Broadway is full of nobodies. Go into a sports bar and say Alice Ripley. See what happens. Back yet? Ok. But here's the thing - there are Nobodies of Broadway, and that's when you know you're really in bad shape. The chorus girls, the Guy Who Went On Once For Sweeney in 1980, and all the Wicked swings and understudies. It's a shame, though. Some people are truly, truly talented and never really get a chance to step into the spotlight. In this day and age, unless you count Nathan Lane, most of the leading Broadway performers are big belting women. I guess they love their divas. But really, stop to consider:
Brynn O'Malley
Vianne Cox
Phoebe Strole
Lynette Perry
Leigh Ann Larkin
Leslie Kritzer
Kacie Sheik
Tonya Pinkins
Leenya Rideout
Heather Laws
Not a Tony among them. Of course the divas are talented, and I'm not trying to kick Audra or Bebe in the face here. I'm just shifting the spotlight a bit. No harm in that.
1 comment:
THANK YOU FOR THIS POST!! As you know, I am not a belter, and therefore, the prototype Broadway songs today are for belters...like Astonishing, Strongest Suit...blablabla...
WHAT HAPPENED TO WOMEN THAT SANG IN HEAD VOICE, HAD A DECENT VIBRATO, and NEVER SOUNDED SHRILL...even if it is for entertainment?
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