singing legit (i think that's the word) and soprano-y. Since that part in the play she's basically saying "I got a lot of livin' to do" I would play it a little optimistic and a little daring, just in the acting. I don't think I should belt it either now, because it is pretty high. I guess I could, but as someone said before, it's not that good to belt young and I don't belt that often. **Sorry if I'm using wrong terms or whatever (ex: soprano-y) I don't know much about all these terms and they're pretty new to me. If I am wrong about what legit sounds like or something please tell me.

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Kim Questions