A bit of unsolicited advice: I think it is a mistake to approach MT with a desire to “not be forced to belt.” I have published research that looked at 1,200 casting notices posted on Backstage.com for performers age 18-24. Only 5% requested legit musical theatre repertoire. That’s a pretty limited job market. There are HUGE misunderstandings about the current use of the term “belting.” It does not mean singing like Ethel Merman. It means singing with a speech like sound quality that is energized, exciting, usually with straight-tone qualities and vowels that are not acoustically powerful but more like what one would find in speech that aligns with the dramatic intent of the line. Some belters have heavy voices, others have light voices. Some may call it “mixing” instead of “belting” because its not the title we give it that matters. The fact is even contemporary productions of classical musicals are performed differently than they were originally. Search YouTube for “Legit Broadway Roles (then & now)” its a great video that is widely accepted as accurate. You used to be able to audition for Phantom of the Opera with opera arias. Now the casting notice says “a beautiful young singer with a soprano voice that combines elements of classical and pop singing.” The industry is continuing to shift towards the pop world and there are no signs it will ever go back. The biggest change I am seeing is that opera companies are now taking on legit shows like “Light in the Piazza” “Carousel” “Showboat” but also shows like “Sweeney Todd” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” The grand musicals of the Golden Age are just too expensive for many theatres to produce compared to pop/rock shows that only require a 5-6 piece band and a smaller cast. Opera companies have the resources to take on the big musicals and I believe that is a change we will increasingly see (also based on research presented at conferences). It is a way for them to make a lot of money to support the less popular titles in their season. Symphony orchestras are also thinking of this strategy by doing concert versions of legit shows. The times are changing and it is the students who are most flexible that will be the most employable. A legit singer who can belt and dance is GOLD. They are the unicorns in today’s market and they can work all over the place if they present themselves well in auditions.
~VT