<p>I have a young daughter who is very interested in musical theater. She is very focused and driven around making this a career.</p>
<p>She has been studying acting and has a good voice. She does not dance and is a bit heavy. I’m very concerned if this is a realistic goal for her. She plans to study dance begining next year (she is almost 13). </p>
<p>How does one go about preparation for MT?</p>
<p>Any help is welcome.</p>
<p>Beginning dance classes is certainly a good step, and continuing acting lesssons is also a good idea. You mentioned that she has a good voice – she should also get training in this area if she isn’t already doing that. You can also look for performing opportunities, either through your school or local community theaters.</p>
<p>I’m not in favor of putting youngsters on a strict diet – but you should certainly make sure she is eating sensibly. Many kids virtually live on soda and fast food, which is almost guaranteed to cause weight gain. Although there are many successful performers who are not slim, the musical theater industry in particular is very appearance-driven. Your daughter’s visual appearance will have a lot to do with how she is cast.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much at this point about whether your daughter will be able to make MT a career. She’s got a long way to go before that becomes an issue! Meanwhile, let her enjoy the experience of performing and learning new skills. As she progresses, you will gradually get a better idea of whether this is a realistic goal for her.</p>
<p>You are on the right track, I think, as far as the training goes. The sooner she can start dance the better. As far as being a little overweight, programs need students of all shapes and sizes. However, I would make sure she is eating healthily, drinking lots of water, sleeping enough, etc. because this field can be physically exhausting. It is very demanding, and you have to really take care of yourself to avoid getting sick, injuries, etc.</p>
<p>She’s young enough right now to just let her explore her interest. Just help provide the tools, find as many performance opportunities as you can, and let her have fun.</p>
<p>Voice training in younger kids can be dangerous. Both my mother and my sister have masters in music and were very concerned about my D starting too soon because of the danger serious voice training can do to a young voice. So, we found “speech level singing” training. This is a new technique which is gaining quite a following. Many universities are also beginning to use it. If you do an internet search, you may be able to find an instructor in your area. It teaches a student to use their voice much like speaking, thus not straining the voice. This way, a younger student can start earlier and not damage his or her voice. Also, when you train this way, there is no difference between the chest and head voice… you don’t hear the “transition” that many singers have. Its seamless. Finally, speech level singers have incredible power in their voices and can fill a theatre. My D is so trained, and when her mic gave out during her solo in “Grease” last year, no one knew it. </p>
<p>If your D is starting dance, my guess is the weight issue is going to correct itself. The worst thing you can do is talk about it. Don’t talk about your weight. Don’t talk about her weight. Just cook healthy for your family. Make sure she eats healthy. Discuss health habits in terms of her skin, complexion, being fit so she has the stamina to dance, not in terms of weight. My D had a slight problem when she was younger, but it corrected itself from the sheer amount of exercise she does on stage and because she has become addicted to fitness.</p>
<p>Regardless of whether your D will pursue MT, its fun. She will meet a lot of fun kids, and have great extracurriculars for college apps. It will build her confidence. I was a h.s. actor, and I use the skills I gained on stage in the courtroom every day. So encourage her to just have fun!</p>
<p>Off topic, but why are you “cello=mom”? I’m only curious because my sister is a professional cellist.</p>
<p>My daughter is also a cellist. My husband and I are both musicians, and we started her in Suzuki quite young. Of course, we wanted to provide the best training possible so she might consider cello as a career option. WRONG! She loves the theater. She continues to practice an hour a day, and does enjoy her music. But cello isn’t cool in school.</p>
<p>Last summer, in addition to her theater camp, she took a few voice lessons with a teacher who does indeed respect the young voice. I’m very aware of these considerations as my sister-in-law is an opera singer who teaches about voice health.</p>
<p>My daughter recently played the god-mother in Cinderella. She created a role for a rather funky god-mother with attitude and her voice filled the auditorium without mic. Most of the other kids were inaudible. I do think her experience with music is very evident.</p>
<p>She wants to begin piano lessons also. My husband and I have told her if she is serious about MT, this will include piano and music theory. (My husband teaches theory, and of course she doesn’t want to learn from him.)</p>
<p>Everyone, please know I recognize that she is very young, and I am not pushing her at all. She is very driven and serious about this. She has been on-line researching dance studios etc., because she knows this is essential for her ‘career’.</p>
<p>Whether she pursues this professionally or not, she has met many friends and enjoyed the work. I’ll encourage her to continue.</p>
<p>Absolutely do not worry about her weight at age 12. Lots of girls’ weight gets ahead of their height at puberty. If she is still heavy at 16 or so, that’s another matter, but I suspect the weight will take care of itself as she increases her exercise with dance during the roller coaster ride of puberty.</p>
<p>Both my husband and I are heavy and struggled with weight our entire lives. She doesn’t have good genes or environemnt fo maintaining a healthy weight. I’m hopeful that her interest in dance will help.</p>
<p>cello-mom,</p>
<p>I have a dancer-turned MT kiddo (age 15). She also has two heavier-than-they-should-be parents. You mentioned genes…yes, that’s part of it. Dancing/rehearsing (as others have mentioned) will get her moving, and can help restructure a body. Puberty (a dirty word!) is heck on kids’ bodies – my kiddo I compared to “taffy” at that age – she would bulk up, then shoot up in height, then repeat. </p>
<p>The other thing you mentioned is the absence of a good environment for maintaining a healthy weight. That you CAN control. I’m not advocating putting your family on some funky diet, but this is a great age (hers) to talk about good choices with food (and be good models, too). </p>
<p>Most of all, don’t worry. Her body, thoughts, image, ideas, desires are going to re-shape themselves so much over the next few years, you won’t recognize her! (And I’m only to the H.S. sophomore stage…yikes!). </p>
<p>PM me if you’d like information about choosing quality dance training for your daughter. Quality matters. No, I’m not a dance teacher…just a mom who’s been learning along the way. Now I’m in Musical Theater for Dumb Moms! It’s never dull, is it?!?</p>
<p>cello-mom,
weight is weight and does not have to be the total issue as I am sure you know. If your D can improve fitness and stamina that is absolutely important. So college programs may not consider her if she is over weight, but others will as long as she is fit. We were somewhat overwhelmed by the MT life when our D was young, so much to do in terms of training. But she has had fun and found her way as neither of us parents would have expected. Sit back and enjoy the ride.</p>
<p>Oh… bummer! I love the cello! It is the perfect instrument, but then I am biased, having listened to my sister play all my childhood. Music in any form — piano, cello, voice — is absolutely invaluable! It helps in math, and they know kids do better in school because of music. I applaud you and your husband. My parents were the same. All of us had to take an instrument. I started on violin and was awful, so I switched to piano and still take lessons. My brother started on cello, but when my sister started to take it and quickly overtook him, he switched to trumpet. Good for you, Mom!</p>
<p>after attending…many many auditions…and observing many current MT students…I will say for sure…that her size …doesn’t matter. All shapes …all sizes…out there…was at Unified auditions in NYC…a month ago…went to several shows…again …all shapes and sizes…in the biz…all the above advice…is good…just don’t let this thought be one that has you take her out of this field…</p>
<p>The piano and music theory training is a really, really good idea. At the college where I work, the Musical Theater students have to take keyboard and ear training (piano and theory, basically), and they all say that everything else they do is easier and less stressful if they have a strong background in those areas before they get here.</p>
<p>ditto for all the things mentioned above, and also consider local and community theaters - the experience is wonderful and the kids get to meet all types of theater people (who are involved solely because they love it and have to balance a job with this hobby), have the opportunity to work in all aspects of theater (think box office, costumes, set design, tech, pit, as well as on stage), and find other kids who speak their language (we all know there is a song for almost any situation in life - and our theatre kids can break out into them at the drop of a hat)… there is something magical when they find other kids like themselves.</p>
<p>There are voice teachers out there who will respect the young voice - if someone has her doing something like a belt, obviously that is the wrong teacher (and you know the young girls want to do that, so the teacher needs to be able to communicate the importance of holding off to her also)…</p>
<p>Enjoy the ride, cello-mom! You might find yourself sewing costumes or getting involved also (who else will be driving her to rehearsals?)… and we look forward to reading about her here in a few years if the interest holds … and for most of our kids, the interest HAS held and become passion :-)</p>
<p>Don’t overlook chorus in school or in a church chorus in addition to dance classes,
and piano for a very young student. While it’s not private voice there are many well trained chorus teachers out there who will do no harm.</p>