Top 5 Books for Musical Theatre Coaches

There are so many books about vocal pedagogy and it seems like every day we are seeing a new book that is geared at teaching CCM or (Contemporary Commercial Music) styles. These are great books to add to your collection. But to truly teach / coach Musical Theatre effectively, it is crucial that you have resources that help you understand the acting side of the actor’s performance and that you understand what the expectations are in musical theatre in terms of what makes a solid performance of a song - both on stage and in the audition room. These are the 5 books that I recommend to all of the teachers / coaches that I work with to help develop an understanding of the Musical Theatre Industry:

1) Acting the Song by Tracey Moore with Allison Bergman

This book is written both for actors and their coaches. What I love about this book is that it follows the tradition of many acting texts by taking dialogue from workshops and classes and transcribes it as a narrative for the context of the information being delivered by the authors. We get to see the work of the actors in almost real time as they analyze their work. What is powerful about this is not only do we see that actor’s work, but we see how the coaches are shaping the conversation and using the technique of “side coaching,” we see them guide the actor through their work. This is a very valuable resource for teachers and coaches who are wanting to learn the process of not only what to coach for effective performances, but HOW to coach to create this effective work. 

2) Musical Theatre Song by Stephen Purdy

This book is probably my favorite ever written on the subject. Purdy has taken a very analytical approach to learning and performing musical theatre songs. His experience in the professional scene guides his work and while this is a more recent book (2016 release) I am sure it will stand the test of time. Purdy writes for the actor but just like in the previous book, we do get to see his coaching dialogue with his clients. This book features in-depth analysis of the various eras of musical theatre, a detailed description of what makes a good audition song and how to cut songs for auditions, as well as very effective exercises to be used in the voice studio to help actors discover their honest selves within their characters and their pieces. This is truly an invaluable resource to have on your shelf.

3) Acting in Musical Theatre by Joe Deer and Rocco Dal Vera

Deer and Dal Vera have created what should be the definitive textbook on acting in musical theatre. In my opinion, this should be required study for any actor, director, music director, and teacher / coach working in the musical theatre industry. What makes this book so incredible is its beautiful combination of acting techniques and musical analysis to truly allow the reader to understand the craft of creating effective musical theatre performances. As I have said countless times, there is more to musical theatre than just singing the song and this book PROVES that. While it is written like a textbook, it is still very easy to follow and features exercises and activities that can be used in the voice studio by students and teachers / coaches alike. 

4) Musical Theatre: A Workbook & Musical Theatre: A Further Workbook by David Henson and Kenneth Pickering

These two books are truly WORKBOOKS. They ask fantastic questions of the entire process - not just learning individual songs. These workbooks feature analysis questions and processes in breaking down songs as well as the entire show itself. One of the things that I feel really sets these books apart are the terminology collections they feature. Structured less on “musical terms” and “acting terms,” these books organize terminology by where they will be used such as “studio terms” and “vocal score terms.” These glossaries feature terms that very few other books use but are commonly seen in the musical theatre process. Both are great places to look for terms, analysis questions, and as a way to structure your work in your studio.

5) Music Direction for the Stage by Joseph Church

This book is the outlier of this set but is a great resource to have. Many people who work on musical theatre (especially first-time music directors) feel that it is about getting the music “right.” That is not so. What I love about Church’s book as that it dives into the artistic responsibilities of the music director and how the score is adapted to fit the needs of the particular production. There is a fantastic chapter in this book on coaching solos from a music director’s perspective. This chapter alone is worth purchasing this text as it clues you in on the type of work a true music director does with the actors. There is more to music directing in those moments than teaching the song and it is important for us as teachers and coaches to appreciate that work and the coaching the MD has done - so we do not step on their toes when we work with our clients. The MD will ALWAYS have final say because they are responsible for the artistic vision of the music for the production. Understanding their work and what all they are trying to achieve is crucial for our work to support their needs as well as our client’s needs in the production.

There are so many other books that belong in a Musical Theatre teacher / coach’s studio. If you would like more suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. If you are wanting to develop your skills in Musical Theatre teaching / coaching, please feel free to connect with me and we can talk about setting up some coaching for you.

You Awesome. Be Awesome. See You Soon.

Best Wishes!

-Nate

 PS: If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy our E BOOKS! Use coupon code BLOGPOST to receive 25% off your purchase! Check them out here!