Broadway actors with odd voices
Broadway actors with odd voices
#1Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 6:00pm
It seemed like over the years the top Broadway stars often had unusual, distinctive or odd sounding instruments - the kind of voice that you can immediately recognise them and the kind of voice that really can complete change how a song sounds (e.g. Ethel Merman, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Marin Mazzie, Donna Murphy, Carol Channing, Elaine Stritch, Carolee Camello etc.).
I still struggle to find who the equivalents of these are today (maybe a couple such as Carmen Cusack come close and Katrina Lenk has elements of it), or who could be emerging to take this place. When we have had this discussion in the past there has been a suggestion that Broadway does not really cultivate this kind of talent anymore for a variety of reasons (e.g. theatre school training that makes everyone the same, changing audience expectations of what they want to hear from a voice etc.).
But this aside, can anyone recommend contemporary artists with unusual/odd vocals (either Broadway or Off Broadway, as long as I can hear a recording preferably!) I might be able to discover?
To be clear, examples of people that to me don't fall into this category (as much as I love some of these artists): Sutton Foster, Stephanie Block, Idina Menzel, Laura Osnses, Audra McDonald, Kelli O'Hara etc I think the key element might be unusual sounding vibrato (as opposed to either legit styles or that clean pop belt etc.)
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
pair-o-dice
Stand-by Joined: 1/18/05
#3Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 6:45pm
Gonna disagree with you on Audra and Idina - both are instantly recognizable and iconic. While Audra's isn't "odd" it's certainly distinguishable. And Idina's voice is "odd" and 1 in a million. I literally heard a Christmas song in the background at a department store and was like "that HAS to be Idina Menzel", I had never heard her Xmas album and sure enough it was her. It's an odd (but fabulous) sound and unique phrasing with big breathy gasps. She's so imitable.
I'll second Orfeh and add Lena Hall, Alice Ripley, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Adrienne Warren and Emily Skinner in there. And If we'd consider men; obviously Harvey. But, also Ben Platt with that tremolo.
Every few years people bring this up and give the same examples from the 60s-80s. For a few distinct voices over several decades you have to remember that there were 100s of other people working on Broadway during those times who might be indiscernible or not as unique. Same with today. For every Shoshana Bean there are 100 other girls who all sound the exact same.
Hairspray0901
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
#5Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 7:09pm
Kacie Sheik has a super unique voice. She has alot of great music out too. Or, had? - unsure if it’s still available online. Also - Bebe Neuwirth comes to mind.
#7Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 7:29pm
Ben Platt
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
A.J.
Understudy Joined: 3/15/08
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#9Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 7:47pm
Norbert Leo Butz comes to mind.
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Penna2
Broadway Star Joined: 2/24/18
#10Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 9:06pm
I would use the word distinctive rather than odd - recognizable. For me it's Ramin Karimloo. The score of FG doesn't really take advantage of his range and the quality of his voice, but it's still Ramin.
Updated On: 3/23/23 at 09:06 PM
steve.sometime
Stand-by Joined: 12/11/22
Phillyguy
Featured Actor Joined: 8/27/22
BorisTomashevsky
Broadway Star Joined: 4/30/22
pethian
Leading Actor Joined: 5/23/22
#14Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 10:38pm
Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane.
BentleyB
Stand-by Joined: 4/4/17
#16Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 11:08pm
Annie Golden.
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bwaylyric
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/22/03
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Swing Joined: 1/14/23
#18Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/22/23 at 11:28pm
André De Shields, Christine Ebersole, Victoria Clark, and perhaps Grace McLean as well for me!
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Chorus Member Joined: 12/1/18
#19Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 12:03am
William Finn always writes for odd voices. Mary Testa, Michael Rupert, Chip Zien, Alison Fraser, Carolee Carmello, Kristin Chenoweth, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and so on.
Contemporary voices like Rachel Bay Jones, Katie Thompson, Grace McLean, Shaina Taub, Mia Pak, Brittain Ashford, Reeve Carney, and favorites like Jane Krakowski, Alan Cumming, Mandy Patinkin, Glynis Johns, Ken Page, Fran Drescher, Liza Minnelli, hell even Jackie Hoffman.
gibsons2
Broadway Star Joined: 8/26/19
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#21Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 1:25am
John Cameron Mitchell and Alison Fraser
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
#22Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 1:38am
Katrina Lenk definitely has a smoky flavor to her singing voice that’s relatively unique.
Mare Winningham, while not often heard on Broadway, has her own form of a distinct folk voice that served her remarkably well in “Girl From The North Country” and “A Man Of No Importance”, as well as her Oscar nominated role in “Georgia”
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RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#23Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 1:52am
Most of the people here you’ve all mentioned are above 40. I believe the OP was asking for the “next generation.” And to be honest, I don’t think we will have a true theater legend again. Just given the current climate. Casting directors aren’t taking risks, etc.
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#24Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 2:40am
RippedMan said: "Most of the people here you’ve all mentioned are above 40. I believe the OP was asking for the “next generation.” And to be honest, I don’t think we will have a true theater legend again. Just given the current climate. Casting directors aren’t taking risks, etc."
True. If you sit through an audition nowadays with younger performers, they all sound the exact same. It's interesting how they ignore that a unique sound would make them stand out.
Broadway legends are those you'd recognize from their voices, whatever they sing and without a visual, you'd know exactly who it is. Yet, the most generic sound is where most hopefuls go to get lost in the crowd.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
QueenTwinnied
Leading Actor Joined: 6/16/17
#25Broadway actors with odd voices
Posted: 3/23/23 at 2:44am
Disagree about Idina. I think her voice is very distinctive.
When I thought of more contemporary artists, Jessica Vosk, Anna Uzele, and Rachel Bay Jones came to mind first.
