So You Wanna Be a Superstar?: The Ultimate Audition Guide

by Ted Michael, Lea Salonga (Foreword by)

Overview

Geared toward hopeful musical theater, show choir, a cappella, and glee club singers, as well as all shower singers that want to improve their skills, this enthusiastic and practical guide can help anyone's inner superstardom make a public appearance. Full of straightforward, well-organized advice for every step of the process, this book will help you train your vocal cords, pick the right audition material, and become comfortable with the spotlight. Interactive quizzes, helpful sidebars, and words of advice from industry professionals add a personalized and real-world touch.

Author Ted Michael, a veteran of music and theater, along with the help of popular actors, actresses, and singers, provides all the tools young singers need in order to nail their auditions and nurture their natural show-stopping abilities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762447015
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/02/2012
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ted Michael is a graduate of Columbia University and The Juilliard School. He has performed Off-Broadway and with opera companies and regional theaters across the country. Michael has published two novels (The Diamonds and Crash Test Love), and currently lives in New York, NY.

Lea Salonga, author of the foreword for So You Wanna Be a Superstar?, is a singer and actress who is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. She has also appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables and Flower Drum Song. Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II. In honor of her portrayal of the beloved princesses, The Walt Disney Company bestowed the honor of "Disney Legend" to Lea. Salonga was born in the Philippines, where she currently resides with her family. You can visit her online at leasalonga.com.

Read an Excerpt

So You Wanna Be a Superstar?

The Ultimate Audition Guide

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By Ted Michael

Running Press Kids

Copyright © 2012 Ted Michael
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780762446100

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From CHAPTER FOUR: The Material Matters

Choosing the right material for your audition is an integral part of success. In fact, the material you choose can either make or break your audition.

So, how do you do it? Let’s start at the very beginning—a very good place to start. Hey, if it’s good enough for the Von Trapp children, it’s good enough for you.


A TRIP TO THE LIBRARY (She Loves Me, 1963)
Do your research!

If there is a script or libretto floating around your local or school library, check it out! If there’s a movie version of the show, grab a bag of popcorn and watch it!

FACT: The point of all this work at the beginning of the process is to soak up as much info about the show as possible.

After figuring out what the musical is about, you must start talking to yourself. Don’t worry—I’m not asking you to go crazy! It’s time to find out just how well you understand the story by asking yourself basic plot-related questions, such as: Who’s in love with whom? When did they fall for each other? What does the villain want from the protagonist? Who gets to belt the highest note?

Okay, that last question was a joke. But the other ones are serious, quiz-worthy questions! As someone who is about to be in a musical, you need to be able to answer any query about the make-believe world you’re about to call home.


PUTTING IT TOGETHER (Sunday in the Park with George, 1984)
Now that you understand the world of the musical, it’s time to figure out how you fit into it. What role do you want and just how are you going to get it?

So, you’ve identified your type. Promptly familiarize yourself with the songs that each character sings so that you can match your vocal range with the appropriate track—another insider term for role or a set of multiple roles—in the show.

Which role in this particular musical is best for you? Are you the ingénue? What about the comic sidekick? A sultry lover, perhaps?

Of course, we’d all like to be the lead—and at some point in your career, you probably will be. But you should always be honest with yourself about the roles you are right for in this particular production. By setting your sights on a specific role, you will better be able to choose appropriate material that will help you ace your audition!


SING! (A Chorus Line, 1975)
One of the most important ways to tell if you’re right for a particular role is whether or not you can sing it.

Not some of it, but all of it. And live to tell the tale.

Singing a role does not mean praying with all your heart that you will maybe, almost, kinda hit the high note at the end of the first song but burst a vein and have no voice for the rest of the show! It means being able to sing through the entire show several times a week, through sickness, fatigue and nerves.

Again, honesty is the best policy when it comes to setting your sights on the right role. Set yourself up for success, not failure, when it comes to your big audition.

Continues...

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Excerpted from So You Wanna Be a Superstar? by Ted Michael Copyright © 2012 by Ted Michael. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Overture/Introduction by Lea Salonga

Chapter One: Got Talent?
Chapter Two: Who Am I? Discovering Yourself
Chapter Three: Chatting About Composers
Chapter Four: The Material Matters
Chapter Five: Show Choir and Glee Club
Chapter Six: The Dance Call
Chapter Seven: I’m Ready For My Close Up
Chapter Eight: How To Warm Up
Chapter Nine: How To Be Professional
Chapter Ten: Dealing with Disappointment
Chapter Eleven: Be Creative
Chapter Twelve: Backstage Pass

FINALE

ENCORE

Editorial Reviews

"Michael outlines a proactive approach to success, acknowledging that disappointment may be part of the process, but gives readers insight on every available tool they may equip themselves with to increase their chances of breaking into the biz."—Booklist

"Extensive musical theater history, dance terms, and audition tips are all presented in a clear, readable way. . . . This engaging and fun-spirited guide is sure to be a boon for hopeful performers."—School Library Journal

"Written for both performers and hopefuls, So You Wanna Be a Superstar? is filled with advice, quizzes, and tips that are sure to boost your skills!" —Seventeen.com

"For those with aspirations of having their name in lights on a Broadway marquee, So You Wanna Be a Superstar is required reading."
—VOYA

From the Publisher

Gr 7–10—Upbeat, positive encouragement is provided for teens who want to dabble in the arts and for those with dreams of stardom. The authors seem to have their finger on the pulse of everything that is cool in pop culture, and the casual writing style ensures maximum teen appeal. Extensive musical theater history, dance terms, and audition tips are all presented in a clear, readable way. The book is chock-full of personality quizzes that will help teens discover their ideal roles and vocal range, as well as their own talents and interests so they can tailor an acting, singing, or dance career perfectly suited to their personal strengths. This engaging and fun-spirited guide is sure to be a boon for hopeful performers.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, GA

School Library Journal