<p>Now that the audition rounds are coming to a close, I was wondering if we could get another interesting thread going. I know for a lot of people, the choice of audition material is very personal and I believe that auditioners have every right to keep their material private if they so desire. But since most seniors are almost finished with auditions this year, I didn't see any harm in trying to get this conversation started as another interesting variable to look at. I think it would VERY interesting to examine schools that auditioners have been accepted to/rejected from in relation to the material they used (i.e. a person who used strongly classical material was rejected from school 1 but accepted to school 2, etc.) to see if a trend emerges. I also just love hearing what songs people are using nowadays. Just an idea to throw out there. I wonder if there are scientists who do this kinda research! If so, someone should tell 'em about CC-- we'd be a great sample.</p>
<p>As far as monologues, I have no idea what my d used to audition for NYU. (I never heard her practice!) When she comes back from rehearsal, I can ask her if you're interested. However, she sang 2 songs: "Should I Be Sweet?" from an older show (again, I can ask her when she returns) and "Someday" (from Hunchback). There is a very high note in Should I Be Sweet, which is why her vocal coach chose it for her, but she never got to sing that part of the song; the auditioner cut her off before.</p>
<p>Rossji- Thanks for the response! I've never heard of either of those songs, but Hunchback (I'm assuming you mean the musical-movie Hunchback of Notre Dame?) has such great music. </p>
<p>I'm guessing that the material is probably still too fresh for most people to want to talk about it just yet (judging from the number of views of this thread and the lack of responses!) I think it'd be a fun conversation though, even if we don't talk about specific songs or monologues, just to talk about genres that we think schools are looking for. There are some obvious ones- we know that Steinhardt and most BM programs are looking for classical training in music selection, but what got me thinking about this was sitting in on a rehearsal/run-through for the NY showcase for the senior MTs at Ithaca (I was visiting Cornell but know an acting teacher at Ithaca who was nice enough to set this up for me as a treat). Every single one of the girls, even the "tall blonde ingenue" types, belted their hearts out. They all had belt ranges, which made me think that this had to be something Ithaca looks for in its applicants, because not all singers can hit a C or D full voice and sustain it like some of these kiddos did. Just was an observation. Any more thoughts?</p>
<p>Hi Dizzi!</p>
<p>Interesting story about the Ithaca MT's. It supports what we heard and the folks at Ithaca denied when I asked them directly last year. True or not, the reputation of the Ithaca MT department was that they favor belters. When my D auditioned at UMich last year, several of the student monitors told her that "UM loves legit sopranos," however her experience suggests that the program has a wide range of female voices. Just interesting how reputations get started.... Please don't read a value judgement on my part. I'm sure many schools display a preference for certain qualities in their students, but I personally don't think any of these schools do or can afford to admit only sopranos or only belters or only tall hunky baritones (you get the idea) - it would make it impossible to cast the range of shows they do.</p>
<p>PS Thanks for the great update on the Cornell Theater program. As a graduate of that school and that department, it's great to hear what's up high above Cayuga's waters.......</p>
<p>Not that it'll help you when considering material for next year, here's mine. Wonderful Day Like Today - The Roar of Greaspaint-The Smell of the Crowd (Uptempo), It Must Be So - Candide (Ballad) and I had one extra Uptempo, Look At The Sky - Urinetown, but I never got to sing it. I think this years auditioners were more informed on picking audition songs, I barely heard the same songs twice. Although that still didn't stop me from hearing Wicked at almost every audition...</p>
<p>Theatermom- Interestingly enough, I've heard Ithaca often cast VP majors as their "highlight sopranos". If this is true, not only do they value belting, but they compensate for lack of diversity by getting kids from other programs to play roles. Not bad for my vocal perf. friend! If you're interested in hearing more about my impressions, feel free to PM or email me! And your welcome for the Cornell update. After having a lot of trouble deciding whether I wanted to go the B.F.A. route, I felt really at home at Cornell and felt that the educational and theatrical experiences there would be top-notch. The fact that you can take classes at Ithaca wasn't a bad bonus ;)- though I'm sure this offer is limited in many ways, but still an opportunity! I'm still thinking of auditioning for NYU-Steinhardt and UMich next year, just because those schools are so great, and if nothing else- it'd be audition experience. I'm also applying to NHSI and CMU for the summer!</p>
<p>I think at this point in theater (look at broadway right now) the belters are preferred but obviously if they need diversity in their programs too, but my experience from local theater and my 2 Syracuse auditions for some reason I am asked to belt everytime and I am a legit soprano, so it has been alittle frustrating.</p>
<p>Shortnsweet-- What do you mean "asked to belt"? Do they run scales with you or ask you sing a belt song?</p>
<p>Hey...I was so surprised and happy to receive so many responses....and so quickly....</p>
<p>how "obscure" and unique does a song have to be? i mean is it awful if you do a lesser-known rogers and hammerstein song?</p>
<p>I don't think that's terrible. My son sang "Old Devil Moon," which is pretty well-known amongst us old-timers, but probably not sung that much by teenagers.</p>
<p>Dizzydani88 -
As far as belting goes and my experience w/ "being asked to belt" at auditions... Usually they will ask you if you have a belt song that you can sing for them. Even if you have a song that is not really a "belt song" per-say, but middle range, they will have you "belt" that. For example: I was just at an audition workshop last month, sang a very ligit soprano piece for them and they asked if I could belt. I said "well, I can try!" (not really being a 'trained belter' yet, that was my honest response. lol) Unfortunately, the only songbook I had was a soprano one, so the only song that I knew that I could pull out and kind of belt was "If I Were a Bell". (tip for anyone: Bring along a wide-range of repertoire w/ you to any and every type of audition! You never know when you will need it!) So, I semi-belted for them, and they said I was "making good sounds and good effort" And they applauded my ability to conform to them and just do something that they asked me to do "so cheerfully". So, I came out of there w/ a positive attitude towards belting, and asked my voice teacher if he could really work w/ me on it at my next lesson!</p>
<p>Shortnsweet -
I will agree w/ you on the comment about Broadway really wanting belters now. But, my view is, there is always room for Ligit sopranos who CAN belt! :-) As I'm sure you've noticed above, I am also a ligit soprano. I will attest to belting being frusterating, at first, FOR SURE! But, I would really suggest that you get w/ your voice teacher and ask him/her if you could work on some kind of a chest/belt voice. (If you already have, and I am just assuming wrong, than I apologize!) As I also mentioned above, my voice teacher and I have just begun working w/ my belt voice and it has been a bit trying. But it is coming, slowly but surely! <em>Yay for versatility & soprano/belters!</em></p>
<p>Cato, thats funny cause Old Devil Moon was on my shortlist when I was picking material. I've used it for one of my school musical auditions before, great song too!</p>
<p>My d had several songs she prepared for auditions and I really can't remember all of them or which she used where, but I know she had "Mr. Snow", "Simple" from Nine, "Lazy Afternoon" from Golden Apple, and funny you should mention it earlier, the (yes, overdone and well known) "If I Were a Bell" that she also used for belt (she had just played Sarah Brown in our community theater production). She also had several classical songs...don't ask me the names, but one was a German piece and of course, Italian. She thought the German piece gave her a little edge at the schools who wanted to hear an art song. Who knows, but she did get accepted!</p>
<p>I found a nice resource for audition material at the following site. It lists many many shows in alphabetical order, provides a synopsis of plot and characters and lists songs. At the bottom of each show it lists songs of special interest and notes potential audition songs by voice type. You have to do a lot of searching through the site but it could help you to pick out material you haven't considered</p>
<p><a href="http://www.musicalnotesnmore.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.musicalnotesnmore.com/</a></p>
<p>I auditioned for acting and only had to do sixteen bars of one song acapella at most auditions to show off my limited altoness. So, don't laugh too hard at my song choices. :p Anyway, here's my package for what it's worth ...</p>
<p>Monologues:
Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice
Blood Wedding Bride
Collected Stories Lisa
Cymbeline Imogen
Phoenician Women Jocasta (Off-type)
Seven Year Itch Girl (Risky. Only done if requested.)</p>
<p>Songs:
Godspell - Day by Day
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas - Lil' Ole Bitty Pi$$ant Country Place</p>
<p>Monlogues:
Angel from "The Open Road" by Steve Tesich
Jim from "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams</p>
<p>Songs:
You Are Beautiful from "Flower Drum Song" by Rodgers and Hammerstein
I Rise Again from "On The 20th Century" by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden & Adolph Green</p>
<p>I auditioned for NYU, Marymount, Emerson, Ithaca and Boston Conservatory. Was accepted to Marymount, Emerson and Ithaca and decided to go to Marymount. All of the schools complimented me on choosing a song from "20th Century" and most thought that "Open Road" was pretty funny. The only songs I heard more than once were Defying Gravity and Forget About the Boy.</p>
<p>Monologues:
Dream Girl, by Elmer Rice
Proof, by David Auburn
Midsummer Night's Dream (I am your spaniel...)</p>
<p>Songs:
Waitin for My Dearie, Brigadoon
It's An Art, Working</p>
<p>I'm just a junior and my auditions have been mostly for summer programs. I noticed a couple of things as far as the material people chose: 1) it seemed to be really trendy to sing Cole Porter (probably cuz of De Lovely) 2) I repeatedly heard these songs from My Fair Lady: for girls, "Show Me," and for guys, "On the Street Where You Live."
My personal materieal choices?
monologue: Neil Simon's "I ought to Be in Pictures" Libby:"Well, let me tell you something..."
song (legit): the overdone, but showy and always safe "Much More" from The Fantasticks (I like that it shows vocal versatility)
belt song (though i did not have to sing it): "Always True to You..." from Kiss Me Kate.
standby legit song (didn't have to sing it either): "So in Love" from Kiss Me Kate</p>
<p>I sang
Slap that BASS from Crazy for You....Judges told me that they enjoyed the piece, different, and a lot of fun.
I could Write a Book from Pal Joey...Not done very often</p>
<p>Monologues...
The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel
The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams
A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare</p>
<p>I auditioned for Hartt, Emerson, Ithaca, Nyu, Boston Conservatory, and Rutgers..STILL WAITING...haha</p>
<p>A friend of mine used two songs from the same show for her college auditions - granted, it is a revue type of show, but same composers, even sung by the same character - and she found out today she was accepted to CMU. I guess there are exceptions to every rule...</p>