I Need Help Find a Show with a Soprano Lead!

[directorkid]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 4:43pm

I run a theater group in New Jersey and i have a realy wonderful high soprano actress. I'd love to do a show that would showcase her. Does any one have any suggerstions of a MODERN show with a soprano lead! Thanks!

[~*Triple Star On Broadway*~]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 5:40pm

You run a theatre group but don't know many musicals that well? Honey, theres tons of musicals with soprano leads, but you need to give more info. Do you have strong males? Do you have other strong women? How many people do you have to work with? Comedy or Dramatic?

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 5:43pm

It's difficult to find anything modern with a soprano lead. I'm a legit soprano hoping to make it on Broadway and pretty much every new show that comes out is all belting. It gets kinda discouraging. The only MODERN show I can think of is Yeston's Phantom... and that book is so awful I don't know if you'd want to do it. The music is beautiful though. If you're willing to do something older, you will have a lot more to choose from. Westside Story, Show Boat, Kiss Me, Kate... OH! There's Secret Garden. That's modern and Lily is a beautiful role. Glad to offer more suggestions if you need them!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 5:56pm

I was going to mention Kiss Me Kate (the revival version). Or you could do Wicked...haha..ok not funny. I doubt Phantom of the Opera's rights are avaliable. Sorry I'm not being much help. J&H also might be good, if she was Emma.

[rock00]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 6:55pm

Secret Garden if you've got the men. Granted, it's Mary's show, but Lily's a very strong component and a great role.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 6:56pm

Well directorkid, I think the best thing you could do is not showcase a Soprano.

[iruvyou]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 6:57pm

ok it's not new but i'm in ruv with this show at the moment - The Fantasticks the girl (louisa) is a very good soprano-showcasing part! lemme think... all the new shows (like someone else said)are all belting

[ChildOfEden]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 8:06pm

Definitely "The Secret Garden," but you need really talented kids. Yeston's "Phantom" is soooo much better the the Weber version, so check that out too. It sucks that you want a contemporary show because everyone's into belters now (myself included!). A lot of the older classic shows have fabulous soprano roles.

[iruvyou]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 9:31pm

wait childofeden can you explain the diffirence between phantom and phantom of the opera

[Mr.Bungee]

Posted: 5/17/04 at 9:43pm

Wow this is the second time in two days I've recomended this show. Try Bed and Sofa. Its a lot of fun and the lead woman ,Ludmilla, is a Soprano. "this enchanting three-character 'silent movie opera' based on Abram Room's scandalous 1926 Russian film comedy, premiered at the Vineyard Theatre in New York, where it received an Obie award for its composer, Polly Pen (Goblin Market), and seven Drama Desk nominations, including Best Musical." TYou can order the script at http://www.dramatists.com/http://www.dramatists.com/>http://www.dramatists.com/

Updated On: 5/17/04 at 09:43 PM

Posted: 5/17/04 at 10:07pm

Gr8 Choice - Bed and Sofa

Another idea - one act opera - Trouble in Tahiti - Leonard Bernstein(part of larger work called A Quiet Place)
Gr8 Soprano lead - with a sop. supporting role. Cast size - 5. Family dysfunction tale set to Bernstein music. Love it.
Updated On: 5/17/04 at 10:07 PM

Posted: 5/17/04 at 10:07pm

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 2:06am

iruvyou- Phantom of the Opera is the Webber show. Phantom is a Maury Yeston/Arthur Kopit show based on the same story of course, but with a very different story/book and of course, different music.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 3:09pm

I can't believe that no one has mentioned She Loves Me...built in audience from the love of "You've got Mail" (which is based on the same original story)..."She Loves Me" is the perfect musical - strong characters, romantic, fun story, great songs and dialogue - fantastic book - and what Soprano wouldn't want to sing Will He like me? and Vanilla IceCream, among others....the mens roles are wonderful also. Check it out!

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 3:27pm

God love ya for mentioning Kopit and Yeston's Phantom - its MILES above that pitiful Phantom of the Opera that is STILL (for some ungodly reason) playing on Broadway - OY!

[DefyingGravity2]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 4:55pm

DEF Phantom (yeston) Fantasticks Def, you might go to http://stageagent.com/http://stageagent.com/>http://stageagent.com/ and enter what you need!!!

[~*Triple Star On Broadway*~]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 5:04pm

Theres probably no point in naming shows anymore, since we really havent heard back from directorkid in awhile...

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/18/04 at 5:09pm

Maybe GUYS AND DOLLS? That's more alto/soprano than strictly soprano, but still. I personally hate the show, but it does have leading soprano. Again, a lot of classic shows have soprano leads, CAROUSEL included.

[directorkid]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 8:42pm

thanks guys i'm looking into a lot of them!

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 8:46pm

Without a doubt, CARNIVAL. It's a show about an orphan girl named Lily who comes to the Carnival, and the show follows her tribulations while working there, and who she falls in love with, etc. Wonderful show, and the rights are available, and Lily is a MAJOR Soprano. She has 4 or 5 songs almost completely to herself, so you would most definitely be showcasing her. The only problem is it's not very modern; it takes place in 1937, but it's an amazing show with a female soprano lead. I highly suggest doing it.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/19/04 at 8:50pm

Drood

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 12:39am

- "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (Phyllia... largest female role; the leads are male)
- "Anything Goes" (Hope... one of three juicy female roles)
- "Guys and Dolls" (Sarah)
- "The Music Man" (Marian)
- "Once Upon a Mattress" (Lady Larken... Not the technical lead, but it's a great part)
- "West Side Story" (Maria)

And although I don't really know the show, I'm going to guess:
Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella"
(There's gotta be a good soprano part in there. The whole thing is women!)

[Millie42]

Posted: 5/20/04 at 12:46am

<Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella"
(There's gotta be a good soprano part in there. The whole thing is women!)>>

Yes. Cinderella is a sop. But if you dont have a strong male lead, DONT DO IT. I was in it in high school and it was a dreadful experience b/c of my leading man.
She also has to be willing to play a semi-ditzy character. Cinderella's not the brightest crayon in the box. But I think it could be good if done well.