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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In My Own Little Corner (click to view video)
Cinderella
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Cinderella was originally written for television however a new stage version in 2013 starring Laura Osnes has made this song a popular audition choice once again.I don’t think I really need to tell you the story of Cinderella! Needless to say this song takes place at the beginning and is a classic ‘I Wish’ number with the Cinderella left alone in her corner by the fire to dream of the exotic life she could lead if only she were a princess, or in fact anything other than the put-upon servant she is. -
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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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Dear Daddy (click to view video)
W2ML (Welcome to my Life)‘Dear Daddy’ is a terrific song from the musical W2ML by Bobby Cronin, which is wonderful for auditions.The show is set at a Wilderness Intervention Program and tells the story of Cody Gilmore a troubled 17 year old’s poignant and emotional journey as he battles with his demons.Lily a 17 year old NYC girl has been sent to the intervention program because she has been hiding her pain in drugs, sex, cyber-bullying and beinga typical ‘mean-girl’. She has been lying to everyone about how her Dad is a big-wig in the TV industry.When the teens are tasked with writing a letter to someone who has wronged them she sits alone under a trap lit by the fire in the rain and admits to herself that she is in pain and that her father is actually dead.The song is soft, emotional and full of hurt and realisation – there is a tonnes of character and story behind the song which you can use to help you play the song. Keep it real.“I can still hear your voice – It plays over and over inside my head – Now I have to make the choice
To say “No more denying that you are dead.” ” -
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Someday (click to view video)
The Hunchback Of notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 animated Disney feature which has music by Alan Menken and lyrics written by Stephen Schwartz. The story is of the famous deformed bellringer Quasimodo and his struggles to gain acceptance into society.‘Someday’ was originally intended to be sung by Esmeralda but was discarded and replaced with the song ‘God Help The Outcasts’.To understand the song you can look at the German stage version of the film. This song (translated as Einmal) occurs when Esmeralda is imprisoned and questioning her life and the world, she sings this song about how she hopes the world will learn after countless war and bloodshed to live with love and not hate.The song in the stage show ends with Esmeralda about to be put to death which makes the song more poignant and dramatic as it is possibly her dying wish for the world. Here is a link to the stage version Einmal“Someday
Our fight will be won then
We’ll stand in the sun then
That bright afternoon” -
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It Never Was You (click to view video)
Knickerbocker Holiday
It Never Was You is from Kurt Weill’s Knickerbocker HolidayKnickerbocker Holiday is a romantic comedy from 1938, but also is a political allegory equating Roosevelt’s ‘new deal’ with fascism.Kurt Weill was a German composer who is best known for his collaborations with Brecht.Sung by Tina Tienhoven, daughter of the head of the town council. Tina is in love with Brom Broeck, a commoner, they hope to marry but Brom wants to be more respectable first.The song, like a lot of Weill’s songs, is a standard. It is a beautiful love song and has been covered by everyone from Judy Garland to Megan Mullally! Don’t let that put you off, standards are standards because they are beautiful songs.Connect with the truth of the song, with the huge longing of searching for your one true love, connect with the romance and try to connect to the heart and you will hit the right note (and hopefully the right notes!) -
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