I was wondering if actors in musicals like "My Fair Lady" sing their own songs or if there is a "ghost" singer.
2007-09-19 02:20:37 · 9 answers · asked by yosoyamar 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
They do sing their own songs although it has become somewhat easier in recent years with the advent of body mics. Used to be you just had to "hit the back wall" when you sang (listen to Ethel Merman); but now there are so many amplified instruments in the orchestra pit, that the human voice doesn't stand a chance without some amplification too. So body mics are carefully concealed and mics are also placed around the stage
2007-09-19 03:12:07 · answer #1 · answered by actormyk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course they do, otherwisethey wouldn't get the job. How well they do is debateable with the recent trend in casting a 'name' actor. Some do extremely well since they have their acting roots in theatre but some really don't fare too well (I won't name names) and get panned in the press for a sub par performance and audiences that go to see the star end up going back to see the understudy.
The incident with My Fair Lady that you may be thinking of is with the film, not the stage production. In the film and in some other film musicals not all of the actors sing their roles. Sometimes they want a strong actor or a name actor to play a certain role and that actor may not be able to sing his or her role as well as they would like so singer is brought in to either round out the sound or to sing the role altogether. This is done in animation is well Often times a role is sung by one person but acted by another.
does that answer your question?
2007-09-19 13:50:04 · answer #2 · answered by Marianne D 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a good question. I believe most of them do sing their own songs. The only Broadway Musical that I ha ve actually gotten to see myself is "Hairspray" and I know the lady in that sings her own songs because I watched a special about her not too long ago and from what the special said she also sings sometimes on the Soap Opera that she is on. But I believe most of the time the actors sing their own songs because otherwise they would have to give credit to the person singing. But still good question.
2007-09-19 09:28:24 · answer #3 · answered by janierenel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure they do. It'd be easy to notice if they didn't, I'd think, or I would, I think. I haven't seen too many, but they all have such extensive training that they'd probably be okay with putting their voice out there. I know in the movie version of the Phantom of the Opera, they were lip syncing, but the only person not using their own voice was Minnie Driver, and that was because she'd never done opera before. But most of them do - Sarah Brightman definitely did, and was amazing. It'd be hard to use a ghost voice for Broadway, and you wouldn't get hired if you couldn't sing, I'm thinking.
2007-09-19 12:55:20 · answer #4 · answered by Danii X 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They sing the songs but are sometimes helped with a little electronics here and there. Movies are a whole different story. Some are legit, some are dubbed.
2007-09-19 17:41:45 · answer #5 · answered by EC Expert 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they sing. I have seen many musicals on broadway, King and I, Annie, Cats, Evita....the whole cast sings live during all performances.
2007-09-19 09:30:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey, a musical is just that...have you given your worth in the shower and been the perfect singer when you were needed...I have...why live the movies...be it yourself...
2007-09-19 09:26:59 · answer #7 · answered by glenda p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, they do. It is how they get the job.
2007-09-20 00:11:20 · answer #8 · answered by d_cider1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i do believe so
2007-09-19 09:49:57 · answer #9 · answered by Puppy Love! 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋