Photo Credit: Randy Le’Moine via cc
Casting Directors auditioning actors for Musical Theatre often hear the same songs over and over again. Are they bored of those songs? Sometimes. However these songs are often sung time and time again at castings because they are great to show off acting and vocal skills and they become the perfect musical theatre audition song.
With the internet it has become so much easier for people to get access to scores through sheet music download sites and also naughty bootleg sharing sites. Forums are allowing people to share hot tips and new favourites and Youtube makes searching for audition material much easier. It can be wise to try and find something new, something people are going to be surprised with, but often the favourites are the best. The casting director finds it easy to quickly compare you with others and the accompanist will know how to play the song!
The following are popular audition songs because they work for people, they are story songs, they are able to stand on their own and allow you to show off your singing to its best but also, which is so important and often overlooked when auditioning for musical theatre, these songs allow you to show off your acting skills too.
Audition Songs for Women (with videos):
Here is a list of five current popular audition songs for women.
Click on title to view the video
Click on image to buy from Amazon
Click on title to view the video
Click on image to buy from Amazon
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Somewhere Over The Rainbow (click to view video)
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy adventure film starring Judy Garland.Surely I dont need to tell you what this story is? Young Dorothy Gale (played by Judy Garland), her dog, Toto, and her three companions: a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion journey along the yellow brick road to the magical land of Oz.Somewhere Over The Rainbow is the classic dreamer song, it has become a benchmark for most musicals and they will often have this kind of song near the beginning of Act One where we learn what it is the hero is dreaming, wishing or searching for.It is a perfect song for pantomime but everyone will already have a interpretation in their minds, so my advice really play it for the truth of the story – a young girl hoping there is more to life than what she currently knows. -
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Where Is The Warmth (click to view video)
The Bakers Wife
The Baker’s Wife is a Stephen Schwartz musical which has never had a succesful West End or Broadway run, yet remains hugely popular amongst musical theatre afficianados.The story revolves around a small Parisian town which is enamoured by bread produced by the newly arrived middle aged baker and his beautiful young wife. The wife has an affiar with a handsome gigolo and the baker loses his will to bake.Genevieve, the baker’s wife, has run off with her handsome young lover, she is disenchanted however. They are passionate but that is all, as he sleeps she sings and asks “Where Is The Warmth?”. She gathers her belongings and leaves him.The Baker’s Wife is famous for the song Meadowlark, which is an audition standard. Where is the Warmth is a beautiful and tender song, less ‘showey’ than Meadowlark and I personally think more suited to an audition room as it has intimacy and will show off your acting skills. -
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Fly Into The Future (click to view video)
VanitiesVanities is a musical by David Kirshenbaum and a book by Jack Heifner, based on the book and 1976 play of the same name. It played off Broadway in 2009.The show tells the tale of three best friends: Kathy, Mary and Joanne through high school, college and professional lifeFly into the Future is sung by Mary, the most flamboyant of the three as she decides to quit college and explore everything which life has to offer her.Mary is outwardly flamboyant but deep down insecure – this song allows you to show off and belt and inject fire and fecklessness into your performance.” I’m sick of this sorority. Think I need some distance, A place to disappear. So it’s adios and away I go,
and I’m kind of scared – But the moments here.” -
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And I Will Follow (click to view video)
Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes
And I Will Follow.This song isn’t from a show, it comes from Jason Robert Brown’s solo album, so you could interpret it how you wish. Really dig into the lyrics and find the story behind the song. Make sure you have a clear story and a clear character so that you can showcase your acting skills.This song isn’t from a show, it comes from Jason Robert Brown’s solo album, so you could interpret it how you wish. Really dig into the lyrics and find the story behind the song. For me it is about a woman keeping her vow, you need to work out her vow to who or what, sometimes as an actor it is worth not going for the obvious and seeing how that changes the delivery. -
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Old Maid (click to view video)
110 In The ShadeThe story of ‘110 in the Shade’ is based on a 1954 film The Rainmaker. It tells the story of LIzzie Curry a spinster living on a ranch in the American southwest and her relationships with the men in her life.The song ‘Old Maid’ comes at the end of Act One. Lizzie’s father and brothers have tried to set her up with the local sheriff, but her honesty has driven him away. Her brother Noah insists that Lizzie must accept that she will end up alone. She is slone, upset and frightened and sings of her terror for her lonely future.“Always being one.
Never being two.
Re-arrange the furniture,
There’s nothing else to do.
Keep an empty house.
Watch your brothers wed.
Dream an empty dream at night
Upon an empty bed.” -
Musical Theatre Actor Hub Advice
