RIFFING + OPTIONING UP
More notes and higher notes don’t equal better storytelling. If the material already says what it needs to say, adding on top of it can actually dilute the moment instead of elevating it.
STAYING ON THE PAGE IS A SKILL
Actors often feel pressure to “do more.”
I’m a Broadway singing coach, and in musical theatre, the higher-level skill is interpretation, not invention.
The score already contains choices — rhythm, pitch, dynamics, phrasing. Your job is to bring those to life.
WHY OVER-SINGING HAPPENS
Going off the page can become a shortcut.
If something on the page feels difficult, it’s tempting to replace it with something flashier or more comfortable.
But that doesn’t solve the problem, it sidesteps it.
The work is in making what’s written land.
INTERPRETATION OVER INVENTION
Musical theatre is an interpretive art form.
You’re not being asked to rewrite the piece.
You’re being asked to embody it — to make the composer and lyricist’s intentions feel alive, specific, and human.
That requires precision.
WHEN LIBERTIES MAKE SENSE
There are moments where going off the page is appropriate.
But they should be rare and intentional.
If the style supports it, or the moment calls for it, you can layer something on top.
The key is that it serves the story, not your ego.
DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT STYLES
Pop/rock/R&B operates differently.
Those traditions are built on variation, personalization, and vocal flexibility.
Riffs and options are expected — they’re part of the language.
But even there, they need purpose and an understanding of style.
IMPRESS VS. EXPRESS
Every time you add something, ask why.
Is it to impress, or to express?
In some contexts — like Six, a show built on vocal competition — impressive choices can serve the objective.
But most of the time, the goal is communication, not display.
MAKE THE CHOICE READ
A riff should feel like an extension of the moment.
It should come from the character’s need, not from a desire to show off.
Physicality can help — gesture, focus, connection — so the sound stays grounded in action.
TEST YOURSELF
If you remove the riff, does the story still land?
If the answer is yes, the riff is optional.
If the answer is no, make sure the addition is doing real work.
🥜 IN A NUTSHELL
Don’t add more just to sound impressive. Master what’s on the page first, then add only if it deepens the story.
