[do-re-ME]

I'm so happy I found this place!

Here's my spiel...

I've recently taken the leap from a classical singer to a broadway singer. (Before anyone gets the idea that I'm new to broadway singing, I'm not. It's just where I've chosen to focus my energy for now.) Now technichally I am a soprano, as I have very solid high notes. My problem is that my look doesn't match my voice for musical theater. I am a character actor through and through. Now, lucky for me I have a good facility for belting and am comfortable singing in chest.

So, my question is this...What should I market myself as (voice wise) on my resume? A lot of the parts I would go for are what many would consider "alto" roles. I was thinking of putting Mezzo-Soprano on my resume to give me larger scope. So, what do you experienced people out there think?

Just want to say that I really appreciate any help you can give with this dilemma.

[JIJane]

Hard to judge without seeing you in person and hearing you. What does your agent say or professionals that have seen you perform/know you around you? Voice or drama coaches, etc? My gut feeling is - you can only alter your look to a certain degree (if you are not ingenue, you are not ingenue), so market your voice in accordance with your looks, rather than the other way around.

[do-re-ME]

That's exactly what I want to do. Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm trying to market my voice to match my look. My look doesn't say Soprano. I'm not an ingenue. In the past I've said I was a Lyric Soprano with a strong Belt/Mix. However, in the next few weeks I'm going to be auditioning for a few roles that are described as Alto. I don't want them to look at my resume and not consider me based on the word "Soprano". That's why I thought that Mezzo-Soprano w/ strong Belt/Mix would market me better.

Unforetunately, my agent doesn't exist (don't have one). I'm asking friends, but wanted others opinions as well.

[JIJane]

Hm....I see your point. Maybe just leave off the voice type tag altogether and just put down your range?? Have you played alto or mezzo parts in the past that you can mention in your credits section of the CV? That is usually a good indication of what someone's casting type is without having seen/heard them as a casting director.

[do-re-ME]

Yeah...my resume shows a lot of variation as to the voice type/characters I've played. I suppose I could put my range down, but I think it may confuse people. I'd rather be more specific as to the timber of my voice.

[KBecks]

I am just a hack, nowhere near resume level, but I say if you know you can perform an alto song and make it work, then put down mezzo or alto when you're going for an alto role.

If they have you sing your range at your audition you may have to explain why you've got so much upper range, so maybe mezzo is a good compromise.

If you can't get the volume out for the low notes in the alto songs, then you've got a problem, so check out the singability of the songs for the specific show and role you are going for. Also, sing a low audition song that you are comfortalbe with and can get good expression of your lower range. If you end up in the chorus and label yourself a mezzo they could easily shift you to soprano, which is where you would be most comfortable.

I'm a mezzo who will be going for alto roles in community theatre and I'm looking into low audition songs and discern whether I have a true ability to make the alto show solos great.

Best of luck!

[MaryMag]

I would put this:

voice type: classically trained, so fu** yes i can sing anything in a musical because musicals are ridiculously simple musicallly/vocally when compared to classical music. you give it to me, i can sing it's face off.


This is what I want to write anyway. My classical training makes me retardedly overqualified to sing musical theater stuff. I could've sang Hodel from Fiddler in the Roof in my sleep. Even utilizing my chest voice/belt in Cabaret was easy as pie.

I'm not always an advocate of putting my range down on my resume either because there are a depressing number of casting directors in musical theater who don't even know what it means. Further, I'm not sure what you could put down for timbre - are you thinking of putting a fach?

EDIT - i sound like an em effing diva in this post, but it's really just me lamenting the sad state of music in broadway shows

[do-re-ME]

Ok Diva! lol

Yeah...it's a tough one. I agree with you and KBecks about putting down my range. I don't really think fach is common in musical theatre. So, i'm trying to stay away from that - hence deleting Lyric Soprano. I just want to capuslize that I can sing most anything....alto or soprano. Does mezzo-soprano do that?

[KBecks]

You know what? Go ask Sean at the allexperts.com site. I'm sure he'll have a fascinating, opinionated and probably spot-on answer. Include details in your question. Is this resume a general one, or is it for specific auditions?

Check some of his prior answers to see if you think he's a good fit for your question. I have been impressed with some of his answers and he seems to know what casting directors look for.

http://www.allexperts.com/browse.cgi?catLvl=3&catID=695

[do-re-ME]

Oooh...neat site! Never knew it exhisted. I will definately ask him! Thanks