Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
#0Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:36amReading a (wonderful) interview with Philip Quast on Theatre.com, I was surprised to discover that he isn't a trained singer. It's strange how some people naturally have proper placement and technique without ever having been taught how to do it. Who are some other prominent musical theatre performers that have great voices but never had singing lessons? I know Carolee Carmello is one...any others?
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
lovesclassics
Broadway Star Joined: 10/7/05
#2re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:44am
I read an interview where Rachel York said she's never had formal training.
lc
#3re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:46amLinda Eder was never formally trained.
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
#4re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 10:56am
Julia Murney had one, it was disastorous (sp?) and then Carolee Carmello told her to forget about it.
Updated On: 8/19/06 at 10:56 AM
#5re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:00am
I forgot that Merman never took lessons either. But then again, she was more of a "character singer" anyway.
Also, I just remembered--Harry Groener.
#6re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:02am
Eden Espinosa
and I'm not positive, but I don't think Julie Andrews was a trained singer.
#7re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:03am
"Eden Espinosa"
That's not true. In her ask a star she said she did in Highschool.
#8re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:07amyeah, like two. Eden has not been formally trained.
snl89
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/05
#9re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:07am
^yeah, she's had a little but she did say it wasn't much at all. Like, it was just to help her get some stamina and stuff- but basically she's had very LITTLE training.
Umm, I cant really think of anyone else- but I'm also def no expert with knowing about lots of different broadway stars haha
I don't need a life that's normal. That's way too far away. But something next to normal would be okay. Something next to normal is what I'd like to try. Close enough to normal to get by.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#10re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:20am
Jennifer Holliday, which may explain why she had so much trouble and missed so many performances during Dreamgirls. Several Broadway singers who came out of the gospel/r&b tradition had no formal training and some learn how to cope with an 8 performance a week schedule and others do not.
Not to be snarky, but was LaChanze formally trained?
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 8/19/06 at 11:20 AM
EganFan2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/8/04
#11re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:21amI think Julie Andrews did have some training, but not a lot. Her stepfather was a musician or something and found her outstanding range. I could be mistaken.
#12re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:28amTo call Ethel Merman a character singer is such a sad insult. The Merm WAS the voice of theearly 1930's. Like Fred Astaire, another "character singer" Merman popularized dozens of immortal hits. Like Janis Joplin and Bruce Sprinsteen and Billy Joel and Paul McCartney, she was the voice of her times.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699
#13re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:39am
At the age of seven, Julie was taken to audition for singing teacher Lillian Stiles-Allen, who though impressed with her talent, was reluctant to train Julie for fear of damaging her young vocal chords. Throat specialists finally determined that little Julie had a fully developed adult larynx, explaining her incredible four-octave range and removing any fear of possible damage.
As her vocal training continued, Julie became a popular British child performer and at the age of twelve was cast in her first West End revue, Starlight Roof.
Reel Classics Julie Page
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
#14re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:41amJulie Andrews was trained from an early age after they discovered her range.
"Passion can drive you crazy but is there any other way to live"
#15re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:41amoh and Megan Mullally has never taken more than one voice lesson..or acting class for that matter.
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
#16re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 11:43amI remember once seeing an old 'one reeler' called 'Devil Sea' on a cable movie channel ages ago..made in the early 30s with a very young Ethel Merman..and instead of the usual brassy style she actually had a very lovely yet strong voice.
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
#17re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 12:51pmEden has had a few voice lesson's. One of them was only for vocal stamina to do 8 shows a week.
#18re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:36pm
k never mind about julie then.
"snarky" is a funny word, margo.
theminutepast
Broadway Star Joined: 2/1/06
#19re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:47pmRandal Keith.
#20re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 2:07pm
Hugh Jackman and Michael Ball.
Thanks for the tip on the Quast interview. Very interesting.
#21re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:05pm
Yeah, it's a great interview.
But Hugh Jackman must have had voice lessons--he sounds very "trained."
#23re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:14pm
Carol Burnett.
"They hear drums. We hear music."
#24re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 4:13pm
"But Hugh Jackman must have had voice lessons--he sounds very "trained." "
He is now -- I seem to recall him talking about working with a Czech Opera singer prior to going into BFO. But I've heard him tell this story several times about when he was sent to audition for the Australian cast of Beauty and the Beast. He said that he thought his agent was crazy to send him to this audtion, as he'd never sung in his life. He went, and got the part with the priviso that he take some lessons. The rest, as they say, is history... 
Jazzysuite82
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/6/05
#25re: Musical theatre stars who never took singing lessons?
Posted: 8/19/06 at 5:03pmAudra McDonald. That's an untrained voice if I ever heard one...
