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A Guide to Choosing Audition Songs Neal Richardson, February 2011 The search for a perfect audition song can seem an arduous task with so many songs to choose from. Do I choose a well-known song or an unfamiliar one? Do I choose an uptempo or a ballad? Do I choose a musical theatre song or a Pop/Rock song? This chapter will guide you through the steps of choosing an appropriate song in nearly every situation. Your job is to find the song that is perfect for you and one that will show that you are a smart singer and have carefully considered your song choice. This is your first chance to impress the folks behind the table. Choose wisely. Ask the right questions at the start It is crucial that you ask the right questions before you start looking for a song. Consider these questions. 1. What are they looking for? Research the show or shows for the vocal style and range you should present. You will also need to know where the show falls historically and choose your material accordingly. 2. Where do I fit in this production? In a lead, ensemble, or primarily as a dancer? If you are right for a lead in the musical you are auditioning for, you should choose a song that is similar in vocal demands and sung by a character that is similar (i.e. a romantic character, a comic character, an ingénue, a villain, etc.). If you are a better singer than dancer auditioning for the ensemble, choose an uptempo song or ballad that matches the demands of the show. See below for more instructions on choosing songs in varying situations. If you are a better dancer than singer, choose an uptempo song that will allow your body to move, but not necessarily dance. 3. What are my strengths? What can I show them that will get their attention? What kinds of skills does the show require? If the show is an operetta or operetta-like musical where the singing is of highest priority, sing something that shows your best classical vocal skills. If the show is comedic, you might consider presenting something that shows your comedic chops if you have them. Note that this doesn’t mean that your song has to be an absolute comedy song, just something with a laugh or two. You get the idea. Look for what the show needs and how you fit into that need. Remember, you are there to solve their problem, not the other way around. 4. Should I sing an uptempo, a ballad, a charm song, a rock song? This is not a question that can be answered easily. If you are a singer-singer (someone who sings very well), consider choosing a ballad if the show has a high degree of lyricism. If you are not a singer-singer, you might consider singing an uptempo. If you get to sing two songs, the primary thing you should concern yourself with is contrast. The contrast will come from the tempo change but it should also be in other areas too, such as a change in character between the two songs, a change in affect (comedy
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and serious, for example), a change in style (Standard musical theatre literature verses earlier musical comedy styles like George Gershwin verses rock styles). 5. What guidelines are given? Does the breakdown ask for a song from a certain period, a certain style or a certain length? It is unwise to go against these guidelines. Period. One qualification must be made when it comes to 16- and 32-bar cuttings. These numbers are, for most people, relative. Your cut needs to feel like a 16-bar cutting rather than be exactly 16 bars. One to three bars under or over is not a problem in most cases. Eight to ten bars over is a problem. Be aware that for songs in cut-time or in 2/4, if may be more appropriate to sing a cut that is double the length of your desired cut. You must use your discretion and, again, it must feel like a 16- or 32bar cut. See “Finding Cuts” below. Starting Points There are several places to begin your search. They are all useful in some circumstances but not all are useful in every circumstance. Never limit yourself to one of these starting points. You will become stuck very easily. Of course, the more research your do, the better your results. You must buy music and CDs and you must be familiar with a wide range of shows. This is simply part of being a professional. Over time, you will develop an audition book that will contain songs that you know and perform well at a moment’s notice that are appropriate for most auditions. However, no audition book contains something for every situation. You must continue to maintain and build your repertoire. Here are some of the starting points you can use to focus your research. • The same composer • The same vocal style • The same historical period or location that the show takes place in • The same show theme • Other roles that the originating actor played • A similar character A good first step is to look for material by the same composer. This is especially true for musical from the 20s to the 60s. During this time, the successful composers wrote many shows with similar styles and themes. Some even have similar characters. From the 70s on, there are a greater number of successful composers with smaller bodies of work. You must look for different starting points for this period. Say you are auditioning for Hair. While there are other Galt McDermot shows, very little of this material is right for this audition. You should look for a song from another early Pop/Rock musical or even a Pop/Rock song not from a musical. If you are auditioning for Pippin, there are a number of shows by Stephen Schwartz to choose from but very little of it is right for the Pop/Rock sound of Pippin. Another good early starting place is to look for songs from musicals that share a similar musical style. You should be aware of the musical similarity between Rodgers and Hart, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, between Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Loewe, and
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between Leonard Bernstein’s shows and Jule Styne’s. When auditioning for Kander and Ebb’s Chicago, however, it’s best not to do a song from a musical but instead to do a vaudeville song from the 20s since that is the music that is closest in style to Chicago. Look for songs from other musicals that share a similar musical style and esthetic. You can find a list of shows that are similar below. Shows that share a common musical style. Oklahoma!
Music Man
Legally Blonde
Carousel
Oliver!
The Wedding Singer
Brigadoon
Hello, Dolly!
Big
Finian’s Rainbow
Mame
Footloose
South Pacific
Fiddler on the Roof
Jane Eyre
Allegro
She Loves Me
Scarlet Pimpernel
Camelot
The Rothchilds
Cyrano
My Fair Lady
Plain and Fancy
King and I
Sound of Music State Fair
A Tale of Two Cities Phantom of the Opera
Martin Guerre
Jekyll and Hyde
Les Miserables
Wonderful Town
Sunset Boulevard
Miss Saigon
Bells are Ringing
Woman in White Lestat
Annie Get Your Gun
Chess Evita
Best Foot Forward
Beauty and the Beast
Call Me Madam
Little Mermaid
Meet Me in St. Louis
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Damn Yankees
Mary Poppins
Li’l Abner
Aida
Jesus Christ Superstar
Pajama Game
Lion King
Ragtime
Billy Elliot
Titanic
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Carnival
Can Can
Boys from Syracuse
Fantasticks
High Society
Babes In Arms
110 In the Shade
Kiss Me Kate
Good News
Silk Stockings
Crazy for You
DuBarry was a Lady
Girl Crazy
Anything Goes
Funny Girl
Lady Be Good
Fifty Million Frenchmen
Gypsy
Pal Joey
Panama Hattie
Fade Out – Fade In
Strike Up the Band
Mexican Hayride
Seesaw Sweet Charity The Life Little Me
A veritable treasure trove of ideas can open to you when you look at other musicals set in the same period or location. This could be Victorian London, late 19th- or early twentieth century American West, New York of the 20s or 30s. When auditioning for 1776, you might consider looking for a song from Ben Franklin in Paris since both musicals are concerned with historical figures from the same period. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and OKLAHOMA! are both about the settling of America. La Cage aux Follies, Falsettos, When Pigs Fly all concern gay characters in about the same historical period. Clue, Something’s Afoot, Sherlock Holmes: The Musical and Baker Street are all musical mysteries. You might also look for shows with a similar theme such as a tragic love, operatic love at a grand scale, a comic mismatch, historical shows, shows that use Country music, shows pertaining to sports, or shows for young audiences. You might find some interesting information by knowing the originating actor for the role you’re auditioning for and to research other roles that that actor played. It has been common for actors to play similar roles in their career unless their career is very long and by necessity change the kinds of roles they play. Ibdb.com is the best place to find this information. The last, and one of the best places to research is to look for another character with similar traits and characteristic. Most characters can be seen as an archetype. If you know your character’s archetype, you can find other songs sung by a character that shares the same archetype.
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Some Archetypes •Female ingénue (Laurey in OKLAHOMA!, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Julie in Carousel, Peggy in 42nd Street, Anne in A Little Night Music, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Maria in West Side Story, Sally in Cabaret, Fiona in Brigadoon, Maria in The Sound of Music, Young Little Edie in Grey Gardens, Janie in Catered Affair, Sharon in Finian’s Rainbow, Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, Cosette in Les Miserables, Julia in The Wedding Singer, Elle in Legally Blonde) •Male ingénue (Matt in The Fantasticks, Billy in 42nd Street, Henrik in A Little Night Music, Lt. Cable in South Pacific, Robert in Drowsy Chaperone, Lun Tha in The King and I, Freddie in My Fair Lady, Arpad in She Loves Me, Marius in Les Miserables, Robbie in The Wedding Singer) •Hero (Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, Tony in West Side Story, John Adams in 1776, Woody in Finian’s Rainbow) •Comic Villain or Villainess (Carl-Magnus in A Little Night Music, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Ursula in Little Mermaid, Fagin in Oliver!, Kodaly in She Loves Me, Bud Frump in How to Succeed, Thenardier and Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables, Glen in The Wedding Singer, Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde) •Dramatic Villain or adversary (Judd in OKLAHOMA!, Jigger in Carousel, Bill Sikes in Oliver!, Dickinson in 1776, Javert in Les Miserables, Chauvelin in Scarlet Pimpernel) •Temptress (Lola in Damn Yankees, Appassionata von Climax in Li’l Abner, The Baroness in Sound of Music, Linda Low in Flower Drum Song, Heddy in How to Succeed, Linda in The Wedding Singer) •Prince Charming (Beast/Young Prince in Beauty and the Beast, Lancelot in Camelot, Prince in Cinderella) •Trickster (Henry in The Fantasticks, Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees, The Emcee in Cabaret, Og in Finian’s Rainbow, Uncle Max in Sound of Music) •Girl back home (Meg in Damn Yankees, Helen Chao in Flower Drum Song, Eponine in Les Miserables) •Fool (Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Sipos in She Loves Me, Hines in Pajama Game, NicelyNicely in Guys and Dolls, Sancho in Man of La Mancha) •Storyteller (El Gallo in The Fantasticks, The Man in the Chair in Drowsy Chaperone) •Best friend, often comic (Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA!, Carrie in Carousel, Ann in 42nd Street, Petra in A Little Night Music, Anita in West Side Story, Ilona in She Loves Me, Gladys in Pajama Game, Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly!, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Smitty in How to Succeed, Hildy in On the Town, Martha in The Secret Garden, Holly in The Wedding Singer. Paulette in Legally Blonde) •Leading lady (Dorothy in 42nd Street, Dolly in Hello, Dolly!, Fräulein Schneider in Cabaret, Anna in King and I, Mrs. Malloy in Hello Dolly!, Marin in Music Man, Guenevere in Camelot, Rosie in Bye, Bye Birdie, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Fantine in Les Miserable, Mame in Mame, Rose in Gypsy, Fannie in Funny Girl) •Leading man (Curley in OKLAHOMA!, Billy in Carousel, Joe Boyd in Damn Yankees, Fredrik in A Little Night Music, Herr Schultz in Cabaret, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Harold Hill in Music Man, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Emile in South Pacific)
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•Sidekick AKA Second Banana (Will Parker in Oklahoma!, Marcellus Washburn in Music Man, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Jeff Douglas in Brigadoon, Chip in On the Town) •Wise old man or woman or Earth mother (Aunt Eller in OKLAHOMA!, Nettie in Carousel, Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Mother Superior in Sound of Music, Lady Thiang in King and I, Ben in Secret Garden, Arvide in Guys and Dolls) •Child (Chip in Beauty and the Beast, Sad Girl in Bye, Bye Birdie, Amaryllis in Music Man, Gavroche in Les Miserables, Oliver in Oliver!, Annie in Annie, Colin in The Secret Garden, Louis in The King and I) You must know the age and sociological associations of the role you are auditioning for and choose material that is appropriate. Also be aware that casting in musicals doesn’t always follow the kind of casting your find most often in film. You don’t necessarily need to be 16 to play a 16 year-old. The material you choose needs to have the age of the character in mind, however. Locating Sheet Music The first place to look for auditioning material is in the Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthologies published by Hal Leonard. Five volumes for each of the four voice types contain an amazing wide variety of literature. Consider these songs the standard literature. You must own these books and know these songs. It is crucial. These songs should be at the heart of your audition book. You might think that these songs are all overdone, and maybe they are, but they are the songs that the people behind the tables need to hear. There is another 2-volume collection for each voice type published by Alfred. There are some things in these that are not in the Hal Leonard books. Of course, you must also look beyond these songs to enrich your choices. These songs, depending on the situation, are going to be sung by many other people that day. It is prudent that you find other resources. Large public and university libraries often have many musical theatre full scores, especially those from the 20s to the 70s. They also will have vocal selections. Vocal selections are the smaller folios that are published for the home consumer. These books will generally have only the most popular songs as they are for public consumption. If you are looking for more minor songs from shows, these songs may not be included. Vocal selections contain arrangements of the songs meant for amateur singers to sing at home or small gatherings. As such, the arrangements may differ from the show slightly or the keys may be altered to be easier to play on the piano. Vocal selections are nevertheless wonderful resources for audition material. For Pop/Rock songs, visit your local music store for individual sheets or collections by artist or theme (such as The Greatest Hard Rock Songs Ever or Great 80s Ballads). The other place to look is at sheet music websites such as musicnotes.com. You can buy single sheets and often transpose them to your key! If a song is not published, something that is often the case for more recent or less popular shows, you may be able to hire someone to transcribe the song from a recording or you might
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know someone who has done the show and has the score. Leave no stone uncovered. Finding the right song is worth searching for and it is rarely an easy task. Auditioning for the ensemble If you strongly believe that you will not be considered for a leading role, what do you sing? The first place to start is with the vocal demands and style of the show. Your choice or choices should help those you are auditioning for see you in the musical. Your choice should also consider the physical life of the characters in the ensemble. The ensemble for OKLAHOMA! and On the Town have very different expectations even though the shows opened less than a year apart. Remember that at a singing audition, the primary thing people are looking for is if you can sing the score and if you “fit” into the director’s vision of the show’s world. Finding cuts Creating a great 16- or 32-bar cutting isn’t as difficult as you might think. The first thing to look for is the most musically or lyrically special or identifiable moments of the song. You will also most likely want to sing the song’s climax. The second thing is to sing the parts of the song that are the best for your voice. If, however, you don’t sing the last high note well, you should probably choose a different song. The origin of the 16- or 32-bar cut comes from a time when most refrains were 32 bars long. A 32-bar cut then would mean to sing the refrain, but not the verse. A 16-bar cut would mean to sing the last half of the refrain. If your song is not in a standard form, as is the case for many contemporary songs, it is still preferable to start at the end of the song and work your way backwards. By the way, if the last note is sustained for several bars, only count that bar once. It is crucial that you mark your music clearly so that the pianist cannot be confused by your cut. The best way is to present your music with only the bars you are singing. Nothing else should be visible. This will take extra time on your part but it is worth it. An exception to this rule is when you are doing a standard that has a first and second ending at the conclusion of the piece. The pianist will assume that you are singing the second ending. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Is it a good idea to choose unknown material? Probably not in most situations. It may seem like a good idea to do a rare song to assure that you are unique, but it is often not a good idea. If you are singing a song from an unknown or rarely performed musical, the people behind the table may spend your audition wondering what the song is or why you chose this song. It may seem counterintuitive, but you want your audition to be focused on you, not your song. Most people do not tire of hearing “If I Loved You,” “Almost Like Being in Love” or “Unusual Way.” 2. Should I do a special fancy arrangement? Imagine that you have a friend who is a gifted arranger who has done a special treatment of your Standard Ballad or maybe you have found an interesting arrangement that a recording artist has done. It is not a good idea to do these arrangements because, again, you want the focus to be on you and not the song or arrangement.
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A traditional arrangement is preferred especially if you are doing a so-called Standard or a musical theatre song. 3. Should I choreograph my audition? No. A singing audition’s primary purpose is to see if you sing well enough for the production and to see if you fit into the world of the musical. Leave your dance skills to the dance audition. You also should not have a great deal of movement in your audition. All movement should be based in the character and situation and should not distract from your singing. 4. Are there certain composers I should avoid? If you are auditioning for a Sondheim show, it is acceptable to sing Sondheim. Otherwise, it’s probably not a good idea. His songs are complex for the singer, the pianist and the listener. Due to the difficulty of the piano part, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel and Michael John LaChiusa songs are probably not good ideas either. Their songs are often extended story songs as well. Choosing Pop/Rock songs for auditions In increasingly greater situations these days, people would rather hear Pop/Rock songs rather than Musical Theatre songs. Everything from Hair to Les Miserables to Next to Normal to Rock of Ages to The Lion King to All Shook Up, Pop/Rock songs are being asked for. Here are some qualities that make a good Pop/Rock audition song: 1. A good Pop/Rock song is melodic. If the song is pleasant to sing and recognizable without accompaniment, it is probably a good choice. Don’t choose a song with a limited pitch range. You want a song that can show off your voice. 2. A good Pop/Rock song should be well-known or at least somewhat well know. It is wise to choose a song that was released as a single and charted fairly highly. 3. A good Pop/Rock song should work with piano accompaniment only. Don’t choose songs whose best attribute is its groove or is primarily rhythmic. Look instead for songs with a strong harmony. You will need several Pop/Rock songs in your book. These include at least one uptempo song from the 50s or 60s with a fun Rock or Motown groove. You will also need an uptempo and a ballad from the 80s to today. It’s not a bad idea to look for piano-based songs by Billy Joel, Elton John, Carley Simon and Ben Folds. Guitar based songs can work as well if they are strong melodically and harmonically. The Beatles songs, although often guitar-based are wonderful because they are well-crafted and melodic with strong, interesting harmonies. Here is a short list of the artists that have a discography of great choices for auditions. Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Bonny Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Rick Springfield, Melissa Ethridge, Phil Collins, Queen, Donna Summer, Sheena Easton, Janis Joplin, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Kelly Clarkson, Diane Warwick, Tina Turner, Styx, Journey, Christopher Cross, Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Kenny Loggins and Michael Jackson. In choosing a Country song, many of the same guidelines apply. Choose something with a good melody, something well-known and something that will sound good with a piano. Many of the Country songs of the last 15 years or so have much more in common with Pop/Rock
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songs. Find something that has a real Country style. Don’t neglect the songs from the early days of Country music. Special Situations What if you are auditioning for a season of 5 or 6 musicals? The first thing to remember is that you cannot hope to show something for every show in a 16-bar cutting. If you will most likely be considered for the ensemble, follow the suggestions above for an ensemble audition. If there is a lead you are right for, follow the suggestions for auditioning for a lead above. What if you are doing an audition such as Midwest where you are auditioning for many different companies? Sing something that shows that you understand your type and how you will likely be cast. If you could fit into several types of shows easily, you must simply make a choice. You must also choose something that you sing extremely well. Overused Songs Here is a list of overused songs. Overused songs come and go. What is fashionable one season may be okay in 4 or 5 years. Adelaide’s Lament
Guys and Dolls
All That Jazz
Chicago
Anthem
Chess
Astonishing
Little Women
Big Spender
Sweet Charity
Broadway Baby
Follies
Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Show Boat Mine Castle on a Cloud
Les Miserables
Climbing Up Hill
The Last Five Years
Corner of the Sky
Pippin
Defying Gravity
Wicked
Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
Evita
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Embraceable You
Girl Crazy
Good Morning Baltimore
Hairspray
Gorgeous
The Apple Tree
I Don’t Know How to Love Him
Jesus Christ Superstar
I Dreamed a Dream
Les Miserables
I Enjoy Being a Girl
Flower Drum Song
I Get a Kick Out of You
Anything Goes
I Hate Men
Kiss Me, Kate
I Know Things Now
Into the Woods
I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair
South Pacific
I’m Holding Out for a Hero
Footloose
I’m Not That Girl
Wicked
In My Own Little Corner
Cinderella
Let’s Hear It For the Boy
Footloose
Little Girls
Annie
Maybe
Annie
Memory
Cats
Music of the Night
Phantom of the Opera
My New Philosophy
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
New York, New York
New York, New York (movie)
Not for the Life of Me
Thoroughly Modern Millie
On My Own
Les Miserables
Over the Rainbow
The Wizard of Oz
Part of Your World
The Little Mermaid
Popular
Wicked
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Ribbons Down My Back
Hello Dolly
Seasons of Love
Rent
Shy
Once Upon a Mattress
Someone Like You
Jekyll and Hyde
Someone to Watch Over Me
Oh, Kay!
Somewhere That’s Green
Little Shop of Horrors
Summertime
Porgy and Bess
Take Me Or Leave Me
Rent
The Wizard and I
Wicked
There Are Worse Things I Could Do
Grease
Think of Me
Phantom of the Opera
This is the Moment
Jekyll and Hyde
Tomorrow
Annie
What I Did For Love
A Chorus Line
You Can Always Count On Me
City of Angels
Some shows to avoid: Wicked Phantom of the Opera Les Miserables Annie Anything by Jason Robert Brown Jekyll and Hyde Thoroughly Modern Millie Conclusion Finding the perfect audition song is never easy. It is vitally important that you are familiar with as much of the repertoire as possible. Always be on the hunt for new songs. For Musical Theatre songs, you must be familiar with the original cast recordings for style and performance practice. That doesn’t mean you have to follow the cast album slavishly. It also doesn’t mean you should learn the song by listening to the cast album. For songs such as the so-called Post-
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millennium repertoire, the best place to go is YouTube. But YouTube shouldn’t be the place you go to to listen for original cast albums, unless you find those there. Choose many songs and try them all out with a friend or a teacher. While you may think a song is perfect, it is only perfect for you if it fits your voice, your personality and your type. Don’t put songs in your book unless you love them. Work diligently on developing an audition book that has songs for many, if not most, situations and do not forget to have a wide variety of songs. Include comedy songs, standards, uptempos and ballads, as well as the many types of contemporary literature.
