2007-06-15 11:23:02 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
From a longtime performing artist and music director --
You have to do the dialect -- it's specifically written into the lyric.
The song is NOT called "I Can't Say No"; it is titled and copyrighted as "I Cain't Say No". Other dialect-specific misspellings include the following:
turrible = terrible
feller = fellow
sorta = sort of
wanna = want to
whatcha gonna do = what are you going to do
purty = pretty
flirty = [made-up word -- no equivalent]
You get the idea.
Hammerstein wrote the lyric for an Oklahoma hick character. The bastardized language is funny and a profoundly intrinsic part of the song. If you forego the dialect, you'll have to change the lyrics to more standard English. Doing so would kill the fun.
I have heard baritones turn "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin" into "I've got plenty of nothing" and "Ol' Man River" into "Old Man River." Their English was well-spoken and enunciated, and completely wrong for those songs.
If you do "I Cain't Say No" without the dialect and the intentionally wrong language, trust me -- the auditors will think you very odd and completely unknowledgeable about very basic musical comedy repertoire -- and they'll probably think you're not doing a dialect because you don't know how.
If you don't want to do a dialect, then choose another song that doesn't require one.
2007-06-15 22:01:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would recommend not singing this song for an audition, it's really not a good choice.
If you go ahead with it, it's up to you. You should figure out what the director likes. Some directors prefer to have people read/sing at auditions with no accent at all.
2007-06-15 12:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by Sara H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two answers for your question LOL. First do it with the accent. Second, do it with your accent (we all have one). Remember that the other partner in the song has to sing (in what accent?), "He'd better look a lot like me." "The spittin' image!"
2007-06-15 11:30:54 · answer #3 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a little bit of one. yea.
dont go over board.
But there are better songs out there.
if you are auditioning for the show. Use the accent.
2007-06-15 12:14:25 · answer #4 · answered by Shoe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but don't get too hammy. Do it lightly, and in character as Ado Annie - but if you ham it up too much the casting director will thing all you've got is a "big over-actor" style.
2007-06-15 12:17:25 · answer #5 · answered by Miss Erin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I would if you can do it well. otherwise do it in your normal voice. You just want to do it well and granted the accent would help but if you're struggling with it at all wow them with just the song and they'll know they can work with you on anything else. good luck
2007-06-15 15:05:16 · answer #6 · answered by blessed mommy 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, it is a "character" piece......so you gotta show some character if you are going to use it........You don't necessarily have to portray the original character, you can create your own.....Such as a ditsy blonde flapper type as opposed to the country girl. Have fun with it, and the audience will too.
2007-06-15 12:45:16 · answer #7 · answered by mannersplease 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When I did this song for an audtion I did...just sing ot both ways for a friend and ask them which one you do better...
2007-06-15 11:26:17 · answer #8 · answered by www.cookielee.biz/marthaArrey 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no because it will seem like u are trying to imitate the original artist.i would like to be in broadway too.i can sing and dance and i learn quickly ...good luck on your audition.
2007-06-15 11:31:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
no accents...casting directors like it better if you just use your normal voice
2007-06-15 15:44:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋