“Theatrical singers with excellent vocal technique and versatility (Broadway, pop, classical world beat, R & B). Females should be versatile sopranos/mezzos with strong Broadway-Pop belt, possible classical background. Males should have high baritone/tenor range…. (Back Stage casting ad, June 19-25, 2008)
One of the university programs I was associated with has a policy which is “we do not teach to the marketplace”. This means they don’t teach belting. Their version of belting is officially that it is “head voice mixed down into your lower notes”. This is taught by a 30 something man with a strictly classical background…..lots of personal experience there, of course.
If you watched this year’s Tony Award ceremony, you heard our best Broadway belter, Patty Lupone, who has worked hard to make her belt healthy in this year’s revival of Gypsy, which is definitely not “Broadway-Pop”, but old style Broadway belting. The other fine example of “old style singing” was Kelli O’Hara who is playing Nellie Forbush in the revival of South Pacific. This is a voice that seamlessly flows from chest to mix to head while remaining expressive and strong. There was also an excellent example of Broadway-Pop (a new “casting director” made up category) in the person of