Musical theatre song : a comprehensive course in selection, preparation, and presentation for the modern performer / Stephen Purdy ; foreword by Hunter Foster.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Purdy, Stephen, author.

Foster, Hunter, author of introduction, etc.

Series:

Performance Books

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Musicals--United States--History and criticism.

Musicals.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (313 p.)

Place of Publication:

London, England : Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2016.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

THEATRE STUDIES. Musical Theatre Song is a handbook for musical theatre performers, providing them with the wide-ranging skill set they need for success in today's competitive musical theatre environment. Breaking down the process into knowing how to select your song material based upon your individuality and how to prepare and perform it in a manner that best highlights your attributes, Stephen Purdy provides a succinct and personalized trajectory toward presentation, taking the reader through a series of challenges that is designed to evoke original, personal and vibrant song performances. Written by renowned Broadway and West End vocal and audition coach Stephen Purdy, Musical Theatre Song is a must-have guide for all performers who are looking to succeed in the musical theatre industry.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: SECTION I Song Selection

1.Introduction to Song Selection and Historical Context: What You Should Know (and Why You Should Care)

Introduction

The minstrel show, the saloon revue, and the first "musical"

The variety show and vaudeville in America

Tin Pan Alley and Irving Berlin

George Gershwin, the revue, and cultural crossovers

The musical comedy in the 1920s and 1930s

The "fully integrated" musical

Musical theatre in the 1950s

Musical theatre in the 1960s

The 1970s: The doldrums ... and then that happened

The 1980s

the wave of the mega-musical

and the 1990s

2000 onward

2.Song Selection for Singing Actors Part I: What to Sing and Where to Find It

the Philosophical

3.Song Selection for Singing Actors Part II: The Song Is You

the Practical

The feeling's the thing

Forger "type": Sing who you are

Note continued: What are the styles of songs that you need to prepare and include in your repertoire "book," how many, and why?

Belt and legit

Beyond belt and legit: Understanding and performing the diverse song and vocal styles used in modern musical theatre

Mutual plausibility between you and the song: Getting closer than "one-and-the other"

Does the song cut well?

Musical key consistency within the proposed cut

Playing the song out of context

Choosing songs with, and understanding, a playable "arc" (and "cutting" them accordingly)

Often-heard and iconic songs

A subjective, arguable "Top 25" often-heard list (and runners-up)

Delivering the goods

Choosing (and performing) pop and rock songs

SECTION II Song Preparation

4.Introduction to Song Preparation

Table Work I Ascertaining (and understanding) objective information

Table Work II Why sing it and not just speak it?

Note continued: Table Work III Theatre song "brands" and traits that inform style and lead to playability

5.Off the Table and Off the Page: Techniques for Payability

Speaker

receiver interaction and relationship

Interior monologue in song

The lines under the lines (subtext in song)

Music as subtext

Objectives: What's the problem? (the want is always stronger)

Tactics: How do I solve the problem?

Charting it out: Hitting objectives and tactical points and identifying obstacles

Song worksheet

Methods and modes of song delivery

6.A Music and Musical Theatre Term Lexicon

7.Coaching Songs Through

"Much More" (From The Fantasticks)

"Separate Ways" (Worlds Apart) (Words and music by Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain)

"Another Night at Darryl's" (From The Witches of Eastwick)

"Perfect" (From Edges)

"Maria" (From West Side Story)

SECTION III Song Presentation

8.Your Turn at Bat, Sir

Note continued: Who am I anyway (in the show)?

Casting notices

Keeping it real(istic)

A first-date guide to dressing for auditions and song presentations

Dressing (up) for the part?

So many choices with so little time

9.Musical Theatre Song and Collaboration

I love a pianist

Setting yourself up for success in spontaneous collaboration

10.How They See Us: Body Language Onstage and Media Online

Now that I'm here, what do I do with my hands (and feet, and hips, and legs, and...)?

See and be seen on Facebook, YouTube, and everything else

11.Finale

If I had a dollar, euro, or pound for every coulda, shoulda, and woulda

Thank you and goodnight.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed December 14, 2015).

ISBN:

1-4725-9510-6