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
-
If My Friends Could See Me Now (click to view video)
Sweet Charity
The 1966 Broadway show Sweet Charity is one of my favourites musicals and the character of Charity is such a beautiful and complex character I think it is a perfect choice for an audition as it gives you lots of scope to show off your acting.The show is all about the fortunes and misfortunes, the romantic ups and downs of an ever-hopeful prostitute called Charity Valentine.Charity has ended up back at the apartment of the film star Vittorio Vidal. Charity is starstruck she sings this song whilst he is out of the room fetching her some old movie props which she can have to prove to her friends that she was actually there!Charity is full of heart, wit, humour and honesty. The song is a reflection on her charmed life and is full of fun lyrics and Charity’s quirky character which makes it a joy to perform. -
-
Forgiveness (click to view video)
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre the musical, based on the Bronte novel, premiered on Broadway in 2000, it has music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and a book by John Caird.The story of Jane Eyre is a typical Bronte romance full of twists and turns, there are numerous film adaptations or I strongly recommend you read the novel, as it is a classic and I don’t want to give away the wonderful story!The song Forgiveness comes early on in the show and is sung by the young Jane Eyre who is an orphan being ill treated by her aunt and cousin. It really sums up Jane’s character, full of love and warmth and ‘forgiveness’.Its a perfect, simple, audition song which can really show off a clear and unfussy singing voice. -
-
That’ll Show Him (click to view video)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
That’ll Show Him is from the Stephen Sondheim show A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The ForumA rare thing in most soprano songs … this is funny, very funny!Sung by Philia, the virginal love interest in this farce. She promises Hero, her true love, that even though she has to marry someone else she will always love him. The song is her reassurance to him that when she makes love to Miles (her new husband) she will be thinking of Hero, when she makes love to him she will actually be making love to Hero …, so she’ll make love even more intensely!Lots of room for comedy, timing and character play in this song. A lovely choice. -
-
When She Loved Me (click to view video)
Toy Story 2
The ‘Toy Story’ movies are complete favourites of mine and they are movies which really touch adults hearts and emotions. Perhaps the most beautiful moment of Toy Story 2 is this heartbreaking song by Randy Newman.The song is sung by Jessie the Cow Girl toy who sings about how she was once loved but is eventually forgotten by her owner Emily.Although the song is sung by a Toy about her owner growing old and losing interest in her and eventually throwing her out as rubbish, the emotions in the song are completely human and ring true about any relationship breaking down and ending.If you sing the song with complete honesty and really try and connect with those feelings of loss and lonliness you will really connect with the hearts of any audition panel.“So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she’d say I will always love you” -
-
Wait A Bit (click to view video)
Just SoFrom the Styles and Drewe musical Just So, based on the Rudyard Kipling book.A really beautiful ballad sung by the Kolokolo bird, she is wondering why her courage fails her, she wants to fly but is afraid to fall.This is one of those songs which will give you the opportunity to show a range of emotions whilst offering up something a little bit different from the usual shows. -
Musical Theatre Actor Hub Advice
