Hey Everyone,
I'm currently doing an Off-Off B-Way run, 6 shows a week, no mics, 5 in the chorus. So it is all projection. I'm in week 3 of the run right now and over the past 3 days I have notices my voice is sounding a little raspy. I have been trying to drink alot of water and tea w/ honey and actually get some decent sleep(the one main thing). But I am still sounding a little funky. I'll be pretty good for the show but then shortly after it just begins to fade. And I have also found I'm getting alot more tired after certian numbers then before. Does anyone have any suggestion on how to get my voice back in good shape? I have to do most of the show in a lower regester mix to get volume and I'm fine there. But my head voice is extreamly week at the moment. I'm having to slide up touch the note and get off of it in order to pull it off. Suggestions please???? Several other member of the chorus are feeling the strain too. So any help for us would be great thanks!

Grace, what are you doing for vocal warmups before the show? Or even simpler, what are you doing during the day in terms of talking and singing? Sometimes that can be even more crucial than what you're doing during the show. And also, how long is your run?

Hi kinnniggets,
Before the show I do a mix of lip buzzing, zee go up the scale and coming back down and then usually as a group we will go through a song or a verious moment in the show. During the day I try to do a 45 min. voice warm up(just practice voice lesson stuff) and try not to talk a ton. But on occation I do find myself talking on the phone for longer periods of time. Something I am very aware of at the moment and trying not to do at all. My run ends this Sunday. But there is talk of an extention or possibly taking it to the next level in the near future(meaning Off-B-Way-please pray for us and keep all your fingers crossed!) Any suggestions to help me over the next couple of days would be great. Thanks!

Well, obviously I don't know anything about your voice or how you use it, but my suggestion would be to just not do anything that will make your voice fight you. Cut out all dairy, chocolate, etc (just until the end of your run!), because it can really coat your throat and make you need more warmup time to get your voice to optimal condition. Also, drink water... drink drink drink water... drink more than you think you need. It hydrates everything, which includes loosening up the mucus gunk on your cords. Also, if you're drinking water while warming up or during the show, never drink it cold... always lukewarm (gross as that sounds), as cold water can make your cords tighten up.

You might also try warming up much more slowly... talk as little as you can during the day, and then two or three hours before the show, start a few very easy, low-key vocalises in a nice middle range. If you shower before the show, that's even better, because you can take a nice hot one and let the steam and warmth open you up as you slowly warm up. Then take a break, have some water, relax, and don't talk or sing. Then come back and sing a little more. Take another break, then sing some more. Then when you get to the theatre, do just as much warmup as you feel you need and no more.

Again, these are just things that work for me personally when I'm in similar sorts of situations, and they may or may not be good for you. Hope some of it helps, and let us know if the show gets taken to Off-Bway... very exciting!

Hey Guys!
Thanks for all the tips! I'm using some so thanks, and my voice is almost 100 percent again so thanks. Plus sleep and not talking on the phone for long periods of time is doing wonders.

If anyone is interested come check us out. This is the last weekend of the run!

'The Judas Tree' written by Mary Fengar Gail and winner of MultiStages 2007 New Works Festival. Directed by Lorca Peress with an original score by Anika Paris and James Schevill.

"Dark secrets are unearthed in this tale of murder, magic, and seduction, based loosely on the crimes of serial killer Dorothea Puente. The Judas Tree is a mythical play of operatic proportion with poetic songs, a turbuelent garden of dancing corpses and the 1958 murder trial of Elena Fiero. Retired Dective Arturo Salvia is sent to investigate a missing girl and enters the erotic and dangerous world of Elena's Madreguerra."

Running at Teatro La Tea 107 Suffolk Street(b/w Rivington and Delancy)--delancy or Essex trains.

Shows: 8pm Saturday 2pm Sunday.

Tix. are $18, student tix. $10 w/ ID, Equity members free w/ card. You can purchase tix. are www.smrttix.com

Hope to see you there!
Grace

Grace, I hope you get extended or moved up to Off-B. I've been reading about your show with interest! For the next time this happens: Stay off the phone! E-mail was specifically created for singers. Follow all of kinnniggets' good advice. The sleeping is soooo important. Do you have a vocal coach? That problem about head voice being weak when the rest is fine is an almost universal problem. Often it results from too much belting for too long. If you have a vocal coach, ask about that specifically. Onward and upward!

Great tips, guys. I agree...sleep, water, and quiet are the keys to vocal recovery. So happy to hear that your show is going well, Grace! Congrats.