Below are some audition tips and tricks along with ideas for audition songs. You can even sign up for an audition coaching session!
Audition Tips and Tricks
Before the Audition
What the heck is 32 bars?
No, not candy bars, (although you are welcome to bring those for the directors too). 32 bars is about 1 minute of a song. You may be stopped at 30 seconds and you may be asked to sing more.
What should I sing?
This is the all-important question for musical theatre auditions. First, find something that you feel comfortable singing and that shows off your voice. Second, make sure it is in the style of the part you are auditioning for. For example, don’t sing Adele if you want to be cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Actually, just don’t ever sing Adele at an audition. Third, make sure your song is age appropriate. Fourth, sing something in the style of the show. If you are auditioning for Hairspray, sing a fun upbeat 50’s or 60’s song. Scroll down to see a compiled list of age appropriate songs.
What not to sing.
What not to sing is just as important as what you should sing. DON’T sing a popular song that others might be singing, chances are, someone will sing it better than you. Some songs to avoid are anything from Moana, Frozen or the Greatest Showman. Don’t sing the same audition song over and over. If you have auditioned for this director before, make sure you prepare something they haven’t heard. We want to see a variety. Don’t sing acapella. The best way to sing a song is with an instrumental sound track (almost everything can be found on youtube), or with an accompanist on the piano. You can bring your phone into the audition with you and play it right from there. We will provide a speaker or cd player for your music. (If you choose to have a piano accompany you, you must bring your own accompanist).
Prepare!
Make sure you memorize your music. Directors want to see your face, not the back of the sheet music you are looking at. Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice with your accompaniment music. Not all instrumental versions are the same, make sure you know yours.
What to wear.
Believe it or not, this does make a difference. We suggest that everyone dress up for their audition. That doesn’t mean you need to rent a tux or a little black dress, but show the directors that you are willing to invest some time and energy in your audition. Studies have shown, that you perform better if you are dressed up. (Ok, the studies were done on test taking, but I’m sure it could apply to auditions too.)
What the heck is 32 bars?
No, not candy bars, (although you are welcome to bring those for the directors too). 32 bars is about 1 minute of a song. You may be stopped at 30 seconds and you may be asked to sing more.
What should I sing?
This is the all-important question for musical theatre auditions. First, find something that you feel comfortable singing and that shows off your voice. Second, make sure it is in the style of the part you are auditioning for. For example, don’t sing Adele if you want to be cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Actually, just don’t ever sing Adele at an audition. Third, make sure your song is age appropriate. Fourth, sing something in the style of the show. If you are auditioning for Hairspray, sing a fun upbeat 50’s or 60’s song. Scroll down to see a compiled list of age appropriate songs.
What not to sing.
What not to sing is just as important as what you should sing. DON’T sing a popular song that others might be singing, chances are, someone will sing it better than you. Some songs to avoid are anything from Moana, Frozen or the Greatest Showman. Don’t sing the same audition song over and over. If you have auditioned for this director before, make sure you prepare something they haven’t heard. We want to see a variety. Don’t sing acapella. The best way to sing a song is with an instrumental sound track (almost everything can be found on youtube), or with an accompanist on the piano. You can bring your phone into the audition with you and play it right from there. We will provide a speaker or cd player for your music. (If you choose to have a piano accompany you, you must bring your own accompanist).
Prepare!
Make sure you memorize your music. Directors want to see your face, not the back of the sheet music you are looking at. Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice with your accompaniment music. Not all instrumental versions are the same, make sure you know yours.
What to wear.
Believe it or not, this does make a difference. We suggest that everyone dress up for their audition. That doesn’t mean you need to rent a tux or a little black dress, but show the directors that you are willing to invest some time and energy in your audition. Studies have shown, that you perform better if you are dressed up. (Ok, the studies were done on test taking, but I’m sure it could apply to auditions too.)
At the Audition
Filling out paperwork.
Paperwork is the worst! You hate it, we hate it, everyone (except Cherie) hates it! Luckily, we have streamlined everything, so we only have one piece of paper for you to fill out. The Audition Form. To save time, make sure to bring a calendar of all of your conflicts for rehearsals. Know how tall you are (don’t worry, we have a measuring tape if you don’t have the tools to do this). Know your past shows and roles. If you would like to save even more time, we suggest you have a resume that you print and bring with you. It’s not required at our theatre, but it will save you time!
Be Patient.
We know, we know! At auditions, it is usually the hurry up and wait game. We do our best to get everyone in their time slot, but sometimes it just isn’t possible. These are kids, things go wrong. Sometimes it’s a technical problem, sometimes a child is too shy or embarrassed to sing. We want every child to have a good experience and that means sometimes we need to spend more time with one group. The good news is, everyone gets the amount of time and attention they need. If you end up waiting, just know that you will get the time and attention you need too!
The Parent Audition.
That got your attention, didn’t it? The audition starts the minute you get out of your car. When you enter, be kind and courteous. Parents, did you know that you are auditioning too? It’s true. If you are rude to, or impatient with our staff, there is an extremely good chance that the directors will hear about it. If you were directing, would you choose the child whose parents will be helpful or unassuming, or the parents that will make your job harder? Just sayin'.
Being nervous is great!
Do you feel like you are going to throw up? Fantastic! Cry? Super! Pass out? Hooray!! You know who doesn’t feel nervous? People that do the same thing every day and never try anything new or out of their comfort zone. Nerves are the best! The feeling of nervousness is called adrenaline and it’s kicking in to help you do your best. Runners use their adrenaline to run marathons, why shouldn’t we use it in auditions. Turn your nerves into energy, then use that energy to boost your performance and show us what you’ve got!
It’s Go Time!
Deep breath, you can do it! Introduce yourself with confidence and a huge smile. State your name and the name and author/artist of your piece. Keep it happy and bright. Definitely practice this as part of your audition with lots of energy. One of our best tips for auditions for kids is to remember to “take a beat”. This means, take at least 1 deep breath, position yourself, and then begin your song. Directors need a moment to shuffle their papers, take notes, or take a sip of their drink before they’re really ready to watch you. Don’t let them miss that important first moment of your audition.
Don’t say sorry.
Never let them see you sweat! Don’t make excuses for your audition. Even if you mess up, don’t say “I’m sorry”. Instead, just politely ask if you can start again. Casting will be determined on your character look, age, talent, height and how you handle yourself in the audition. Don’t tell the director that you just decided to audition and you haven’t practiced. What the director will hear is, “I might not be prepared during rehearsals”. Don’t tell the directors you have a cold, I promise they can tell. Just go in and do your best. If you need to start over, no sweat, it happens all the time.
Smile and have fun!
Directors aren’t expecting a perfect audition, they just want you to do your best. If you go into the audition with the attitude of having fun, it will be a great audition. Don’t imitate anyone else, we want to see YOU! Look at the audition as a chance to do something you love most- to perform! Show off, have fun and you will knock their socks off!
Paperwork is the worst! You hate it, we hate it, everyone (except Cherie) hates it! Luckily, we have streamlined everything, so we only have one piece of paper for you to fill out. The Audition Form. To save time, make sure to bring a calendar of all of your conflicts for rehearsals. Know how tall you are (don’t worry, we have a measuring tape if you don’t have the tools to do this). Know your past shows and roles. If you would like to save even more time, we suggest you have a resume that you print and bring with you. It’s not required at our theatre, but it will save you time!
Be Patient.
We know, we know! At auditions, it is usually the hurry up and wait game. We do our best to get everyone in their time slot, but sometimes it just isn’t possible. These are kids, things go wrong. Sometimes it’s a technical problem, sometimes a child is too shy or embarrassed to sing. We want every child to have a good experience and that means sometimes we need to spend more time with one group. The good news is, everyone gets the amount of time and attention they need. If you end up waiting, just know that you will get the time and attention you need too!
The Parent Audition.
That got your attention, didn’t it? The audition starts the minute you get out of your car. When you enter, be kind and courteous. Parents, did you know that you are auditioning too? It’s true. If you are rude to, or impatient with our staff, there is an extremely good chance that the directors will hear about it. If you were directing, would you choose the child whose parents will be helpful or unassuming, or the parents that will make your job harder? Just sayin'.
Being nervous is great!
Do you feel like you are going to throw up? Fantastic! Cry? Super! Pass out? Hooray!! You know who doesn’t feel nervous? People that do the same thing every day and never try anything new or out of their comfort zone. Nerves are the best! The feeling of nervousness is called adrenaline and it’s kicking in to help you do your best. Runners use their adrenaline to run marathons, why shouldn’t we use it in auditions. Turn your nerves into energy, then use that energy to boost your performance and show us what you’ve got!
It’s Go Time!
Deep breath, you can do it! Introduce yourself with confidence and a huge smile. State your name and the name and author/artist of your piece. Keep it happy and bright. Definitely practice this as part of your audition with lots of energy. One of our best tips for auditions for kids is to remember to “take a beat”. This means, take at least 1 deep breath, position yourself, and then begin your song. Directors need a moment to shuffle their papers, take notes, or take a sip of their drink before they’re really ready to watch you. Don’t let them miss that important first moment of your audition.
Don’t say sorry.
Never let them see you sweat! Don’t make excuses for your audition. Even if you mess up, don’t say “I’m sorry”. Instead, just politely ask if you can start again. Casting will be determined on your character look, age, talent, height and how you handle yourself in the audition. Don’t tell the director that you just decided to audition and you haven’t practiced. What the director will hear is, “I might not be prepared during rehearsals”. Don’t tell the directors you have a cold, I promise they can tell. Just go in and do your best. If you need to start over, no sweat, it happens all the time.
Smile and have fun!
Directors aren’t expecting a perfect audition, they just want you to do your best. If you go into the audition with the attitude of having fun, it will be a great audition. Don’t imitate anyone else, we want to see YOU! Look at the audition as a chance to do something you love most- to perform! Show off, have fun and you will knock their socks off!
What Are Directors Looking For?
Team Players -- actors who listen and support their fellow actors
Poise & Personality -- confident, relaxed and energetic actors
Good Diction & Projection -- speaking loudly, clearly, and slowly enough to pronounce all the sounds in each word
Expression -- an actor must share his/her feelings and emotions with the audience while reading, dancing or singing
Vulnerability -- allowing your sensitive side to show
Whole-hearted Acting -- using everything you've got -- Face, Voice and entire Body
Flexibility -- being able to make changes if asked
Dedication -- Actors who can really commit to the show
Poise & Personality -- confident, relaxed and energetic actors
Good Diction & Projection -- speaking loudly, clearly, and slowly enough to pronounce all the sounds in each word
Expression -- an actor must share his/her feelings and emotions with the audience while reading, dancing or singing
Vulnerability -- allowing your sensitive side to show
Whole-hearted Acting -- using everything you've got -- Face, Voice and entire Body
Flexibility -- being able to make changes if asked
Dedication -- Actors who can really commit to the show
Audition Song Suggestions
AUDITION SONG GUIDELINES
The latest pop songs, rap songs, and current hits are NOT recommended for audition pieces. Also, try to have some kind of accompaniment (Instrumental, piano, karaoke, etc.) And DO NOT sing anything from Moana or Greatest Showman (trust us, artistic staff members do not want to hear it any more!).
Research and use music from:
Broadway Musicals
Animated Movies
Disney
Children’s Music Books
Church Musicals or Hymns
Patriotic Song Books
Folk Songs
The latest pop songs, rap songs, and current hits are NOT recommended for audition pieces. Also, try to have some kind of accompaniment (Instrumental, piano, karaoke, etc.) And DO NOT sing anything from Moana or Greatest Showman (trust us, artistic staff members do not want to hear it any more!).
Research and use music from:
Broadway Musicals
Animated Movies
Disney
Children’s Music Books
Church Musicals or Hymns
Patriotic Song Books
Folk Songs
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Musical Theater Audition Songs for Girls
Uptempo songs "Live Out Loud" - A Little Princess “The World Above” — The Little Mermaid “Gee, I’m Glad I’m Glad I’m No One Else But Me” — Anne of Green Gables "I Know It's Today" - Shrek "Good Girl Winnie Foster" - Tuck Everlasting "A Lovely Night"- Cinderella "Another World" - A Little Princess "In my Own Little Corner" – Cinderella "The Step-Sisters' Lament" - Cinderella "Pulled" - Adams Family Ballads "Quiet"-Matilda “The Girl I Mean To Be” — The Secret Garden "Change in Me" - Beauty and the Beast |
Musical Theatre Audition Songs for Boys
Uptempo Songs “Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun” — A Christmas Story “Gary, Indiana” — The Music Man “Little People” — Les Misérables “The Bare Necessities” — The Jungle Book "I’d do Anything" – Oliver "Giants in the Sky"- Into the Woods "Wick" - Secret Garden "One More Angel in Heaven" - Joseph & Technicolor "Me" - Beauty and the Beast Ballads “A Round Shouldered Man” — The Secret Garden "Any Dream will Do" – Joseph & Technicolor "Santa Fe" – Newsies "Who I'd Be" - Shrek "What If"- Adams Family "Electricity" - Billy Elliott |
Songs for Both Boys and Girls
Uptempo
"I've Gotta Crow" Peter Pan
"Be Kind to Your Parents" - Fanny
"I Love to Laugh" - Mary Poppins
"I Won't Grow Up" - Peter Pan
Ballads
“A Letter from Charlie Bucket” — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical
"When I Grow Up - Matilda
"Alone in the Universe" - Seussical
Uptempo
"I've Gotta Crow" Peter Pan
"Be Kind to Your Parents" - Fanny
"I Love to Laugh" - Mary Poppins
"I Won't Grow Up" - Peter Pan
Ballads
“A Letter from Charlie Bucket” — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical
"When I Grow Up - Matilda
"Alone in the Universe" - Seussical