Low male voice repertoire in contemporary musical theatre: a studio and performance guide of selected songs 1996-2020 by

Measures Tonal 
Center 
Compositional Notes 
Lyric 
Subtext 
Form 
m. 1
G major 
Sets tonality with strummed chord 
No text 
Opening Strum 
mm. 2–17 G major 
Melody descends and ascends 
accentuating notes in a G pentatonic 
scale. Dotted rhythms permeate the 
melody, add emphasis to the lilt of the 
voice 
To recount 
Verse 
mm. 18–24 C major 
Chorus begins with slowed pick-up 
notes into m. 17, then the melody has 
a propensity for declamatory quarter 
note rhythms through m. 24 
Lighthearted 
lament 
Top of the 
Chorus 
mm. 25-33 G major 
V chord in second inversion leads up 
to a resolution back in G major in m. 
27 for the last half of the chorus 
Wishful Chorus 
continued 
mm. 34–35 G major 
Plagal cadence 
No text 
Outro 
7
“Once Broadway.” 
8
Glen Hasard, “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy,” in Once: Sheet Music Selections (Van Nuys, 
CA: Alfred Music, 2012): 23-25. 

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Source: Data adapted from Glen Hasard, “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy,” in Once: Sheet Music 
Selections (Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Music, 2012): 23-25. 
Vocal Considerations 
Musical Style. This piece is in the folk-rock style, drawing heavily from Irish songwriter 
traditions. Sanders classifies this show’s music as being in the poetic category, a category which focuses
on the storytelling nature of contemporary artists and composers influenced by the ‘70’s folk/rock era.
9
Lyrics are conversational, written in a semi-satirical way that may “relinquish some of their rock bite” as 
there is greater importance on defining character over groove
10
. As this piece is performed by guitar on 
the cast recording, note that a piano accompanist should not be expected to double the solo line in a treble 
hand piano voicing
11
, despite said voicing being indicated in the vocal selections book.
12
Range. (F#
2
– B3) This piece features a low tessitura and frequent descending melodies which 
make the occurrence of notes above or at the first registration break infrequent and fleeting. From the 
classical training standpoint, it is important to note that the piece’s melody is almost entirely in speech-
inflection range for the bass or bass-baritone
13
. Vowel modifications could be practiced with the aim to 
achieve seamless registration and equalized timbre near and above the first register break but would not 
be of critical importance in enabling an authentic performance of the piece. By assigning a piece with 
minimal needs for navigating the zona di passaggio an educator could focus on aspects such as 
presentation, dialect, vowel clarity, and evenness in the mid-low range without dealing with common 
stamina or timbre issues that may come with higher sitting repertoire for the low-male voice. 
9
Sanders, 243-248. 
10
Joseph Church, Rock in the Music Theatre (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019), 78. 
11
Steve Kazee, “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy,” track 7 on Once: A New Musical, Sony Music 
Entertainment, 2012, Amazon Music streaming audio, 
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B007EMBEUM?trackAsin=B007EMBNTO&ref=dm_sh_3d97-05f7-dmcp-ce72-
2827f&musicTerritory=US&marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER 
12
Hasard, “Broken Hearted Hoover.” 
13
Richard Miller, Securing Baritone, Bass-Baritone, and Bass Voices (New York: Oxford University Press, 
2008), 68. 

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39 
Vocalism.  As a style which evolved from the folk/rock music of the 1970s, a performer’s voice 
may be “richer, earthier, and more grounded” as the exploration of “honest and unique emotional 
expression” was a catalyst for diversifying the sound of the era
14
. The music of this contemporary Irish 
rocker seeks to express the sound of his vulnerability. Poetic songs rarely live in a loud dynamic or 
require a belt vocalism, often instead using a breathy timbre in the upper register, and focusing on 
establishing a feeling of intimacy through vocal qualities
15
Additional Songs from the Show. “Falling Slowly”, “When Your Mind’s Made Up”, “Gold”. 
Songs in a Similar Style. “Practical Arrangement” from The Last Ship, “Map of New York 
(Reprise)” from If/Then. 
14
Sanders, 152-153. 
15
Sanders, 247. 

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40 
Table 5.3. “What Would You Do?”