Songs by female composers and lyricists to add to your book NOW (part two!)

We all know that the vast majority of musical theatre composers out there are men - and they have some amazing things to offer! But let's take a moment to explore and celebrate the breadth of work by female composers and lyricists gracing the world with their stories and melodies. 

Georgia Stitt 

Ever been at the beginning of a relationship and stepped in ever so lightly and took things really slow? You might related to this fun, sincere contemporary power ballad. 

“Not Yet” from Mosaic 

Lisa Lambert, The Drowsy Chaperone 

Let’s see those high kicks, splits, belting chops and anything else you list under “special skills” on that resume in this song from the hilarious Drowsy Chaperone by Lisa Lambert. 

“Show Off” from The Drowsy Chaperone 

Cyndi Lauper: Kinky Boots

It doesn't get much better than Billy Porter, and he delivers this vulnerable and powerful song with grace and sincerity that will break your heart and make you feel warm and fuzzies all at once. 

“Hold Me in Your Heart” from Kinky Boots

Zina Goldrich (and Marcy Heisler), Ever After, Dear Edwina, Junie B Jones 

Although my heart still swells thinks of my 8th grade production of Dear Edwina and my glorious rendition of “Say No Thank You”, this female dream team has a new musical making it’s way to Broadway based on the film and loosely following the Cinderella story. 

“My Cousin’s Cousin” from Ever After

Kait Kerrigan (…Samantha Brown, Tales from the Bad Years)

Kerrigan and Lowdermilk are a dream team for contemporary musical theatre that pulls at your heart strings. If you don’t swoon over “Run Away with Me”, I’m not sure what will. 

“Run Away With Me” from The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown

Kristen Anderson-Lopez: Frozen, In Transit 

Well, of course, there’s Frozen, which needs no introduction or explanation. For your next audition, you could join the ranks of every pre-teen girl and bust out “Let It Go” or you could choose something from Kristen Anderson-Lopez’s slightly lesser known musical - In Transit. Give it a listen next time you’re on the metro. 

“Do What I Do” from In Transit

Nell Benjamin: Legally Blonde, Mean Girls

If you're a fierce contemporary MT belter, of course you could look to "World Burn" from Mean Girls, but if you're look for a sweet character ballad, try this on for size

“Ireland” from Legally Blonde 

Practically Perfect Practice (Pt. 2 - Mindfulness Training)

 For when you need to practice tuning out your not so friendly inner monologue

You have your inner monologue all figured out. You know what your character was wearing the night he/she lost his virginity, your his/her’s mothers’ maiden name, food allergies, name of first pet - basically every piece of information that could be used to create an online password for your character. You’ve DONE that character analysis. 

Every nuance of the song has sensory images prepared, dynamic choices, breaths planned and vibrato controlled. 

But instead, when the pianist begins your intro instead of thinking about all o the fabulous backstory you’ve created (you know what I BET Elphaba has always wanted a pet corgi), your mind goes to “oh my god, why am I wearing this skirt, what is that sticky spot on the ground, is he eating a bagel while I’m singing (totally happened to me), man I’m hungry, I wonder what kind of bagel that is, if I don’t have to stay for the dance call, I think I’ll go get a bagel….and finally oh wait WHAT DO I DO WITH MY HANDS?! 

Not the best present, connected and thought provoking acting you’ve ever done in your life and by the time you circle around and catch this lovely train of thought you’ve just heard “thank you so much” and a slam behind you and you’re back in the hallway. Cute. 

So let’s explore ways we can learn how to control our focus just a wee bit better so we’re not considering what to pick up at Trader Joe’s on the way home when delivering a monologue about the death of your mother. 

1. Have someone distract you. Truly. Hit record on your phone and tell your best friend/partner/mom/random neighbor you just met to chat away. Tell them to ask questions, tell stories, jump up and down, try and make you laugh - anything that will be supremely UNHELPFUL for giving an Tony worthy performance. Then watch back the tape and see how you did. With each take (it will probably take a few shots to get past the giggling or wanting to punch your partner phase) see how you did. We are you able to focus on yourself, your thoughts and your storytelling. Was there actually any moments that benefitted from being aware of something outside of your lyrics? Any takeaways you’d actually like to keep? Did ‘tuning out another voice’ ever get easier? 

It’s not really about completely ignoring what’s going on in your environment, that wouldn’t benefit you as an actor trying to portray a normal human. But it does help tune out unhelpful noise (aka the voices inside your head thinking about Trader Joes) and keep you acutely aware of what’s going on around you and how its affecting you. 

2. Whip out some headphones and put on a song you know really well from childhood (or really anything that is different from what you’re trying to practice, but that you know very well). Then hit RECORD on your phone and give yourself a starting pitch of the song you’re trying to practice. Very quickly you’ll see how much of that baby is in muscle memory. 

Then do some self-analysis - step one - were you able to do it? If not, its probably a good indicator that you need just a little more practice/repetition. 

Was there anything you did differently that you actually liked? (For example, if you had something very LEGATO on in the background and it forced you to sing longer phrases in your practice piece, did you like that??

Try it again with another song and repeat. What a fun way to keep you on your toes and find new possibilities (and also more practice with focus, mental awareness and attentional control). 

3. Having trouble with placement on a certain passage?? Try pitching yourself a a whole step (or third, or fifth!) up or down, then slowing bring it back to the original key. 

4. Another trick? Of course, meditation and centering exercises are always a good idea (check out Analisa Leaming's audition meditation - HERE). 

Now, just go fourth and be fabulous!!! 

Suggestions for further reading….

Don Greene - Fight Your Fear and Win

Noa Kageyama - Bulletproof Musician Blog 

Michael Kostroff - Audition Psych 

A MINI LESSON IN MUSICAL TERMINOLOGY

When you need just a quick refresher on your basic diacritical markings (those things you see in sheet music that aren't notes and rhythms)...

piano (soft)

FORTE (loud)

ᵖᶦᵃⁿᶦˢˢᶦᵐᵒ (very soft)

FORTISSIMO (very loud)

ᶜʳesCENDO (getting louder) 

DIMINuenᵈᵒ (getting softer)

SFᵒʳzaNDO 

a   d   a   g   i   o (slow)

a n d a n t e (walking tempo)

allegro (fast)

rit a r  d  a   n   d    o (slowing down) 

a    c    c   e   l  e  r a ndo (speeding up)

stac- ca- to-  (detached) 

leeggggaaatttoooo (smooth)

Source: https://savviwriting.tumblr.com/post/157885867594/a-mini-lesson-in-musical-terminology