Hollywood is notorious for casting celebrities who don’t have any singing training in movies that require them to sing. This usually happens when they make film versions of musicals, like Chicago (2002), Mamma Mia (2008), Les Misérables (2012), The Prom (2020), and many others. Rather than casting established musical theatre performers (who are often lesser known than movie stars), they go with a big-name actor and then give them weeks or months of singing training to help them prepare for the role. In some cases, this works out well. In other cases…not so much.
One of the latest examples can be found in the new movie Maria, a biopic about the life of opera singer Maria Callas. Angelina Jolie was cast in the title role despite her lack of professional experience as a singer. In an interview for Variety, she describes some of her experiences during the seven months of voice lessons she was given for the role, including some unexpected emotions that surfaced during her first meeting with a voice teacher:
“I walked into [the] room with the piano, and somebody said, ‘Ok, let’s see where you’re at.’ And I got really emotional. I took a big deep breath, and I let out a sound, and I started crying. I think we all don’t realize how much we hold inside our bodies, and how much we carry and how much that affects our sound and our voice and our ability to make sound. I’ve been holding a lot for a long time, and that beginning and that sound, and then when that sound would eventually come, it was the best therapy I’ve ever had. Honestly, I think I would tell a lot of people before you try therapy and spend too much time there, go to singing class.”
Once again, I should reiterate what I said in the last blog: singing is not therapy. People who need therapy should seek out people who have the proper education and certification to provide that. However, as I also said in that blog, singing can certainly be therapeutic. So, it’s not surprising that Jolie felt some powerful emotions during her singing training.
She describes the experience further, as the article states:
The unexpected therapeutic side of singing, Jolie said, had the power to heal. “It helped me a lot. There’s something primal about finding your own voice within your own body. It brings up certain emotions that you may have not wanted to confront, and there’s no way to sing at your full voice and your full emotion without confronting your feelings and your limitations.”
As we know, the voice is incredibly personal, in part because it is so revealing. Because of this, critiques of our vocal performances can feel like critiques of our souls. Of course, instruction designed to help us build our vocal skills (as you all have been engaged with) necessarily requires identifying areas where we are less skilled (where we are in the first stage of learning) and providing steps and strategies to develop those skills. All learning takes effort and can feel arduous at times—probably even more so when it relates to the voice. As Jolie says, most of us probably don’t realize how the emotions we carry around in our bodies affect our voices.
As we head into your final performances of the semester, it can be good to reflect on what you may have accomplished over the last four months. Consider where you were in your vocal skill set (which includes your technique as well as your expressive capabilities) at the start of the semester and compare that to where you are now. Where have you gained skill? Where have you not progressed as much as you would have liked? This sort of assessment will help you set a plan forward to continue building these capabilities.
In your last preparations, set all of that aside and sing from your heart. Feel the big feelings. Enjoy the experience of, as Jolie says, finding your own voice within your own body. Confront your feelings and your limitations. And then, as Jolie also recommends, "Go to singing class."
It’s been a true joy working with all of you this semester. I’m looking forward to hearing your final performances.
Much love,
-brian
The idea of casting non-musical actors and then training them reminds me of a similar practice that Hollywood does when it comes to voice actors. They would rather use big name actors to sell the movie than actual voice actors (oftentimes they hire the big named actors to replace the original voice actors when the film is based off an animated series). This started way back with Shrek (Aladdin technically was the first one but against Robin William's wishes). It is unfortunate that they do the same when it comes to musical adaptations, but it is cool to see actors who can do it both, like Hugh Jackman.
ReplyDeleteI know i've grown in this class. I entered in this class with a lot of anxiety about auditioning and singing in front of people when I'm not the one playing. I have a hard time keeping tempo, but I think the constant practice every class really helped with learning process. I loved understanding more about my body and what will or won't help in the long run. Being able to practice what will happen in an audition setting was also very helpful. I tried to combat my anxiety by waiting to go and letting others prove it wasn't as bad as I was making it, but I urged myself to go in the beginning rather than letting the nervous energy fester. Then I left like I was jumping the gun and can I be nervous but also sit with it and still have a good performance. I really enjoyed this class. I haven't had singing lessons in about 2-3 years so getting back into that mindset was really fun. I think this really helped a lot with my fears. I know I have a good voice I think I just get in my head and it causes me to mess up and then I think i'm not good enough. Overall I had a blast!
ReplyDeleteI always find it so interesting during these adaptations when they go for people who are not already technically trained in singing! That said, the story from Angelina Jolie made me so happy over the fact that she was able to tap into something that will not only help her singing skill set but her acting skills as well (through her connection to herself).
ReplyDeleteOver this semester I felt really accomplished in my variation of practice styles. I tried longer sessions, shorter sessions, sessions just for joy (like song writing), and sessions to go over stuff in my book that I don't, particularly love. I also feel as though I added lots to my book that will be super useful for me in the future. Next semester though, I look forward to going back to some rep/styles that aren't my favorite to really push my boundaries.
Thank you for an amazing semester, Brian. I hope you have a wonderful break, and I can't wait to see you in January!
Alexa Shaheen
I have grown more of an understanding with how the vocal chords actually work. I came into the class not knowing what happens and how the voice creates sound. the last couples months of class has been hard because I have had an illness that has made it hard for me keep up with vocal health but understanding what to do to maintain that health has been very helpful. my main goal with singing in general is getting more comfortable with higher ranges and lower ranges. being more versatile with my voice. but that is hard to focus on in a "group voice" setting so starting voice lessons next semester I am excited about. It has been fun to watch and observe other peoples growth. everyone is at such a different level with each other and that's what's so beautiful about being in the class. Also, it has been informative to know the parts of the voice and throat. I can say now that I know what each part of the throat and vocal chords are. I have had an very fun time being in this class even though it was hard for me to be there sometimes it has been very fun the times that I was there. Thanks for all the lessons and teachings you have taught me.
ReplyDeleteHAVE AN AMAZING BREAK!
Luke Elzey
I felt like I got much more confident in singing in front of people. At the very start of the class I wouldn't have said that I felt uncomfortable singing around people, but I noticed that the amount of nervousness I felt before getting up to sing significantly decreased throughout the semester. I also knew absolutely nothing about the mechanics behind the voice going into the class and I'm glad I have this knowledge as I go into private voice lessons again next semester. Last semester, I would keep clearing my throat whenever a note wasn't sounding right and then wondering why my voice would feel so bad when I practiced, so that is a habit I'm glad I got rid of thanks to this class.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful class, Brian! I wish it was still a 3 semester course because it's been very helpful to have.
DeleteAs I think back on the beginning of the semester, the thing that I can see the biggest difference in my singing altogether is just how comfortable I am performing in front of my peers. I remember moments during the year when I was very nervous to perform but now it has almost become second nature. For my final, I am hoping that I can hold on to some of that, and honestly, it's a skill I'd like to be able to keep for as long as I can. I’m sad that the semester is over, I still feel like I have a lot that I need to work on when it comes to my voice! Thank you for being a great professor!
ReplyDeleteMy acting journey career started much later thank most my peeress. Because of that I am a novice in everything I do. From dialects to singing, I am an idiot. I know that that may sound harsh, but it is true and for that reason thank you for putting up with my stupidity. I have always tried to master a skill or idea in life, and I greatly appreciate it when you responded to my questions or stayed after class to give me feedback. From the bottom of my heart thank you.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I think a huge reason why the Wicked movie was so successful is that they were able to find someone like Ariana Grande who not only checked the box of being trained in musical theatre, but also has the pull and the name recognition as well. She did so well in my opinion and was able to really do Glinda justice.
ReplyDeleteThis semester has easily been the most growth-filled semester in my college journey when it comes to voice lessons. I really have clicked with your teaching style and I have also prioritized practicing with the recordings this semester which has helped so much, especially the sovt warmups as well as the twangy belt warmups we've been working on. I feel like I have really started to improve in finding a healthier mix, not pulling as much chest up and improving my range. I'd still like to work on vocal agility and strengthening the mix stuff we've been working on this semester as well. Have a GREAT break
Alec
Movie musicals are such a toss up *cough* *cough* "Russell Crowe", but I am so pleased at how the Wicked movie turned out, mainly because the majority of the cast had done musical theatre at some point and it shows. And I absolutely agree that singing can be therapeutic. I can be heard singing at almost any hour of the day. Now personally, I would like to thank you Brian. Reflecting on this semester, I think there has been immense growth in my vocal stamina and stability, as well as its agility. So many of my songs this semester have pushed me into uncomfortable territory with my voice, and I feel I've learned to navigate it well so far, testing things like my range, registration shifts, and getting to know where it all lies within my body. Heading into the next semester, I want to keep this momentum going forward and continue to challenge areas of my voice that I might want to improve. Have a wonderful break!
ReplyDeleteI've gained so much more comfortable with performance since beginning this class. Singing was something I was (and, admittedly, still am) moderately "afraid" of. I struggle to not think while performing, and it results in a stiff, lifeless performance. That being said, I've become more comfortable with the idea that I have control over what I have control over. I can't control voice cracks, but I can make the choice to not break a performance over them. I can work with my voice rather than around it. I believe the learning environment that this class has fostered is what helped me move away from my initial terror.
ReplyDeleteLearning anatomy has also been both eye-opening and helpful. It's so much easier to understand what I'm doing when I can understand the mechanisms behind it. I appreciate the deconstruction of common anatomical myths that we've covered, and the practices/material featured in this course were often immediately applicable to my other classes, like Voice and Speech and Movement.
It's awesome to hear a very success actor say those things about singing, that it was still new, vulnerable but helpful for her. I have definitely found the same things for myself in my singing journey. I feel like the biggest thing I gained from this class this semester in regards to my singing was some comfort-ability on stage and a reminder that I can be myself while singing. Being myself has come in forms of acting and just applying what I would normally do for an acting performance as I would do for singing now. I have always been nervous to sing in front of people but with the performances every week, in some ways being exposure therapy, this last time I truly didn't feel nervous. Doesn't mean I sang any better haha but it just didn't feel as scary and that's an amazing feeling. I wasn't scared what would come out of me, because it's not scary to sound "wrong". Seriously, that's a gift!! I have enjoyed this class more than I would have thought at the beginning of the semester. Thanks for the time and dedication to my class Brian and for opening my mind and heart to singing again. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post! I find Jolie's words really interesting, even though I kind of was taken aback by her words about therapy. I also like her mentioning that we all need to find our own voice, not reach some perfect vocal standard. Another section of this I appreciated was the segment on taking vocal critiques personally, and how this just means we are in a different stage of learning. I know that I am very insecure about my voice, so hearing this was a nice reminder that it does not reflect on me as a person whatsoever. I feel like this semester I have made big strides towards singing without tension. I never really realized that singing with ease is the best way to sound nice, even though I had been told that many times. While singing, I find myself readjusting to avoid tension often, which I see as a sign of improvement. I have also noticed greater access to my full range with more ease, which I have been enjoying greatly. Overall this semester really got me out of a vocal funk and it has been one of my favorite classes in the ATP so far. Thanks for a great semester Brian!
ReplyDeleteI agree it is strange that they hire more popular people to do more singing roles and make them go through a bunch of training. One of the roles that comes up in particular that I remember is Andrew Garfield in Tick Tick Boom. I think Andrew Garfield did a phenomenal job in the show itself, but I didn't understand why they didn't pick somebody else of musical theater background and or years and years of training to play the role over an popular person. Besides that, overall this semester I feel like I have grown a lot more in my vocal journey and have been able to see how my voice has progressed and I can now go back and visit some of my old music that I learned in my private voice lessons and kind of build on that with all of the knowledge that I have learned from this semester. I'm glad that I am able to go back and use all these tools that I have gained and improve past pieces.
ReplyDelete- Karter Prestin
This semester has made me a better performer. My performances in this class have been more vulnerable and simpler than most vocal performances I've done in my life. I've always struggled to act a song. It's always felt very foreign to me. I spend 90% of my energy trying not to be flat, and then I just barely remember that I'm also supposed to tell a story. Not the best strategy. In this class, I've stopped caring about being flat. Not that I don't try my best to sing the songs accurately and as well as I can, but I'm also trying to communicate something other than "Watch me sing the right notes." Singing pretty is awesome, but that really rarely happens for me. It's been helpful to focus more on the story I need to tell and how I want to tell it rather than what sounds "good." I definitely improved in that area. That said, I'd also have liked to become a prettier singer. That didn't happen as much. It wasn't necessarily a goal of mine. I was looking to gain confidence and find ways to apply this class to my other classes. I guess I just kind of hoped that I'd improve technically as well, but I also didn't put a ton of work into that. I'm sure if I'd practiced more consistently and with more focus and attention, that would've happened. I'm grateful for the ways this class has helped me as a performer and actor, but I'm still not a super confident or skilled singer. That's probably my next journey, should I choose to embark on it.
ReplyDeleteAh the joys of casting! I always find it interesting when certain shows prioritize a name over experience. That’s something that I, and it seems a lot of my peers, found the Wicked movie to do really well; they found a good balance of experience and name and allowed both artists to return to their roots and create some really beautiful art.
ReplyDeleteThis semester, I feel like I picked up a LOT of new usable rep and filled in some holes in my book. I also feel like I get to work on some songs that I’ve always wanted to sing but haven’t really had the opportunity (or skills, in some cases) to tackle them, which was really exciting. I also felt a really big increase in my vocal stamina and feel like I was able to sing consistently longer. Thanks for another great semester, and I can’t wait for another!
Brian, you're awesome! I love the thing Angelina said--- "There’s something primal about finding your own voice within your own body. It brings up certain emotions that you may have not wanted to confront, and there’s no way to sing at your full voice and your full emotion without confronting your feelings and your limitations." Putting yourself out there to sing in front of others, risking their judgement, makes you have to evaluate yourself in an un-biased light. You can't be overly judgmental, but you can't ignore your limits. It's been a hard and vulnerable time learning my voice and how to use it, but I feel like I've come a long way and have sustainable beginnings as a singer.
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