Here’s one last Dubbing variation that warranted its own featured entry.
The Basics
A cast of improvisers creates an original theatrical production with original staging, characters, and dialogue. When the action builds to a song, offstage counterparts “dub” the actors’ singing voices. After each (typically brief) song concludes, actors provide their own speaking voices once again… until the music restarts. Think Milli Vanilli but in a full-fledged musical!
Example
Players A and B begin a scene at a county fair. A holds a large stick of cotton candy (candy floss) while B steers then both towards the Ferris wheel.
Player B: “There’s barely a line! I can’t believe our luck.”
Player A: “I’m not so sure about this. I’ve eaten a lot of carnival food, and I’m not on the best terms with heights…”
Player B: (lovingly) “I’ll be with you the whole time. It’s meant to be the best – the most romantic – view from the top of the wheel.”
Player B hands their tickets to a fair worker and helps A into the swinging cabin. The worker fastens the chain across the opening and signals to the ride operator. The musician begins a vamp…
Player B: “Don’t worry, I’ve got you. And there’s something important I want to ask you when we get to the top.”
Player E (standing in view but offstage) begins to provide A’s singing voice as they mouth and act out the lyrics as best they’re able.
Player E (singing) and Player A (acting):
“I think I know the question. There’s no need to guess,
But for the life of me, I just can’t quite say ‘yes.’
We’ve just been dating weeks. It’s all moving so quick,
It’s not this rocking Ferris wheel that’s making me feel sick…”
Player B stands, signaling to their offstage voice (F) and the musician that they’re ready to join the song…
The Focus
This dynamic offers rich potentials for playful contrasts and juxtapositions. Enjoy the larger-than-life tropes and conventions of the musical theatre canon.
Traps and Tips
1.) For the onstage actors. Be wary of deferring all the scenic power to the offstage singers. If you meander through the dialogue sections, you’ll quickly become a passenger. Instead, use the spoken moments to make and set strong choices and character points of view. It’s critical for the singers (and musician) that you playfully but clearly craft resolute song launches. Otherwise, the scene will likely struggle to result in meaningful or useful songs. When your singing voice emerges, be sure to really sell the content and emotion with fully embodied staging. Having your dubber located at least partially in your field of vision will further help in this regard. Don’t forget that you can also offer an occasional (and helpful) spoken line within a song as well, although strive to do so in a moment that structurally makes sense so that you don’t accidentally grind the number to a halt.
2.) For the offstage singers. As is the temptation with all dubbing formats, be wary of immediately leaning into pimping territory, trying to get your actor to sing or do the most ridiculous thing you can imagine. (The actors can also certainly pitch similarly dubious material to their singers.) Some joyful shivving will undoubtedly emerge of its own volition, so focus instead on active listening, generous accepting, and crafting lyrics that will support the inherent story and current relationships. Gives and takes can prove challenging, especially as musical numbers start to include more bodies and voices. You’ll be well served to make sure you can visually communicate with the other actors and singers so that every song doesn’t just become a clutter of voices. And give your actor a definitive and memorable voice – whether it’s just your own typical singing voice, something pitched to match their unique character energy, or (judiciously) a tonality that provides a whimsical contrast or commentary.
3.) For the overall story. Lean into the tropes of musical theatre storytelling but don’t feel the need to push all of these features and gimmicks to the stage immediately and at the same time. It’s great to get some big group numbers into the mix – our Ferris wheel number above might organically evolve in such a way – but if your time parameters allow, don’t forget the power of including a ballad and duet (or two) into the mix, even if they’re very brief affairs. Such songs also allow actors and their assigned singers to find and set their combined voice and deal before attempting a more freewheeling choral number. Similarly, it’s fun to mix up songs that are more simply staged “park and barks” with those that feature attempts at group choreography! The short-form game, Diamond Dance, can provide a simple mechanism for crafting movement that looks at least a little unified and finessed.
4.) For the overall technique. General dubbing etiquette and techniques apply. (See my earlier Game Library post here.) This format thrives with a larger cast – a team of four or more actors voiced by an equally robust offstage ensemble. Such numbers allow for a wide array of playful choices, such as using the briefly establishing fair worker as a background singer with their own disembodied voice. (My strong preference is for everyone onstage, no matter how marginally featured, to have anything sung provided by an offstage counterpart.) With so many people involved – and at least one musician – the chances for confusion increase exponentially. So, take your time to find and establish each unique vocal combination and physical connection before putting everyone onstage together for a full company and fully choreographed showstopping climax. Or at least wade into these waters gradually and knowingly, giving each new singer a verse or featured opportunity to find themselves.
In Performance
I don’t see this dubbing variant played often. It’s a dynastic way to craft an all-play if you’ve got uneven teams in terms of musical ability. That being said, the game can quickly feel imbalanced if the acting squad views their contributions as less crucial in any way or, alternatively, the singing team treats the game as their opus alone and gives little space and attention to the non-singing components. Make sure the ensemble leaves room for acting, physical, and perhaps even dancing discoveries as well.
You can also play this with one (overworked) singer providing all the onstage voices. This moves the game more fully into a “torture” and “shining” dynamic, and so you’ll want to exert even greater cognizance when it comes to rigorous listening and generous accepting (and making each sung voice as distinctive as you can). What you lose in harmonies and a fuller group sound can be amply replaced by an able singer if they exude fearless attack as they face the gauntlet. But it’s probably not a particularly kind variant to spring on an unsuspecting and unprepared troupe member!
Cheers, David Charles.
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