[SilviaBlack]

I'm participating in a Musical Theater course and the Professer asked that I prepare two contrasting songs for the first day of class.

But he had some specifics about the songs I chose. This is what he said:

"Choose songs sung by characters you could
play in a professional production; that is, characters close to
your age and physical, vocal, and emotional attributes."


So I was hoping some people could point me to songs that fit my attributes. I'm 18 and I'm a soprano. But I wasn't sure what he ment by physical and emotional attributes.

Please help me.

[Imy]

Psychophysical type. (I probably misspelled that.)

Basically, if you're 6 feet tall and built like a football player, it's probably not believable for you to sing an ingenue role. Likewise, if you're 5'2" and 100 pounds, you probably don't want to be singing "Send in the Clowns."

Basically, make your song choices based on a character that you could see yourself cast as in the immediate future. What's your "look?" If we knew that then maybe we'd be able to help a little more. Also, what's your range?

[QuaxoCoricopat]

Think back to all the named roles you've played, and try to find any personality trait that ties them together.

Also look at yourself in the mirror. Do you look more like the girls on the cover of Seventeen, Vogue, or Tattoo Monthly. How one dresses broadcasts alot about their personality. A "Seventeen" girl is most likely an ingenue, like Cinderella, Cossette (Les Mis), Christine (Phantom). A "Vogue" woman is more likely to be the vamp like Ulla (Producers). The girl on "Tattoo Monthly" woman is the more independent type like Maureen (RENT).

That's just the personality, here's the physical bit:

If you weigh 120 lbs, one should not be singing any song about being fat. A girl that is 5'11 should not be singing "Tomorrow" from Annie. If the song mentions "my long flowing hair" and you've just shaved your head, that is not the song for you.

It all comes together like this: A short, chunky tomboy, who wears oversized tshirts and baggy jeans, and has buzz cut hair, looks ridiculous trying perform "I Enjoy Being a Girl!" which is all about pink frills.

[Chevstriss]

1. Gender

2. Age

3. Race - if you are caucasian, you will NOT be cast as African, Asian, or Latina. If you ARE a minority, it is permitted to be cast in traditionally white roles in the modern "non-traditional casting" practices

4. Dance training. Many leading lady roles were written specifically for diva dancers.

5. Build - tall, short, fat, skinny, muscular, scrawney etc.

6. Timbre of your speaking voice. - this is the most overlooked. If you are a high coloratura, but your speaking voice is Kathleen Turner, no one is going to cast you as an ingenue.

7. Regional accent. If you can't overcome a "born in the Bronx" or TN Hillbillie twang - your roles will be restricted to those stereotypes until you've trained it out.

4, 6, & 7 are skills you can work on. 5 can be adjusted to some extent thru diet and excercize, but not entirely.

[SilviaBlack]

Thank you.

Do you think you could help me find songs?

I'll tell you everything about me so you can help.

I'm 18 and soprano like I said before. I go from about from a low G to a high A comftorbly. (But I'm working on that)

I'm 5'4". My body is average. I'm not fat but I'm not a supermodel. I think I'm 125 lbs.

I'm caucasion.

I have brown eyes and brown hair a little below shoulder length.

I hope that helps. Thank you for helping me.

[OneSongGlory]

Sounds like you could sing a Sarah Brown song. Look into If I Were a Bell, I've Never Been in Love Before, or I'll Know.

[SilviaBlack]

Ah, that would be great. I love Guys and Dolls.

[LilRedEm]

How would you describe your personality? Maybe that will give us some more ideas of what kind of song would fit with you.