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When choosing an audition song to sing at a musical theatre audition it is vital that you not only choose a song from your range but you also seriously consider your own acting range and the type of character you are auditioning for. So often I hear tales of someone auditioning to play something like Maria from the Sound of Music with a sexy sassy song from Rent (well thats an extreme example but you get my drift!)
This list of songs are all very character and story driven so choose wisely.
It is vital that when auditioning for a part in a musical you are showing off your acting ability just as much as your singing. Directors love working with actors, with actor-singers, if they just wanted a cast of singers then they would go with classically trained singers who have dedicated years to perfecting a classical sound which will be faithful to the notes on the staves and bring no character to the song.
You can bring your character and acting to your singing – don’t leave it at home!
Mezzo-Soprano Songs for Auditions
I always recommend you approach any audition song as a monologue first. Try learning it as a speech and acting it without music first. Get inside the character and situation which is driving the song before you approach the singing of it. I really believe this method gives you a tremendous head start when you begin putting the words to music.
We would love to know what your favourite mezzo-soprano song for auditioning is, let us know via Twitter @actorhub.
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We would love to know what your favourite mezzo-soprano song for auditioning is, let us know via Twitter @actorhub.
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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More To The Story (click to view video)
Shrek (cut song)
Shrek The Musical played in the West End until 2013 and played Broadway between 2008 and 2010 and has since toured both countries.This song was written for the character of Fiona to sing – but was cut before the show opened.This is a beautiful and simple song about realisation and discovering who you truly are. These are sentiments which would fit with any young actress learning who she is and where she fits in this industry. A perfect audition song.“We play our parts, We follow every rule. This is by the book I knew it from the start.” -
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What it Means to Be A Friend (click to view video)
13 the Musical
13 is a musical about a 12 (well a 12½!) year old boy named Evan Goldman and about his struggle to be with the “in-crowd”, turning 13 and becoming a man.A gorgeous song about the beauty of real friendship as a child. Remember this song is sung by a 13 year old girl, so if you are performing it then tap into those emotions of how real it feels to find a best friend as a child. Hang on the truth, don’t play any of it for laughs, play it for the truth of the character and the truth of her feelings and you will be onto a winner. -
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Mr. Hopalong Heartbreak (click to view video)
Urban Cowboy
Mr Hopalong Heartbreak is taken from the Jason Robert Brown musical Urban Cowboy. “It’s the story of Bud, a new breed of cowboy who’s turnin’ heads and lookin’ for love in the biggest honkeytonk in the world. But can he raise the roof, get the girl and ride the bull, all before last call?”The song is sung by Sissy when she has decided to get out of her small town life and her small town relationship. Its a lovely survivor’s song, and you can also showcase some humour in it. -
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Dreams To Dream (click to view video)
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is a 1991 sequel to An American Tail – the films tell the story of a family of Jewish-Russian mice who emigrate to the Wild West.This song is sung by Tanya, sister to the film’s hero Fievel, who dreams of being a singing star. She sings this song as she daydreams in an under construction saloon. It is also heard over the end credits sung by Linda Rondstadt.Dreams to Dream is based on a melody heard in the first movie An American Tail. James Horner went on to write the Titanic mega-hit lovesong “My Heart Will Go On”.The song is all about following your dreams and having faith that if you believe them then your dreams can come true. Perfect for an audition!“There is a star
Waiting to guide us
Shining inside us
When we close our eyes” -
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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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What a Movie (click to view video)
Trouble in Tahiti
Trouble in Tahiti is a one act opera-musical and is considered to be one of Bernstein’s ‘darker’ works. The piece is a scathing attack on America suburbia.There are only two singers, a married couple named Sam and Dinah, the show is the story of a day in the life of this couple who are desperately unhappy, longing for love.‘What a Movie’ is a song Dinah sings to an unidentified person in a hat shop, in the song she tells of a movie she has spent the afternoon watching called ‘Trouble in Tahiti’, she recounts the story of the movie and sings it’s theme song ‘Island Magic’ and is caught up in it’s escapism and optimistic fantasy of love.The song is an epic with so much scope for fun and character as Dinah ‘lives’ the different scenes – she starts off hating the movie, gets carried away when recounting it’s story and drops back into reality every now and then.This is a BIG song and might be more suitable for a showcase than an audition. -
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Pulled (click to view video)
The Addams Family
The Addams Family by Andrew Lippa is a musical based on the famously spooky and ooky family from the tv show, comic books and movies.Wednesday Addams, the gothic teenage daughter of Mortica and Gomez, has fallen in love with a ‘normal’ boy and has invited him and his parents for dinner at the Addams home.Pulled is the song Wednesday sings as she tortures her brother Pugsley on a rack. She sings how her new love is changing her and ‘pulling’ her in a new direction.The song is very funny as Wednesday describes all the things which are suddenly making her happy, the lyrics are a joy and you can have a lot of fun with this song. -
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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.” -
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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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