Suggestions on Musical Theatre songs for guys.

[kento3792]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 11:40pm

Does anyone know any strong musical theatre pieces for males?

When I say strong like vocally and emotionally. There are a lot of strong musical theatre songs for females. Well from all of the songs I've heard.

Can anyone help me out?

I'm trying to improve in musical theatre and I can't seem to find really good songs for males.

THANKS!

[jeff_thedancer]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 2:16am

try reading some lyrics first before you pick. any song can work-like....five hundred guys can belt out being alive. but it takes someone special who understands it to bring it out of a cabaret-esque version and draw you in and create background and depth.

personally i adore sunday in the park with george,company,parade, and scott alan,adam gwon and ryan scott oliver.

just please no wicked or rent. we have all heard enough lol

happy hunting

[WOSQ]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 1:36pm

Go to any cd with John Raitt, the top Broadway baritone ("If I Loved You"). Listen to the many cast recordings that feature Jerry Orbach, Carnival for starters. R & H bear some listening. So do Kander and Ebb although avoid Chicago.

And where is it written that they have to be "guy songs"? A few pronouns here and there and a song (out of show context) becomes a guy song.

Good advice about reading lyrics. However avoid songs that you cannot relate to on the level they are written. That example of Being Alive is very good. It is not a song for someone young. Life experience will explain a song like that in a while. Too many times you'll hear someone with a perfectly lovely voice sing a song that they do not have a clue as to why they are singing it and the presentation will fail.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 3:04pm

Really? This is so odd. I've always felt there are no strong female songs, only whiny love songs, and that guys get all the cool ones.

"The Scarlet Pimpernel" has some very good solo songs for guys in it. The previous poster warned against songs that don't apply to you and your life, which I guess would preclude you from performing "Falcon In The Dive," but that is one of the most powerful songs I've heard. The tenor solos are very good, too (like "Into The Fire," "Prayer," "She Was There".)

I'd like to say, though-- even though it's easy to change a few pronouns and change the key of the song, judges don't always like that. My drama teacher said that a boy from my school who sang "I Dreamed A Dream" for an audition for a prestigious theatre school didn't get in simply because he sang a song for the wrong gender and the judges felt that indicated he wasn't serious about theatre, and that they couldn't judge his performance against the 'original.'

This song is from Disney, but "Out There" from "Hunchback of Notre Dame" is terrific, in both emotional value and vocal power (though you have to be quite a tenor to handle it in its original key). Check out Drew Sarich's German version called "Draussen"-- it's fantastic.

While we're on the Disney subject, "Endless Night" from the Lion King would be great as well. And, sorry for suggesting so many tenor songs, but have you thought about doing "Love Changes Everything" or "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables?" Michael Ball, who performed both of those songs originally, has an extremely powerful singing voice. (Though I guess both of those songs are a mite cliched.)

[kento3792]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 8:59pm

Oh Don't be sorry at all!
I'm jotting all of these things down!
THANKS!

[geekgirl06]

Posted: 10/9/08 at 6:20am

I would say Giants in the Sky but ONLY if you can rock it. Otherwise steer away.

And I love How Glory Goes from Floyd Collins. AMAZING song. Also from Floyd Collins: Daybreak and Git Comfortable

There is a plethora of male sung songs in The Full Monty.

And on the same lines of songs that Michael Ball did an amazing job singing, what about Hushabye Mountain from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

I also really like Petrified from Taboo, which is waaaaay out there.

For something a little upbeat, you could do All I Need Is The Girl... just cut out the gigantic dance break.

Corner of the Sky from Pippin is always an oldie but goodie. In fact, there are a lot of male songs in Pippin (like Morning Glow)

Some more of my fav male songs:
What Do I Need With Love? from Thoroughly Modern Millie
Make Them Hear You from Ragtime
If You Can Find Me, I'm Here from Evening Primrose
This Is Not Over Yet from Parade
Endless Night from Lion King
Barrett's Song from Titanic
The Proposal from Titanic
Role of a Lifetime from Bare
M.U.E. from Spelling Bee (actually, this would be hilarious)
Happiness from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Take The Moment from Do I Hear A Waltz?

Also, look in some of the little musicals. There are great songs for males in Last 5 Years, Songs for a New World, tick... tick... BOOM!, A Man of No Importance, etc.

And then there is always Kerrigan and Lowdermilk for something totally fresh (Run Away With Me is AMAZING and I LOVE Someone Else's Life).

Updated On: 10/9/08 at 06:20 AM

[myblanketandme]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 3:01am

i completely agree with giants in the sky. i love using that song, but i have heard it murdered too many times.

some of these might be overused or whatever, but i still think they're great.

if i can't love her - BATB
her voice - little mermaid
no more - into the woods
the kite or beethovan day - yagmcb
epiphany or my friends - sweeney todd
look at the sky - urinetown

also, you can use virtually any solo piece from jersey boys and literally any jamie song from the last five years. they're all amazing and will show off your voice.

oh, and if you're familiar with high fidelity, there's a lot of good stuff there too.

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 7:14pm

"MONEY" FROM CABARET!

[SamanthaisFierce]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 11:08pm

Anytime from Elegies. Written by William Finn. Norm Lewis does a rousing rendition.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 3:41pm

Mmmm, yes! (*Unhelpful post*)

I also agree with the poster who said "Her Voice." That song is beautiful if it's properly performed.

[dg22894]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 5:23pm

I use Alone in the Universe the Horton part that has seemed to fail but it depends on the show you want to sing it for.

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 9:23am

To go along with Samantha's William Finn theme haha, another great song from Elegies is "My Dogs". But I wouldn't use it for auditions, it's more of a performance number. Two other great Finn songs are "Sailing" and "And They're Off" from A New Brain.

[SamanthaisFierce]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 5:58pm

I wouldn't recommend singing "Sailing" though. As beautiful as it is, it's quickly becoming incredibly overdone. Take a look at "What You'd Call a Dream" from Craig Cornelia's Diamonds.