When most people think of musical theatre, they often think of actors singing on stage. After all, the combination of music and dialogue is what makes musical theatre so unique.
But is singing necessary to be in a musical? The answer might surprise you.
The Short Answer
No, you do not have to sing to be in musical theatre. There are many roles that don’t involve singing at all. Musicals often require dancers, instrumentalists, technicians, and other professionals who don’t sing at all.
The Long Answer
While singing is not always necessary for being in a musical, it can help you stand out among other actors. Musicals are extremely competitive and having a strong set of vocal skills can give you an edge over other actors.
Singing also allows you to explore different characters and portray them differently on stage than if you were just speaking the lines. Furthermore, having strong vocal skills can also make it easier to learn songs quickly and memorize your lines.
Many actors might find themselves limited when only speaking their lines on stage. However, with singing comes the ability to bring out different emotions in a song that could otherwise be difficult to capture with just dialogue alone. Singing can also add another layer of expression and character development that helps elevate a performance.
Conclusion: Ultimately, whether or not you need to sing for musical theatre comes down to the role you are auditioning for and the production itself. While it is possible to find roles in musicals without having strong vocal skills, it is usually beneficial if you want to stand out among other actors or explore more complex characters on stage.