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

Musical Content 
This piece made up of repeats of a standard 32-measure song form, AABA’. The last A section 
of each vocalist is modified to include a deceptive cadence which extends an 8-measure section into a 10-
measure section. After a repeat of the full form, the voices alternate or harmonize through an A’’ section, 
where an extended harmonic sequence and repeated turn-around is accompanied by a thinning of 
background textures. The reduction of instrumentation and dynamic of underscoring on the last page 
allows for lower melodic lines, including an unaccompanied F
2
by Frank Sr. before the final musical 
outro (see table 6.2).
6
Table 6.2. Compositional Sections of Frank Sr. Verse in “Butter Out of Cream”, mm. 43-80 
Measures Tonal 
Center/Key 
Compositional Notes 
Lyric 
Subtext 
Form 
mm. 43-50 E major 
A lesson in interval training as lower 
emphasized melody note moves up by 
half or whole step throughout six 
measures while upper note repeats 
frequently. Closed voicings of 
harmonies emphasize chromatic 
movement by doubling at the octave.
Final melodic phrase ascends in 1-3-5 
pattern. 
To share a 
previously 
untold verse, 
to entice 
A 
4
“Catch Me If You Can – Musical,” accessed September 14, 2020, 
http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_c/CatchMeIfYouCan.html. 
5
Bob Himlin. “Butter Outta Cream – Catch Me If You Can (2018),” June 5, 2019, video, 8:09, 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9zMlUn7GXo. 
6
Shaiman, “Butter Outa Cream.” 

---

52 
mm. 50-57 E major 
moving to B 
Melody has a few alterations or 
repeated notes due to additional 
syllables in the lyrical line. Harmonic 
progression allows for insertion of 
non-diatonic passing chords (Ab6-A6, 
G9-F#9) as if improvisatory. 
Final melodic phrase descends in 2-1-
6-1 pattern. 
To explore, 
to reveal 
A 
mm. 58-65 B to F# to E 
major 
Chromatic movement in melody is 
paralleled by non-diatonic seventh 
chords frequenting the underscore.
Due to the closed, tight voicing nature 
of the piano right-hand, little 
modification needs to be made to 
accurately shift into each new beat. 
To travel, to 
enjoy 
B 
mm. 66-75 E major to 
C# minor 
back to E 
major 
New textures appear in treble 
underscore, an additional octave and 
rearticulating various inversions of the 
same chord fill in lyrical pauses. 
To grow, to 
celebrate 
A’ 
mm. 76-80 E major to F 
major 
Transition material using close-voiced 
jazz voicings (like a 2
nd
inversion 
minor seventh chords functioning as a 
tonic major 6
th
chord) over pedal tones 
on the fifth (B) of the key, then 
shifting up a half step to start the 
movement to F major. 
N/A Interlude 
 
Source: Data adapted from Marc Shaiman, “Butter Outta Cream,” in Catch Me If You Can: Sheet Music from the 
Broadway Musical (Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Music, 2011): 65-74.