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Ramona Mallory - Studio Mallory

@ramonamallory

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Mentor to next generation performers
✨ Former Broadway Lead
🎶 Acting in song • Voice • Storytelling
🌱 Train with intention. Perform with truth.

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After I closed “A Little Night Music” on Broadway as Anne, and after having the privilege of learning from and performing alongside some of Broadway’s greatest legends, I came to the hardest decision of my life:

I retired from Broadway.

Why?

Because I began to realize that the success and the spotlight were bringing out aspects of myself that I did not wish to cultivate. I found myself becoming more focused on achievement than service. More focused on recognition than contribution.

And that realization broke my heart.

Because somewhere deep inside, I knew that I would never become the person I wished to be if my life wasn’t devoted to helping others.

So I walked away.

And then I wandered. For years.

Some of those years were beautiful. Some were incredibly difficult. But eventually, they led me back to something I had known all along: that I belonged in theatre, just in a different way.

Teaching. Mentoring. Creating. Helping artists find their confidence, their craft, and their truth.

I spent years believing that success was something found on a stage, beneath bright lights and applause.

What I eventually learned is that the deepest fulfillment comes from nurturing the quietest parts of ourselves.

The parts that know who we really are.

For me, it wasn’t performing.

It was taking everything I had learned from the greats and passing it on.

And in finding that truth, I found my calling.

Director/Photographer: @chattaroy_rt1
Editor: @scottmhoke
Student Ft. @sofie_naama_hans @juliaclareadams
@rebeccaeurom
Accompanist: @jd.fisch

#themallorymethod #findyourcalling #vocalcoach #musicaltheatre #broadway by @ramonamallory

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2 months ago

How do you do it?

How do you sing powerfully in a high vocal register without becoming strained and tense?

One, stay relaxed.

When we have tension in the jaw, neck, tongue, and face, not only can we hear that stress in the sound, but it doesn’t FEEL good. Singing should always feel easy and relaxed.

Two, the TONGUE.

The tongue is incredibly important for shaping the sound. Think about it this way: Why does a wine glass “sing” when you rub your finger around the rim? Because vibration is allowed to resonate freely through the space inside the glass.

Your voice works the same way.

When we hike the tongue up in the back, it pulls the sound backward, creating a more covered sound. And unless you’re aiming for a more operatic sound, this is something most contemporary musical theatre singers want to avoid.

Keep the tongue relaxed and released so resonance can do its job. BE the wine glass. 😎

Third, keep your cords wide.

Try this: yawn while singing a note. Do you feel how spacious it becomes?

That is the feeling you’re looking for. As you move higher, think width. Think space. Think openness. Don’t squeeze the sound. Don’t force it. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Keep it wide.

Questions? I’m here to help.

Big notes are created through resonance, space, and freedom. Not force.

Director/Photographer: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @studio4c_nyc
Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocalcoach #vocaltechnique #vocalcoach #themallorymethod #musicaltheatre by @ramonamallory

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2 months ago

One of the greatest secrets to achieving a beautiful, ringing soprano tone is learning to sing Pure Vowels.

Pure Vowels create an open space. And an open space creates resonance.

To create that space, keep your vowels open, your jaw relaxed, and your tongue dropped. Rather than rushing into the Closing Sounds of a word, allow each Pure Vowel to continue ringing for as long as possible. Think Aw as in Awesome, Eh as in Every, Ih as in If, Ee as in Easy, Aa as in Apple, Oh as in Only, Oo as in Moon, and Uh as in Uncle. These Pure Vowels allow the voice to remain open, resonant, and beautifully free.

As you listen, notice how those Pure Vowels, paired with a relaxed jaw and a dropped tongue, create a soprano tone that is open, ringing, and effortless.

It isn’t created by pushing…It’s created by space.

Questions? I’m here to help!

Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke
@54below @sondheimunplugged

#sondheim #vocalexercises #vocaltechnique #musicaltheatre #themallorymethod by @ramonamallory

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5 hours ago

The techniques that truly create a captivating acting life

As a retired Broadway principal turned acting coach, these are the tools that I have developed over the years that have allowed my theatre actors to create truth within their work.

🎭 Watch the reel, pick one technique, and start using it in your work this week.

Which one surprised you most? 👇

#TheatreActor #ActingCoach #TheMalloryMethod #ActingTechnique #MusicalTheatre by @ramonamallory

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4 days ago

One of the easiest ways to improve your singing, particularly when singing legato, is by learning to sing Pure Vowels and how to connect their Closing Sounds.

Pure Vowels create a more resonant tone, stabilize the voice, and ultimately make singing feel far more effortless.

The goal is to keep the Pure Vowel ringing for as long as possible, allowing the Closing Sound to serve as the bridge to the next Pure Vowel. As you listen, notice how the Pure Vowels continue ringing while the Closing Sounds quietly carry me into the next word. That’s what creates one seamless, connected phrase.

For example, in the phrase “felt as I fell,” don’t think about singing separate words. Think about connecting one Pure Vowel to the next. The LT in felt carries you into as. The S in as carries you into the I, creating one continuous stream of sound rather than a series of separate words. The Closing Sounds never interrupt the line—they simply carry you to the next Pure Vowel.

You’ll also notice that I’ve written the Pure Vowels directly above the music:

Uh as in Uncle
Aw as in Awesome
Eh as in Every
Ih as in If
Ee as in Easy
Aa as in Apple
Oh as in Only
Oo as in Moon

Keep the Pure Vowel alive.

Let the Closing Sound quietly serve as the bridge to the next one.

Questions? DM ME, I’m here to help!🤍

Director/Photographer: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @studio4c_nyc
Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocaltechnique #vocalcoach #musicaltheatre #themallorymethod #sondheim by @ramonamallory

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10 days ago

Can you mix belt “My Days”?

Developing a mix belt can be extremely frustrating, as oftentimes it is either airy and lacking power, or nasal and squeezed.

The solution?

Resonance.

Resonance is what creates power.
Let’s talk about how.

A healthy mix belt requires open, resonant, and forward placement. Think about allowing the sound to live underneath your eyes, spreading across your mask, not in your nose.

When we pinch the sound into the nose, the result is often a squeezed, nasal quality.

Instead, think width. Think openness.

The same goes for your vowels.

When you sing “aw,” think of the word “awesome.” A pure, round, resonant vowel.

When you sing “eh,” think of the word “every.” Think “meh,” not “may.” When we close down into a diphthong, we narrow the sound and lose resonance. By maintaining a pure vowel, the sound remains open, free, and ringing.

At the same time, keep the jaw relaxed, the tongue resting low in the mouth, and the space open. The goal is not to manipulate the sound as you ascend. The goal is to maintain the same resonant line from the bottom of your range to the top.

These are just a few of the many tools and techniques that will help you develop a powerful, resonant, and reliable mix belt.

Questions? I’m here to help.🤍

Photographer/Director: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @samventuramixing
Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke

@notebookmusical

#vocaltechnique #vocalcoach #musicaltheatre #themallorymethod #sondheim by @ramonamallory

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a month ago

One of the most important vocal skills a singer can develop is consistency of placement.

That’s exactly what my exercise, Playing with Fifths, is designed to build.

As we move through the interval of a fifth, our instinct is often to let the placement shift, fall backward, or become disconnected, especially as we approach our break.

Instead, I want you to think about staying on The Line.

Imagine a vertical line directly in front of you.

Your teeth. Your mask. Your forehead.

As you sing through each fifth, your placement should remain on that same vertical line. Don’t let it drift backward. Don’t chase the notes.

Stay forward. Stay resonant. Stay connected.

Playing with Fifths combines scales, pendulums, circles, and jumps into one exercise, each designed to develop greater control, flexibility, and dexterity while maintaining the same forward placement.

Each movement builds upon the last.

Together, they create a voice that is unified, reliable, and free.

Keep every note on The Line.

Questions? I’m here to help✨

Director/Photographer: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @studio4c_nyc
Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocaltechnique #vocalcoach #themallorymethod #musicaltheatre #vocalwarmups by @ramonamallory

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23 days ago

If your A5 feels unattainable, READ THIS⬇️

✨This how you actually sing an A5 in a mix (without sounding like a soprano)✨

Start with a hum and siren up and down your range. Think about bringing the placement to the front of your face.

Low notes = your teeth
Mid-range = your mask (not your nose, keep the sound wide)
High notes = the center of your forehead (or, as I call it, the unicorn horn 🦄)

If you’re pushing, you’re doing it wrong. If your throat, facial muscles, or jaw are tensing…relax. Start again, and stay loose.

This is about placement, not pushing or straining.

Focus on feeling the “buzz” as you move.

As you approach your break, allow yourself to transition earlier than you normally would. This is where you begin to build strength in your mix.

That strength is what allows the break to smooth out over time.

Think: forward, forward, forward.

Over time, this creates clarity of tone in a forward placement without the need to push into a belt.

A strong mix does not exhaust you. It is stable. It should even feel easy when done properly.

Questions? DM me ♥️🫶🏻

Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocalcoach #vocaltechnique #singinglessons #vocalplacement #musicaltheatre by @ramonamallory

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3 months ago

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. Her dressing room door was always open, a quiet invitation for conversation, laughter, or a gentle moment between scenes.

2. Just inside that doorway sat a jar of candy, placed where anyone passing by could reach in for a small bit of sweetness.

3. She gave the most beautiful, thoughtful cast gifts, never perfunctory, always chosen with care, the kind that made you feel truly seen.

4. She treated every person in the company with the same grace and respect, whether a leading player, a swing, a dresser, or a stagehand.

5. And the most extraordinary thing of all: the legend was real. Angela Lansbury was everything you hoped she would be…gracious, generous, deeply kind, and the consummate professional.

I was fortunate to work with Angela Lansbury on the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music. I think of her often and the example she set. Her kindness, the discipline, the humanity she carried into a rehearsal room.

Other great artists like Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, some still with us and some gone, created standards, artistry, and generosity that live quietly inside the work I try to do every day.

Comment Below if you would like to know more about what is was like working with some of them✨⬇️

#angelalansbury #alittlenightmusic #musicaltheatre #sondheim #5things by @ramonamallory

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5 months ago

Do you need permission?

Insecurity and that critical voice inside our heads are killers of creativity.

They pull us out of the moment. Out of truthful existence. Out of our ability to fully live as a character and performer.

So how do we quiet that voice?

Two things.

1. Do. The. Work.

Do the work to understand your character: who they are, what they want, why they are the way they are, and what they are discovering, experiencing, and realizing in each moment.

Why is this important?

Because when we truly understand our character and the world they live in, we stop questioning ourselves and begin existing as them.

2. The Permission Factor

We must give ourselves permission to make choices. To take risks. To look foolish. To fail.

Because performance is not about perfection. It is about truthful existence.

We take the work we have done, stand by it fully, and trust ourselves enough to live honestly in the moment.

That is where confidence comes from, not from being fearless, but from being prepared enough to let go.

Unsure how to take those steps?
I’m here. Ask me questions.

Director/Photographer: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @studio4c_nyc
Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocaltechnique #vocalcoach #themallorymethod #musicaltheatre #roxie by @ramonamallory

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2 months ago

Wondering how ‘quiet’ does not mean ‘airy’?

One of the most common mistakes singers make is confusing a soft tone with a breathy one.

A true pianissimo is not airy. It is not unsupported. It is clear, controlled, and resonant.

So how do we build that clear and quiet tone?

1. Start by singing a note on an “Mmmm.” As you hum, focus on bringing the sound forward into your mask. Feel that buzz.

2. Then open to a pure “Aww” vowel, as in “awesome,” while keeping that exact same placement. If the moment you open your mouth the buzz disappears, close it and try again.

3. Your “Mmmm” and your “Aww” should feel like one continuous sound. The placement doesn’t change. The sound just continues forward.

Practice this throughout your range and, over time, you’ll develop a clear, forward pianissimo that carries without becoming breathy.

Questions? DM me!

Editor: @scottmhoke
Location: @54below

#vocalcoach #vocaltechnique #musicaltheatre #sondheim #themallorymethod by @ramonamallory

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2 months ago

How do you learn to belt E5s and F5s?

Bethany @bethany.novotny and I have spent a great deal of time working on these notes.

Experimenting. Refining. Building strength and coordination. Learning what works for her voice. This is the result of consistent work, trust in the process, and a willingness to keep showing up.

Though it might seem unattainable at first, there are many techniques that can help you develop either a mix belt or a full belt (as Bethany is doing here) on high notes.

The important thing to remember: this didn’t happen overnight.

Here are three of the tools we’ve been focusing on throughout that journey.

1. First, stay relaxed.

Many singers try to “help” their voice by tensing the jaw, lifting the chin, or straining as they ascend. In reality, these habits create tension and make high notes more difficult.

Relax the jaw. Relax the face. Relax the neck.

2. Keep width between the cords.

To feel this, yawn right now. Seriously.

Do you feel how spacious everything becomes inside your throat? Now sing a higher note and see if you can maintain some of that width and openness. This helps prevent squeezing and allows the voice to remain free.

3. Maintain a forward placement.

One of the simplest ways to find forward resonance is by using a starting sound.

Start by singing an “Mmmmm,” like a hum. Can you feel that buzzy resonance living in your mask, right underneath your eyes?

Now, open that hum into an “LLLLL” and see if you can maintain the exact same placement and buzzing sensation.

In this video, I had Bethany use the “L” in “loved” to help her find that placement. Put the tip of your tongue right behind your front teeth and think about placing the sound just above where your tongue touches.

That’s using a starting sound. The starting sound that can aid you in consistently bringing your sound more forward.

These are just 3 of the many tools we use when developing a healthy high belt.

As always, I’m here to help-DM me with any questions! ✨

Photographer/Director: @chattaroy_rt1
Sound Engineer: @chattaroy_rt1
Accompanist: @jd.fisch
Editor: @scottmhoke

#vocalcoach #vocaltechnique #themallorymethod # by @ramonamallory

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a month ago