If you know me, then you know that I always have to have some sort of sound going on. Be it the TV or music. Even when going to bed. As a former musical theater performer, I have plenty of soundtracks. One of the most unsung Broadway (well, actually...it was sung. mwhahaha) shows from the 80's is a little musical called Chess. Lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson. Yes, guys from ABBA. And the music is really beautiful. I've been playing it lately when I'm about to hit the sack. Chess ran 3 years in the West End in London, but didn't do all that well on Broadway in a much altered version. Still, the music was able to shine through and there are still many memorable numbers. Remember that pop song "One Night in Bangkok"? Yep, it's from Chess.
But, arguably one of the most well known and sung songs from the show is a solo called "Anthem". It's not an easy song to sing, but it is really great. When I first moved to NYC in '94, I threw myself into learning as much musical theater as I could. Listening to things I hadn't been exposed to that much. I didn't know Chess at all and when my then roommate played it for me, I really liked it. So, I would practice many of the songs from the show. Just to work on my range. I sang "Anthem" all of the time as a warm up. I hadn't thought about doing it for an audition piece as it was a real "singers" song. I can carry a tune in a bucket and certainly got hired in many a musical for my voice. However, I have more of a rock voice, so it wasn't really a great song for me to sing. Still, it was a modern ballad that might be good to know.
Any voice teacher, casting director or person in the know will tell you to never sing a song you haven't rehearsed with piano. Did I listen? NOOOOOOOO!!! I knew the song well enough and figured I could pick it up. So, off I go to an audition for some summer stock season I wasn't all that concerned about getting. Hey, let's try singing "Anthem"! I had bought the sheet music so the piano player could play. I walk in and set it up. Normally, you sing 16 bars of a song. But, some auditions, they'll let you sing a whole song. This was an appointment, so yeah...full song.
Oh, if you haven't heard the song. Go listen to it now. It's only 3 minutes out of your life. Do it! The story will make more sense.
Okay...listened? Back? Teared up a little? Yeah, thought so. Good. Moving on. I start off the first verse and I'm fine. I get to the second one....and completely blank on the words. I start humming the tune as the pianist nicely starts feeding me the words. I eventually pick the tune back up but am so disgusted with myself that when I get to that last big note that is supposed to be held for awhile....I just don't. The last line is "My land's only borders lie around...MY HEART!" And you hold that "heart" like a motherfucker. I basically spoke it. The pianist stopped playing. I stopped singing. And the room was silent. Finally, I kind of laughed and just said, "Um...can I sing something else?" Luckily, the casting directors had a sense of humor and laughed along with me and allowed me. And hey...I'm pretty sure I got a callback.
Months later, I hear something that I wish I had heard before the audition. Ron LaRosa, one of the biggest casting directors at the time (he cast for Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, etc.) told an audition class this: "NEVER sing 'Anthem' at an audition unless you know it and can sing the shit out of it."
A lesson you think I would have learned. Years later, I did it again with a Lenny Kravitz song. But, that's a story for another day.
I just discovered the Chess concept album this year and had it on repeat for far too long; "Endgame" is absolutely amazing.
Posted by: WaywardWind | August 31, 2008 at 07:17 PM