Right now almost everyone falls into 1 of 3 groups: those who are getting over being sick, those who are sick and those who are about to get sick. It’s wreaking havoc on Broadway, most notably when Gypsy canceled 7 performances end of December. Death Becomes Her also had to shut down for a night when too many cast and crew members fell ill. The combination of a flu strain that was not targeted by this year’s shot and a virulent outbreak of norovirus has left few people untouched.
And… 2025 audition season is upon us. Yikes! We have to take care of our voices! Vocal Coach and Jewish Mama Tracey Grimaldi is here for you. So here are Mama T’s tips:
- If you really can’t sing, go on vocal rest but keep up your practice time! This is the perfect opportunity to go through your repertoire book and plan to refresh it. Figure out which audition songs need to be replaced, either because you’ve aged out of them, your voice has changed or you’re just plain bored of them. Listen to youtube and spotify and list possible new songs to fit the same categories. My repertoire guide sheet is a great resource for making sure you’re covered with good choices for Contemporary Musical Theatre, Traditional Musical Theatre and pop/rock/country/folk/rap from different decades. Also do some research on your songs. Where do they fall in the context of the show? Listen to the soundtrack and read the Wikipedia synopsis. https://en.wikipedia.org/
- If you’re still not feeling well after a few days, please see your doctor or go to urgent care
- Steam steam steam, especially with eucalyptus. Take advantage of your tiny NYC bathroom and have a spa day. Close the door & window – if you even have one – turn the shower on hot and let it run until the room fogs up Eucalyptus oil splashed on the shower is great to further open your lungs and nasal passages. Breathe – both through your nose and mouth
- Do gentle warmups and ease back into practicing, adding a few more minutes a day to each session. Warmups in the steam from #3 is even better
- Stay hydrated! Lots of liquids… soup, water, juice, tea, hot water with lemon and honey are all a singer’s friends in good times and in bad
- Take voice lessons! Learning proper breathing techniques, how to loft your soft palette, tongue position, and separating your vocal folds will help you keep your voice healthy under almost any circumstances. Regular voice lessons will help you sound better on your worst days, and amazing on your best days!