Soliloquy from the musical Carousel

[ozzboy]

All I can say is WOW! Well sung.

[madamerotten]

Great job!

[DebedaJankovic]

I'm actually in the chorus of this show right now. At the end of this video, I applauded out of habit, lol. I'm sure that would've looked funny had anyone else been in the room with me. The guy who plays Billy in our version does well too and we tend to applaud backstage during rehearsal. However, I like your version better. =) Good job.

[joojooharpoon]

This is THE best version on Youtube I have seen; and I've watched a few! - It truely is beautiful. I'm doing it in a concert in Sept and It's my favourite song that RnH ever wrote :D Thank you!

[coldnonnstopp]

My college is going to do this show in the Fall semester. I'm not familiar with the show, are there any comedic female roles? or roles that don't have a lot of singing?

By the way, great job. Love this!!!

[damonkeith]

@coldnonnstopp Thanks! The role of Carrie is the comedic lead female but she sings quite a bit :-) Depending on how your director decides to cast, the show calls for featured dancers who may or may not be required to sing. Search "Carousel Dream Ballet" Or "Louise's Ballet" and you'll see what I'm talking about. Break a leg in your audition!

[jwhyte99]

Your really fabulous!

Carousel was like the first show I ever did when I was like 6!

You made me get all goose bumps, and your change between Billy Bigalowes thoughts are wicked!

Keep it up!

x

[drumgirl187]

@jwhyte99 this was actually the first musical i saw when i was in middle school. :)

[me254065]

A great tone but some swoopage throughout "dad" "had" "boy" "bill" but aside from that a fab job

[Dougknowspaper]

He's got a good voice but definitely not a patch on Gordon MacRae or John Raitt. I saw a guy called Norman Bowman at Chichester Theatre sing this really well in 2006.

[RailbirdPictures]

There are too many wow's! but we can't help it! It is just simply ... wow! I'm so unoriginal! Ack!

~ Fer, Railbird Pictures

[dmnemaine]

Wow. That was as good as John Raitt, better than Gordon MacRae.

[MeredithBartmon]

bravo! hope you're still 'talking about me all the time' haha! Les Mis was fabulous!

[deanojammin]

That was awesome fella. We're doing this production next month as well. Im playing Bigelow. Im crapping my pants but at the same time cant wait to sing soliloquy. Enjoyed it dude.

[shmoogle14]

Wow, very nice job!!!!

[Hanzalou]

Enjoyed this video! We are doing this production atm so was good to see how different others do it! Im playing Louise btw but your voice is good, well done!

[reubsta2002]

I really like your voice, i wayched this last night in london west end, it was brilliant. I think that it would be nicer to see a bit more emotion and anger in the performance. But you have a fantastic voice.

[Woullard2fresh]

very nice! all my theatre friends love this musical and i can c y! thanks for introducing ur character to me so nicely!

[rubysunshine7]

i agree, an excellent response...

i think you've got a great voice...keep going.

[ILoveFaroe]

I think you're a very good singer. Although I think it would be even better if you showed more emotion and maybe some more emphasis on words like the bit when you're describing the bully "no POT bellied BAGGY eyed BASTARD!" haha, like think that you hate the bully if you know what i mean. Just more emotion and it will be perfect:D

[scottandluce]

Nice reply!

And if we thought all the same way Life would be dull.

I'm sure You will do well.

Best of luck

S

[AtLastOnTheGround]

Wow man you made that hard song look so effortless! Very good subtle acting and pure, fantastic voice.

[lilly27]

that was awesome!! best on youtube by far!

[damonkeith]

Thanks! Kind of you.

[PmoneyBWboss]

@lilly27 Have you seen Hugh Jackman??? lol Damon Keith great job. I'm playing Billy right now and love it. I'm pulling some great things from your performance that I like. Thanks man.

[Diffie64]

Damon, awesome performance! I think you have a bright career ahead of you. Thanks for sharing :)

[Staymewithflagons]

(In case anyone is from the east coast)...my Dad who just passed away...sang this at Longwood Gardens when I was a kid. I know he liked this song...sang it with a little more sensativity...but he had 6 kids...three boys an three girls and another that had died...that will make your understand of the song a bit different. The end actually has a redemptive message...about not letting other peoples mistakes (or yours) ruin your life!

[damonkeith]

I agree that this song can be interpreted many different ways and mean many different things to different people. That's why I love musical theater so much! My interpretation was gleaned from my understanding of the character of Billy Bigelow and this particular production of Carousel as directed by Patrice Bailey. I'm sorry for your loss and am glad that maybe my video helped you to remember that part of your fathers memory in this world. I know I would have loved to hear it.

[Bugsy123123]

Beautifully sung and acted. Thank you for sharing.

[Balbin0]

Damon Keith, doesn't matter what other people say. They have no idea of what is like to be on stage and singing live! You certainly did it very good. There are not many other videos of this soliloquy online, but the few that are there are from professional people. In my opinion, you are as good as them.

A Wonderful job, you did! Congratulations! Keep the hard work!

[vines21]

I didn't know Billy was an Asian stereotype...;)

You are all right Damon

[Balbin0]

Either you're not american or you don't know your history. According to your train of thought, it had to be sung by a red skin indian. =)

[CanadianBacon192]

this guy is good. but i was a techie when my community theater did it. but this song goes on FOREVER! me, the other techies and a few of the main characters would site in the green room and suffer. i didnt like this story at all, at the end it doesnt leave you with a good, happy felling.

[jplaura02]

I love the musical for it's melodic beauty and its' realism. Does life always have a happy ending? I think, just in the movies.

[CanadianBacon192]

yeah thats ture, but when you spend $20 a ticket and u sit there for the better part of three hours it would be nice if it had a happy ending.

[blackbluetiger]

Oh dear.

[StratFrets89]

I completely disagree that a story has to have a happy ending. That being said, I still thought the story of Carousel was horrible. Its not because of the end at all, its just the show altogether.

All that said, I will say the Soliloquy is a phenomenal song and you performed it very well.

[JAnthony37]

Did you know that of all Richard Rodger's favorite collaborative projects with Oscar Hammerstein, Carousel was his favorite? When I heard that I scratched my head! "Really???" I thought. Probably like you, I wondered why? Maybe he was depressed on the day that they asked him that question!! lol

[emanresusirk]

i loved it!

[niamhmola]

wow your excellent! well done!!

[1234benn1234]

wat is that person on about Soliloquy has got funny lines in it its ment to be funny in parts you need to listen to the song and by the way you are amzing at doing this song

[rhiannonpannon]

you have a fabulous voice :] x

[branquela82]

Your voice is so lovely. Just lovely.

[DaGeemiester]

The Audience laughed.. The only person they should laugh at is Enoch. You're vocal quality is fantastic just connect with the lyrics and emotions and you will be fab! (My first comment is below this one)

[DaGeemiester]

:) I did carousel a lil while ago playing Enoch, and then the month after playing Billy! (Difficult) But what I would say to you is "Act more" (Something my tutor always said to others) I didn't see the pride that Billy would have had from having a boy, also it's a soliloquy not "Overly interact with the audience" even if you didn't intend comedy.. (c)

[cptnunderwhere]

Tenor singing baritone, but it sounds good. A bit bland.

[encorebc]

Great voice. The emotion seems very disconnected from the voice however.

[karlydj]

that was awesome you have an ausome voice

[jamesicoburn]

WOW!!!! BRILLIANT!

[mello57]

Great, some people could write a good crit for a local newspaper! We have to remember that this is not a professional production, this is a good voice being musically used; lets not be too harsh.

[broadwaystud2004]

just curious: did your carousel sit on the stage the whole time? was that ackward to work with???

[damonkeith]

No actually, the carousel horses rotated upstage and the center unit opened up to create different spaces. It wasn't to difficult to work around. (sorry the delay in responding, my computer just informed me of your comment!)

[jwhyte99]

Wow, U deserve 2 be on broadway! or come 2 englan! (unless ur there) in the westend! Carousel was teh first ever musical production I was in when I was like 6! I have fond memories! U have a great voice for Billy Bigalow! well done =] xxxxxxxx

[MrDeMille65]

Great economy of characterization and stage usage. You had a very small pool of light and you used it to your benefit. You never became a characterization of the character - very believeable. I'd like to hear a bit more freedom in your voice however - you vibrato will become much more even as you relax - but hey, opening night - pretty darn fantastic! Relax later on!

[affectivity]

Nice job! Great voice for Billy Bigelow - bravo!

[kerryoke68]

What talent. I could listen to you sing all day. Fantastic!

[ARReith]

why is the audience laughing at Billy's potential disappointment? This song/aria is NOT comedy! It has its light moments, yes, but the spoken dialogue is supposed to make the audience feel Billy's pain.

[damonkeith]

I disagree. Any 8 minute song in a musical must run a gamut of emotion. I think that Billy's chauvinistic attitude and fleeting "disappointment" at losing the son he just invented in his imagination are funny. The fact that he is serious when he says things like "What could I do with her?" makes it all the funnier. There is plenty of drama later when he becomes determined to take control of his fate at the end of the piece.

[renethel]

i disagree. it's supposed to be funny when he says, "what if he's a girl? oh Bill." there needs to be a lil' comic relief. also Billy isn't entirely serious throughout the whole number. some of his thoughts are supposed to be entertaining to him! i'm IN Carousel right now and they laughed at the SAME EXACT SPOTS!

[camsharp]

It can't be pronounced lorn-ay because it has to rhyme with "born yet". Great voice. :)

[renethel]

you have a gorgeous baritone voice! i'm auditioning for a production of Carousel.

[ladymichella]

that is pretty awsome, I am in the shreveport opera and we are doing carousel as our next show so i was looking it up not much on youtube but this is pretty awsome i think i said that twice

[lullabyinlace]

Wow, you have the perfect voice for Billy. Are you an equity member?

[BroadwayHorton]

Wonderful job, but its pronounced Lorn-ay!

[mrphantomb]

Uhh....no. "lorgnette" is pronounced (lôrn-yt)