AuditioningfortheMusicalTheatre FrequentlyAskedQuestions

WhatdoIneedtoaudition?
Youllneedashortmonologue(underaminute)and32barsofacontemporaryBroadwaysong.Bothshouldbe memorizedandwell-rehearsed. Youllalsoneedtobringsheetmusicforyoursong,youractor'scontractsignedbyyouandyourparents,andthe Actor'sQuestionnaire,allfilledout.

Whatdoyoumeanbysixteen-thirtytwobars?
Timewise,thisisaboutaminuteofmusic.

Butmysongissixpageslong!HowdoIknowwhichparttopick?
Songsaregenerallybuiltinthesameway.Theystartoffslowerandinaloweremotionalstate. Theyprobablyrepeatthesamemusicwithdifferentlyrics.Thentheresasectionthatsounds totallydifferentandgetsbigger.Thesongendswithapartthatsoundsalotlikethebeginning,onlybigger.Thats calledAABAform,wheretheApartssoundalikeandtheresasecondpartwedgedinthemiddletobreakitup. LetstakealookatoneofthesongsfromBatBoy(ourshowfor2008):AHomeForYou.Thefullsonglooks likethis: POORLITTLEPERSONWITHEYESSOSAD WHEREINTHEDARKDIDTHEYHIDEYOU? WHATHAVEYOUSEEN THATCOULDTEACHYOUTHATHAUNTEDSTARE? POORLITTLECREATURE,ITMAKESMEMAD TOTHINKOFTHECHILDHOODDENIEDYOU BUTGIVEMEACHANCE ANDWELLMAKEITALLRIGHT,ISWEAR CAUSEWERENOTHERETOHARMYOU ORMAKEYOUFEELASHAMED YOUCANMAKEMISTAKESHERE ANDYOUWONTBEBLAMED SOSHOWUSHOWTOHELPYOU ANDIFWEPULLYOUTHROUGH THENWEMAYFINDAHOMEFORYOU HOMEISAWORDTHATYOUSHOULDHAVELEARNED HOMEISWHEREPEOPLEACCEPTYOU PEOPLEWHOTREATYOUWITHLOVE WHICHISAWFULLYRARE FAMILYSAPLACEWHEREYOURTRUSTISEARNED BYFOLKSWHOAREHAPPYTHEYKEPTYOU WELLFINDAFAMILYWHOWONTLETYOUDOWNISWEAR CAUSEWERENOTHERETOHARMYOU NOWERENOTHERETOHARMYOU ORMAKEYOUFEELASHAMED YOUCANMAKEMISTAKESHERE

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ANDYOUWONTBEBLAMED SOTEACHUSHOWTOLOVEYOU ANDONCETHENIGHTISTHROUGH THENWEMAYHAVEAHOMEFORYOU SOSHOWMEWHATTOGIVEYOU SEELOOKIMADEASTEW ANDSOMEHOWIFYOUMAKEITTHROUGH THENTHISMAYBEAHOMEFORYOU. Youcertainlydontneedtosingallofthisforyouraudition!Itsfartoolongandhasalotof repetition.Thatswherethemusicwillhelpyouinchoosingwhatsectionstodo. Stanzas2and4aremusicallyidentical,soyoureallyonlyneedoneofthem.Pickoneandtheversethatconnects toit,bothmusicallyandemotionally. IfIwerecuttingthisformyself,Idprobablypickthiscut: HOMEISAWORDTHATYOUSHOULDHAVELEARNED HOMEISWHEREPEOPLEACCEPTYOU PEOPLEWHOTREATYOUWITHLOVE WHICHISAWFULLYRARE FAMILYSAPLACEWHEREYOURTRUSTISEARNED BYFOLKSWHOAREHAPPYTHEYKEPTYOU WELLFINDAFAMILYWHOWONTLETYOUDOWNISWEAR CAUSEWERENOTHERETOHARMYOU NOWERENOTHERETOHARMYOU ORMAKEYOUFEELASHAMED YOUCANMAKEMISTAKESHERE ANDYOUWONTBEBLAMED SOTEACHUSHOWTOLOVEYOU ANDONCETHENIGHTISTHROUGH THENWEMAYHAVEAHOMEFORYOU SOSHOWMEWHATTOGIVEYOU SEELOOKIMADEASTEW ANDSOMEHOWIFYOUMAKEITTHROUGH THENTHISMAYBEAHOMEFORYOU. Thatgivesyoutwodifferentpartstoworkwithwhereyougettoendinadifferentvocalplacementthanyoubegan, anaturalbuildinemotionanddynamics,andwordsthatmakesensetogether.Itsalsogotagreatending,since thatswherethecomposeroriginallyintendedtoendthesong.

SoshouldIsingsomethingfromtheshowIamauditioningfor,then?
No!Therearedozensofcontemporarymusicalsthathavesongsthatwillserveyoujustaswell.Iftheresasongin thisyear'sshowthatyoureallylike,oddsareyoullfindsomethingsimilarinoneofthoseshows.

WhatexactlyisacontemporaryBroadwaymusical?
AreallybroaddescriptionwouldbeanythingwrittenafterCabaret,sopost-1966.Showsstarted tohaveanedgiersound,andelectricinstrumentsbecamecommon.

AreallmusicalsonBroadwaytodayconsideredcontemporary?
Notreally.TherearealotofmusicalsthathavebeenonBroadwayoverthelastfewyearsthat

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wewouldntconsidercontemporary.ExampleswouldbeThoroughlyModernMillieandCrazy forYou,whichbothusedmusicwrittenalmostacenturyago.Othershows,likeTheDrowsy ChaperoneandTheProducers,arewrittentomimicthatclassicperiodStillothersarerevivals ofoldermusicals,likeWonderfulTown,Gypsy,andThePajamaGame.

WheredoIfindcontemporarymusicals?
Composers/Lyricists LynnAhrens&StephenFlaherty: JasonRobertBrown: WilliamFinn: AdamGuettel: EltonJohn: JohnKander&FredEbb: MichaelJohnLaChiusa: JonathanLarson: AndrewLippa: AlanMenken: Claude-MichelSchoenberg &AlainBoublil: StephenSchwartz: StephenSondheim: JeannieTesori: AndrewLloydWebber: FrankWildhorn: DavidYazbek: MauryYeston: LuckyStiff;AManofNoImportance; OnceonthisIsland;Ragtime;Seussical Parade;SongsforaNewWorld; TheLastFiveYears The25thAnnualPutnamCountySpellingBee; ANewBrain;Falsettos FloydCollins;TheLightinthePiazza; MythsandHymns AIDA;TheLionKing;Tarzan Cabaret;Chicago;KissoftheSpiderWoman; SteelPier FirstLadySuite;MarieChristine;TheWildParty Rent;Tick,TickBOOM! john&jen;TheWildParty; YoureaGoodMan,CharlieBrown(revival) BeautyandtheBeast;LittleShopofHorrors LesMiserables;MartinGuerre;MissSaigon

ChildrenofEden;Godspell;TheMagicShow; Pippin;Rags;Wicked;Working AnyoneCanWhistle;Assassins;IntotheWoods; MerrilyWeRollAlong;Passion Caroline,orChange;Violet Evita;JesusChristSuperstar;SongandDance; SunsetBoulevard;WhistleDowntheWind Dracula;Jekyll&Hyde;TheScarletPimpernel DirtyRottenScoundrels;TheFullMonty GrandHotel;Nine;Phantom;Titanic

MaleUptempo
AlasforYou Godspell StephenSchwartz AllICareAbout ChicagoJohn Kander/FredEbb Aquarius Hair GaltMacDermott/JamesRado/GeromeRagni BigNews! Parade JasonRobertBrown CorneroftheSky Pippin StephenSchwartz EverybodySaysDont AnyoneCanWhistle StephenSondheim Extraordinary Pippin StephenSchwartz HeavenonTheirMinds JesusChristSuperstar AndrewLloydWebber/TimRice HerodsSong JesusChristSuperstar AndrewLloydWebber/TimRice HotPatootie TheRockyHorrorShow RichardOBrien HowtoSucceed HowtoSucceedin FrankLoesser BusinessWithoutReally Trying ICantStandStill FootlooseDean Pitchford/TomSnow IGotLife Hair GaltMacDermott/JamesRado/GeromeRagni

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Fame SteveMargoshes/JacquesLevy SongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown AFunnyThingHappened StephenSondheim ontheWaytotheForum ImMartinGuerre MartinGuerre Claude-MichelSchonberg/AlainBoublil ItTookMeaWhile john&jen AndrewLippa KingoftheWorld SongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown LostintheWilderness ChildrenofEden StephenSchwartz Manchester HairGalt MacDermott/JamesRado/GeromeRagni Me BeautyandtheBeastAlan Menken/TimRice MovinTooFast TheLastFiveYears JasonRobertBrown Newsboy Working StephenSchwartz RunandTellThat Hairspray MarcShaiman/ScottWittman WintersontheWing TheSecretGarden MarshaNorman/LucySimon YoureNothingWithoutMeCityofAngelsCy Coleman/DavidZippel

IWanttoMakeMagic IdGiveItAllForYou ImCalm

MaleBallad
AloneintheUniverse Seussical StephenFlaherty/LynnAhrens BeaLion TheWiz CharlieSmalls BreezeofftheRiver TheFullMonty DavidYazbek Different HONK! GeorgeStiles/AnthonyDrewe EmptyChairsatEmptyTablesLesMiserables Claude-MichelSchonberg/AlainBoublil GotheDistance Hercules(film) AlanMenken/DavidZippel GoodThingGoing MerrilyWeRollAlong StephenSondheim HearMySong SongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown IdRatherBeSailing ANewBrain WilliamFinn IfICantLoveHer BeautyandtheBeast AlanMenken/TimRice ItsHardtoSpeakMyHeartParade JasonRobertBrown Johanna SweeneyTodd StephenSondheim Love,IHear AFunnyThingHappened StephenSondheim ontheWaytotheForum TheMason Working CraigCarnelia NotWhileImAround SweeneyTodd StephenSondheim TheOnlyHomeIKnow Shenandoah PeterUdell/GaryGeld SantaFe Newsies(film) AlanMenken/JackFeldman Stars LesMiserables Claude-MichelSchonberg/AlainBoublil ThisistheMoment Jekyll&Hyde FrankWildhorn TooMuchinLovetoCare SunsetBoulevard AndrewLloydWebber/DonBlack WaitingfortheLighttoShineBigRiver RogerMiller

FemaleUptempo
AnotherHundredPeople Company StephenSondheim HereIAm DirtyRottenScoundrels DavidYazbek ICanHeartheBells Hairspray MarcShaiman/ScottWittman IWanttoGotoHollywoodGrandHotel MauryYeston ImNotAfraidofAnythingSongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown LookAtMe,ImSandraDeeGrease JimJacobs/WarrenCasey MyNewPhilosophy YoureaGoodMan, AndrewLippa CharlieBrown Nothing AChorusLine MarvinHamlisch/EdwardKleban PerfectlyMarvelous Cabaret JohnKander&FredEbb Popular Wicked StephenSchwartz Rags Rags CharlesStrouse/StephenSchwartz

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TheMysteryof RupertHolmes EdwinDrood SolidSilverPlatformShoesTheMagicShow StephenSchwartz TheSparkofCreation ChildrenofEden StephenSchwartz StarsandtheMoon SongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown Storybook TheScarletPimpernel FrankWildhorn StrangertotheRain ChildrenofEden StephenSchwartz WaitingforLife OnceonthisIsland StephenFlaherty/LynnAhrens WhereverHeAint MackandMabel JerryHerman YouCanAlwaysCountonMeCityofAngels CyColeman/DavidZippel

RosasConfession

FemaleBallad
AnotherSuitcaseinAnotherHallEvita AndrewLloydWebber/TimRice AChangeinMe BeautyandtheBeast AlanMenken/TimRice ChildrenoftheWind Rags CharlesStrouse/StephenSchwartz ChristmasLullaby SongsforaNewWorld JasonRobertBrown Disneyland Smile MarvinHamlisch/HowardAshman EasytoBeHard Hair GaltMacDermot/JamesRado/GeromeRagni FrankMills Hair GaltMacDermot/JamesRado/GeromeRagni HoldOn TheSecretGarden LucySimon/MarshaNorman Home BeautyandtheBeast AlanMenken/TimRice Home TheWiz CharlieSmalls HowDidWeCometoThis?TheWildParty AndrewLippa HowManyTears? MartinGuerre Claude-MichelSchonberg/AlainBoublil IDontKnowHowtoLoveHimJesusChristSuperstar AndrewLloydWebber/TimRice IKnowtheTruth AIDA EltonJohn/TimRice IdBeSurprisinglyGoodForYouEvita AndrewLloydWebber/TimRice ImNotThatGirl Wicked StephenSchwartz InHisEyes Jekyll&Hyde FrankWildhorn LionTamer TheMagicShow StephenSchwartz NotaDayGoesBy MerrilyWeRollAlong StephenSondheim NoticeMe,Horton Seussical StephenFlaherty/LynnAhrens MaybeThisTime Cabaret JohnKander/FredEbb Princess AManofNoImportance StephenFlaherty&LynnAhrens SomeoneElsesStory Chess BennyAnderson/BjornUlvaeus/TimRice SomewhereThatsGreen LittleShopofHorrors AlanMenken/HowardAshman TheresaFine,FineLine AvenueQ JeffMarx/RobertLopez TimesLikeThis LuckyStiff StephenFlaherty/LynnAhrens UnexpectedSong SongandDance AndrewLloydWebber/DonBlack UnusualWay Nine MauryYeston WhistleDowntheWind WhistleDowntheWind AndrewLloydWebber/JimSteinman YouDontKnowThisMan Parade JasonRobertBrown

SodoIjustpickasongoffthelist?
Whenyouchooseasong,theresalotofthingstothinkabout: Areyoucomfortablesingingit?Canyousingitevenwhenyouarenervous? Isitage-appropriate?SixteenGoingonSeventeencanonlybesungbysomeonethat age,whileImStillHereismeantforsomeonewithalotoflifeexperience.Thereare manysongsthathavenoagerequirements,though. Doesthetextspeaktoyou?Itdoesnthavetobebiographical,butthereshouldbe somethingthatsparksyourinterest. Cantheaccompanistplaythemusic?Youwillonlyhaveamomenttoshowthepianist

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yourmusic,andmanysongsarecomplicatedtosight-read.Thisincludesmany(butnot all)songsbyStephenSondheim,LeonardBernstein,AdamGuettel,andJasonRobert Brown.Whenindoubt,asksomeonewithamusicbackgroundtolookatitforyou. Canyoulookatthesongwithoutthinkingaboutsomeoneelsesperformance?Everyone whohearsOvertheRainbowwillautomaticallythinkofJudyGarland.Thesameis trueformoremodernshows.DontsingDefyingGravityjustbecauseyoucansingit exactlylikeIdinaMenzel.Theauditorswanttohearhowyounaturallysing,notyour impressionofsomeoneelsesingingasong.

WheredoIfindsheetmusicformysong?
First,checkthelibrary.TheUniversityofWashingtonsMusicLibraryisagreatplace tofindmusic,asisthemainbranchoftheSeattlePublicLibrary.Youcansearchbothof theircatalogsonlinetoseeiftheyhaveyoursong.Trysearchingbykeyword,andmake sureyouputyoursongtitleinparentheses.Youcanalsosearchbythecomposersname andthetitleofthemusical. AnothergreatplacetocheckistheCapitolMusicCenterindowntownSeattle.Ifyour songisinprint,theyllbeabletotrackitdownforyou. Online,therearemanywebsitesthatwillletyouprintyoursheetmusicinsteadofwaiting forittobeshipped.Trysheetmusicdirect.comorsearchonlinesheetmusicforother sites. ManyofthesongslistedcanbefoundinTheSingersMusicalTheatreAnthology,a seriesofsongbooksdividedbyvoicetype.Thethirdandfourthvolumeshavemany contemporaryBroadwaysongs.TheseriesevenoffersCDswiththepianopartsoyou canrehearse.

IsthereanythingelseIshouldknowbeforeIgointoaudition?
Makethepianistsjobeasybyhandingthemacleancopyofyoursheetmusic.Itshould showwhereyoubeginandend,howfastyouwanttogo,andanythingmusically important.Yourmusicshouldbetapedtogether,accordion-style,orbeinathree-ring binder.Thepianististheretohelpyou,somaketheirjobaseasyaspossible. Please,please,pleaserehearseyoursongwithsomeoneplayingthepianopart.Ask someonewhoplayspianotorecorditontoatapeforyousoyoucangetusedtosinging it.Dontletthefirsttimeyouheartheaccompanimentbeattheaudition.Sometimesit soundsverydifferentfromthecastrecordingsyoumighthaveheard. Warmupyourvoicebeforeyoucometoauditions,especiallyifyouresingingasong thatgoeshighorlow.Bringawaterbottleforwhileyourewaiting. Everyoneintheroomwantsyoutosucceed.Theauditorshaveashowtocast,and theyrehopingyouregoingtocomeinandbeexactlywhattheyrelookingfor.Ifyouve rehearsedyourpieces,itwillshow.Itsokaytobenervoustheauditorsunderstand.In fact,mostofthemhavehadtoauditionbefore,too!

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