H2$

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 10:35pm

I think I might be auditioning for this show in January and was wondering if anyone could give me a short summary of it, and also what the female parts are like (especially if there are any mezzo/belter roles), thanks a ton!

Oh btw... It's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying... I'm not sure if everyone knows it as H2$... I've just heard it refered to as that.

Updated On: 11/9/05 at 10:35 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 10:49pm

OK listen, the BEST female role in H2$ is one that was brilliantly recreated in the most recent Broadway revival by Ms. Victoria Clark! And that role is Smitty. Smitty is clever, witty, smart and funny. She needs to be played by a girl who can go out there and be a tough cookie, get the best laughs in the show, and have kick-ass songs to sing ("Coffee Break", "Paris Original" my favorites). Go wild. Audition for Smitty! YAY!

BTW, I love this show to death. It is one of the very few musicals of all time to win the Pulitzer Prize in Drama!

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 10:52pm

Is it a belting role? I can sing regular soprano and mezzo stuff but I feel most comfortable belting. That character seems like something new and exciting for me to try! I'm used to being the ingenue or the mother figure. It gets old... haha.

[tagiunagi]

Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:39pm

There's also Hedy (sp?) LaRue. She's the sexpot but there's not too much singing involved. Most of the singing is in Heart of Gold where she seduces the old rich man (Biggley) of the story. She's basically the dumb, sexy gold-digger.

As forementioned, Smitty is the wise-cracking side kick, you could say. She's got to be a mezzo-alto, so it sounds like vocally you are right for her. Play up the sassiness.

And then there's Miss Jones. She's very stern and matronly in the productions I've seen. Her big soprano-scat style section (if you use the music from the revival) is in Brotherhood of Man.

Find out what version of the show your school is doing. The original uses Cinderella Darling (a Smitty-based song) while the revival doesn't. And the revival has a different version of Brotherhood of Man from the original.

I hope you have fun at auditions!

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 12:48pm

Thanks!

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 12:57pm

it sounds like smitty would be a great part for you. yes, she is a belter, depending on how you want to sing the score. She really does have all the best songs in the show. good luck, and tell us how it went.


"so if I spread, so I spread! But only ONE chemical substance gets out the lead."

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:07pm

"like she said."

[katygrace84]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:13pm

I, too, love this show. definitely audition for Smitty, but stay open-minded about playing Miss Jones. In the production I saw she was defintiely buttoned up and matronyl until "Brotherhood of Man" when she got up on the desk, let her hair down and belted and danced like there was no tomorrow. Such a great show!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:37pm

aww it makes me so happy that there's a thread about this show! i love it. yes, miss jones rocks the house down in brotherhood of man, so she's a great option too. just listen to lillias white on the revival recording and you'll hear. she deserved a tony for that performance. you can also listen to vicki on the recording!

[xxnewgirlxx]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:44pm

This was my first Broadway show in 95. I *heart* it. Lillias White was so amazing.

As far as I recall, there are only 4 main female characters: Rosemary, Smitty, Hedy, and Miss Jones...

[rose&lark]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:44pm

Smitty is a great role! So clever and funny! Go for it

[nydirector2]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:45pm

What about Rosemary? No-one mentioned her. She has her charms about her and is definitely a fun role. She's more ingenue-ish though, though, so I don't know if you'd be interested. Most of the female roles, including the chorus roles, aren't very rangy and would fit fairly well in the mezzo-belter range.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 4:17pm

Rent the dvd of the film version that was released in 1967 with much of the NY cast.

Smitty is not a big role, but she makes an impression. She knows everything. She is almost the Greek chorus of the piece.

Miss Jones, played by the late Ruth Kobart, was an operatic dramatic soprano who was not afraid to be silly. A big blocky not attractive woman. She doesn't know how funny she is.

Hedy can be a lot of fun if you play her as the dumbest person in the history of Western Civilization. Not just the dumbest blonde, but the dumbest of the dumb. Like all truly dim bulbs, she speaks the truth because she can't formulate a lie. She doesn't know WHY she is funny although she sort of knows that she is.

As for Rosemary, she's got some okay songs, but she's the straight woman. Its kind of a dull part.

One thing to remember about these songs--enunciate. That's ee-nun-see-ate. The songs are ALL about lyrics.

"Her pad is to write in, and not spend the night in..." See all those consonants? Make sure the audience hears every one of them. No sloppy Patti Lupone diction here.

Another thing to remember, The show is a comic satire. Things are supposed to be funny. Very funny with a touch of irony.

Updated On: 11/10/05 at 04:17 PM

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 9:29pm

So rather than put up something new I figured I'd ask here:

Auditions are in less than a month and I need a great audition song. Any ideas? My first choice part is going to be Rosemary then Smitty. I was going to do "Adelaide's Lament" but my voice teacher advised against it, saying its not a audition song. Perhaps something else from Guys and Dolls? I can sing soprano, belter, mezzo or alto all fairly easy but I'm most comfortable in mezzo/belter or soprano as I've mentioned. Any ideas? Thanks so much!

BTW: I got the recording and I LOVE it... I would be so excited if I was Rosemary OR Smitty. They are both fantastic characters!