Audition on Friday: help!

<p>I have an audition coming up and I've been trying to get help from my directors but they're so busy that I haven't really gotten any adequate advice as far as my audition song.</p>

<p>Since you guys seem pretty knowldgeable in this area I am going to ask your opinion.</p>

<p>I have to prepare ONLY ONE musical song of at least 16 bars. i was surprised it wasn't 2 contrasting songs so it kinda threw me off.</p>

<p>I had picked out the musical Honk! to find a song. I figured I would go with "Joy of Motherhood" or "Every tear a mother cries".</p>

<p>However, my choir director suggested "not for the life of me" from Thoroughly Modern Millie. But the cut he gave me was almost 35 bars and didn't show off much of my vocals. My audition is friday and im pressed for time. I have my monologue ready but i wanted something fresh for my song.</p>

<p>If worse came to worse, would it be bad to do a song from Seussical the Musical?</p>

<p>What are your opinions on Honk! , Thoroughly modern millie, and Seussical for audition material?</p>

<p>thankyou very much!</p>

<p>Generally speaking you should sing a song that you feel comfortable with and that you think will show off your voice appropriately. Since you didn't mention what you are auditioning for, it is hard to say yes to Honk, no to Honk, etc. But my gut reaction is you should go with the songs you feel best about AT THIS POINT IN TIME, and this means from Honk.</p>

<p>one comment about "millie." they say it's better to do something that's not recent and being "overdone." and yes, absolutely, the one that showcases your voice the best is the one to go with, regardless what it's from. good luck!!</p>

<p>oh i didnt realize i had left it out. i am auditioning for sam houston state musical theatre. i am a soprano II and my strength is belting.</p>

<p>mrsark87: yeah i had thought the same thing about "millie" so i was a little surprised when my director suggested it.</p>

<p>at this point, i would pick something you are already very comfortable with rather than something to learn. good luck.</p>

<p>dramaddict--</p>

<p>Hi! How did you think it went and what did you end up singing? I was #5, the blonde girl in the ballet clothes and red dance top.</p>

<p>Best,
Shauna</p>

<p>lauren is auditioning at sam houston this friday. anyone care to prep us a little and tell us how it was all handled? j</p>

<p>I don't know about SHSU auditions...but I do know they are for scholarship only...not for admittance. So, that in itself can take some of the stress out of the audition. We visited back in November, saw a show...the campus is beautiful....the theater was small (350 seats) and the show was okay...not great in our estimation....but maybe it was just the show (Smokey Joes Cafe). I do know that many SHSU students attend Broadway Theatre Project every summer, so they must be doing something right.</p>

<p>Two other programs you might want to check into: </p>

<p>Wichita State University...I see they now require auditions; that is new. Not too expensive either.</p>

<p>Also, check out University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) in Edmond (20 minutes north of OKC)....my D is a soph at OCU and has attended some shows at UCO and said they were good. She also worked with some of those students in summer stock last summer...had good things to say about them. They offer a BM in MT as opposed to the BFA...much like OCU. Cost is cheaper, too, than OCU. </p>

<p>Good Luck.</p>

<p>hey i think i remember you! you hit a really high note at the end of your song right?</p>

<p>I was #35 (skinny blonde girl) and i sang "not for the life of me" from thoroughly modern milie. i had actually really wanted to do "climbing uphill" from the last five years but my choir director said it would be overdone. too bad it wasnt done at all at the audition. dang. oh well. i was dissapointed with my audition. the girl who went right after me did the same song as me.</p>

<p>only 5 people, thats tough admittance. who do you think did well at the audition?</p>

<p>2dnsnmt, i think you're mistaken about shsu. the auditions are for admittance. they are auditioning about 60 and only admitting 5 or 6. they are also considering scholarships at the same time. apparently you were able to watch each other audition. did you sing your whole song? and was the dance audition hard? j</p>

<p>Sorry, my mistake...that's how it was last year. My D has not yet auditioned....she'll be going thru this next year. SHSU was on our list so we visited in the fall. Their website at the time said auditions were for scholarship only....apparently, that has changed. I guess the influx of potential MT majors is everywhere! So, I wonder....are there really ANY non-audition programs anymore? We're in Texas so we had been considering SHSU and UNT as safeties...but UNT isn't offering their degree anymore and now SHSU isn't non-audition. Geez......</p>

<p>Please let us know how it goes....</p>

<p>the dance was fairly easy. very jazzy. the only technique was at the very end where there was a left grand battement, grand jete and double pirouette.</p>

<p>yes i sang my whole song. because it said "at least 16 bars" on the audition packet i got a little confused as to how long it should be. i prepared 32 bars and instead sang the entire song last minute at the audition.</p>

<p>i really like shsu. its a smaller campus and very pretty. if i dont get admitted into the BFA MT program ill be attending as a BA in theatre and keep auditioning until i get admitted. but hopefully that won't be necessary!</p>

<p>and im still waiting on OU drama. im on the wait list. my fingers are crossed!</p>

<p>tcu is non audition. although, i think their program is theatre with emphasis in mt, rather than straight mt.</p>

<p>Texas State has a program. I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were non-audition. Tulsa is non-audition except for scholarship. That's not too far away. I believe Mississippi is non-audition, which also isn't too far (probably closer than El Paso or Lubbock to you, depending on where you live)</p>

<p>Shauna & Dramaddict - What was the ratio of men to women at the SHSU audition? Just curious. We always considered that a "safety" school, but with an acceptance rate of about 10%, I guess that perception is wrong.</p>

<p>With regards to other MT options in Texas. If you don't get into the four-year college of your choice, there are some decent junior college options where you could hone your craft and get ready for next years' auditions. We met Billy Smith from Cisco Junior College at the Northeast Texas Drama auditions. While you can't get too much info over the internet, he is trying to build a solid program there. They are the primary talent support for a dinner theater in the area. Eastfield College in the Dallas area has started a new department called American Musical Theater. It is headed up by Louise Lerch who used to be in the MT department at OU. </p>

<p>I also know that West Texas A&M has a MT degree program, but I have never heard anyone talk about it.</p>

<p>question about sam houston auditions.........
with regard to the auditions at sam houston this friday, i have a question for those who have already been, if you don't mind. lauren's song and monologue have completely different attitudes. now, i'm not talking about a costume or anything........but, would it be appropriate to change between the two. or, if you're seeing the same faculty members, would that make it hard for them to remember you.</p>

<p>MrsArk,</p>

<p>The topic of making a small wardrobe change between song(s) and monologue(s) was discussed in some detail several months ago. I'm sorry I don't remember which thread it was on. I posted at the time that my D did make some small changes to make her outfit more appropriate to the material she was presenting. For example, one could add or remove a cardigan or shrug-type sweater. Shoes could be removed. Boys could remove a tie. Girls could remove a scarf. A girl who began her audition with her hair in a ponytail could let her hair down. Shirts or blouses could begin buttoned up and later have a few buttons undone. They could also go from tucked in to untucked. My own D usually wore a halter dress and pumps when she sang and added a cardigan and removed her shoes for her monologue. The character she portrayed in the monologue was depressed. D didn't want to look too "dressed up".</p>

<p>I do not think that making a small change in outfit between numbers will cause any confusion for the auditors. Several of my D's teachers did advise her to wear some little something that is memorable. It could be a scarf, a hair accessory, a piece of jewelry, etc. In my D's case, she chose to wear a pair of open-toe, black and white pumps. They were purchased the summer before her junior year specifically to wear at auditions. The very 1st time she wore them to an audition, they got a comment. The director for whom she auditioned told her that they were the perfect thing to wear because they were unusual and would help her be remembered. Exactly the effect we were after. D has worn those shoes at most of the auditions she's done since.</p>

<p>Tell your D I said to break a leg on Friday!</p>

<p>thanks for the comments. they are very informative. lauren's monologue is "suzanne" from "dearly departed." she's a character that you'd consider a little "redneck" if you'll forgive the term. they aren't very educated and she uses a very backwoods, country accent. so, i thought about just adding a sort of "dowdy" sweater to her dress, but i want them to realize it's for character, and not what she chose to wear. i wondered if you could go a little costume by adding a little hat or something, or is that too much. i know they don't expect you to dress in costume. there is my dilemma. her dress for vocal is very elegant and pretty. her character for monologue is far from that. and thanks for the good wishes.</p>

<p>After having worked in the arts for more than 20 years (major television network, radio, arts festivals and summer stock theatre) and even assisting an artistic director in NYC equity/non equity auditions I can assuredly tell you that absolutely NO wardrobe changes (other than slipping on dancing shoes) are necessary to give a great audition. A good director will appreciate seeing a nicely groomed actor; a good actor can transform themselves from an old crone to a raving beauty through the use of their body, voice, posture, gestures and an inner belief in their character.</p>

<p>A working actor I know told me a great story. He read and sang for the replacement role as The Phantom (yes, THE coveted Broadway Phantom) while still sporting long hair, a beard and an earring. He had literally just come off of a touring role in Jesus Christ Superstar and couldn't look less like the elegant Phantom of the Opera if he tried. This audition was for none other than the illustrious Hal Prince. This actor didn't have time for a makeover. But he gave a heartfelt audition and won the part!!</p>

<p>This being said, if it makes your daughter feel more comfortable, she can bring a dowdy looking cardigan and just slip it on before her monologue. But it is truly not needed if she is properly prepared to perform. Directors like to see versatility. The great Lilly Tomlin, Whoppee Goldberg or Carol Burnett can morph from one character into another just by using their enormous talents. In the end, your D's talent (and a bit of luck) will win determine the outcome.</p>

<p>i agree with you. i know it can be done, but i just thought it might be a little better for clothes to fit the character. on the other hand, i'd hate for them to think she just dresssed poorly. i think, in the end, she just needs to wear her nice clothes. thanks for the input from everyone, it always helps to ask questions on this forum. jamie</p>