URGENT: help me to expand my vocal range, please!?

Question

I'm currently in Les Miserables and I play Enjolras. When cast, I was a bit nervous considering my range only extends to an E above middle C and Enjolras has to hold a few F's. I was told that if I work, I should be able to expand my range and hit the F comfortably. I've been working for weeks, and I'm still having trouble. I was told last night by my director that if I didn't fix my pitch issues, I'd be replaced by another member in the cast and switched to a smaller, chorus role. I really would rather not give up my role. Does anybody have any tips as to how I can expand my range that extra note? Any bit of advice would be really helpful. Thanks.

Answer 1

I am a male musical theatre writer and singer with what sounds like a similar vocal range to yours. My natural tessitura (or vocal range) wants to top out at that same E, which is considered the top for a baritone, but as you've discovered modern musical theatre has developed what's known as the baritenor, who is routinely asked to sing F's and G's. You CAN expand your range by diligently doing vocal exercises daily. I used to sing scales up and down, working up to the F and G (for in order to have the solid F you need to work beyond it so its not your absolute top.) Just working on the score itself is not . gonna be enough; if you need to, hire a vocal coach for some emergency voice-building. It's not your fault that you don't have it, but there it is. Take heart, though. Michael Crawford expanded his natural baritone voice by a third in order to win the role of the Phantom. But you are going to have work daily and diligently.