<p>Okay i have a dilemma... I REALLY want to sing On the Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady (i'm a tenor) for my upcoming college audition. I feel that it suits my voice best and showcases me tremendously. However, i have heard that it is a little overdone. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like im singing from Les Mis or Rent, but still... Should i sacrifice my best song just because it may be a little overdone??
Advice would be great!
Thanks in advance!!!</p>
<p>Michael</p>
<p>Check out the two threads here "Do not use lists" and "audition songs/monologues" - they are right under the thread you just started. I think someone else recently posted the same question about that song choice. Once you are in the thread you can go to the "search this thread" feature and type in the name of the song.</p>
<p>In my opinion, applicants get too caught up in finding a unique song for their college auditions. That is not the end all and be all and in fact, you don't earn extra points for singing a song that nobody else has chosen. What you DO want to avoid are the MOST overdone songs....like you say, from RENT, Les Mis, or Wicked or Millie. But if you choose a song that some others may also sing, that is OK if you feel it truly shows you off very well and you can make it your own. It sounds to me that you feel this song is well suited to you and at this juncture with auditions coming up, I would go with it. I have a student singing that song for schools that want pre-1960 but he has chosen other songs (less common) for his other schools. So, you won't be the only one singing this song but as long as 50 people before you are not singing it, I think it is fine. In my opinion, it is more important to address the issue of: "what songs suit me well that show off what I can do and I can sing/act them wonderfully" than "what songs are the most unique that I could pick." And as an aside, I happen to love this song. :) </p>
<p>Go knock 'em dead with it.</p>
<p>I believe you should go for it. My son had it in his top 5 a couple years ago when he was auditioning, and I've not heard since that it was overdone. As the others have stated, if it feels that right to you, use it!</p>
<p>It definitely IS a commonly sung audition song but I think if you avoid the MOST overdone, that's the main thing. Singing a common song is not the worst thing if you can make it your own. You may be compared to others' renditions of it though. But it is OK to sing something that others may also sing. Just avoid the hit songs that are OVERLY done to death. On the Street Where You Live is at least a classic MT song, and not the latest hit MT song.</p>
<p>I absolutely agree with the advice you've gotten here. However, have an alternate ready, just in case. When my D auditioned a few years ago, she had a favorite belt song. At one audition, 3 people sang it right before she went in, so she pulled out her alternate song. She never heard the song again at any of her other auditions!</p>
<p>I actually did My Corner of the Sky from Pippin at one of my auditions and the man auditioning me actually said "Wow.. It's been such a long time since I've heard that, great job" and we went on to talk about how everyone isn't really using them because theyre on the "do not use list" that would mean I'd be one of the rare ones to use it.</p>
<p>It just goes to show, those are still great songs that are so cautious of being overdone, nobody has done them in years.</p>
<p>Either that, or the auditioner laughs in your face</p>
<p>I would agree with onstage and would like to add that no matter WHAT songs you bring to auditions, have back up songs in each category also in your audition book just in case.</p>
<p>I think On the street where you live would be a fine selection. I actually know many people who have ended up not using because they feared it was overdone, which really means not many people are using it anymore.</p>
<p>I actually had a song dilemma of my own! I really wanted to sing You Don't Know This Man from Parade, but I've heard many people say don't do Jason Robert Brown. However I've talked to many directors and they've all said since it isn't the typical JRB song with difficult accompaniment and difficult cuts, they said it should be fine.. but then I also saw that CCM doesn't want songs that are "excessively emotional." Should I continue on with this song? I think it really showcases my voice and acting better than any other song I've found. Or should I just not use it for CCM, but for all my other auditions which are, Emerson, Webster, Otterbein, Ithaca, Carnegie, Miami, OU, Elon and maybe Baldwin-Wallace? Thanks so much for your help, I've really been stressing over this!</p>
<p>i wouldn't do it for CCM.. it's pretty emotional. However, it IS a great song, so you should undoubtedly use it for the others. I would use a backup for CCM though; i have heard that they are VERY strict about instructions and will disregard an applicant just because they didn't follow directions. In short, don't take the risk -- especially with a school like CCM who can afford to throw away talented applicants for stupid reasons.</p>
<p>Thank all of you so much for your help!!</p>
<p>I have been on several University sites and can not locate the do not use list for college auditions. Please let me know where can I find for my son’s audition? Should you add anything to your song - ie. a bit of tap?</p>
<p>Here is a “Do Not Use” thread which was started several years ago. Some schools have their own lists which are likely updated yearly so check on their websites.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/90869-do-not-use-list-auditions.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/90869-do-not-use-list-auditions.html</a></p>
<p>I think every auditioner should have an alternate song or two at the ready. You never know from one audition to the next how things might go. But you should be as well prepared to sing them as you would your primary songs. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the awkward position of singing them less than perfectly. </p>
<p>I don’t know about other colleges, but NYU requests your two anticipated audition songs (by titles and composers) be submitted via the Tisch Audition application. So when you arrive in The Room at your scheduled audition, they have your information in front of them. My son brought his hardcopy headshot and resume, for instance, and was told they were not necessary because he had submitted them via his online application. (Always bring your headshot and resume anyway!) He was anxious about one of his planned songs and asked if he could switch to an alternate one (which he had brought along in his book). They politely declined and asked him to go ahead with his original song. Which he slightly flubbed out of nerves, lol! Still, happily, he was accepted to NYU.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>CCM used to post a “do not sing” list on their website, listing songs that are overdone or inappropriate. It’s a very informative site to look at even if you are not auditioning there. </p>
<p>It is a good idea to have alternate songs. My D used some of her alternates at several auditions, when she heard other students singing some of her first choice songs.</p>
<p>NO – don’t add any tap or dance to your vocal audition! Most schools will have a separate dance audition, and prefer to focus on vocals (and your ability to act the song) when you are singing.</p>
<p>The audition panel can see on your resume that you are a dancer, if they care about it, during the singing portion. Save your moves for the dance portion! 
(this from several musical theatre audition classes daughter attended over the years)</p>
<p>Third the advice of onstage and classicalbk. Treat your song like a monologue on pitch. Who are you taking to and what do you want? Most schools will have a dance audition as well for you to highlight dance ability.</p>
<p>To the OP, my S used On the Street Where You Live as his 32 bar cut and I think he even went slightly over without being stopped for his NYU audition. He also used a Sondheim song another well discussed no-no. He felt it was more important to focus on HIS audition and what strengths he wished to showcase then to worry about what anyone else was doing or what they thought about his choices. Besides, a top NYC audition coach once told him that it doesn’t really matter if you sing a song they’ve heard before if you sing it better than anyone else! He did get in by the way. Good luck!</p>
<p>I don’t think it is a matter of finding a song that they have never heard before. But they do get sick of hearing the same songs over and and over. Who wants to be the student standing up there ready to sing, and having some on the audition panel roll their eyes or sigh because it’s the 25th time that day they have heard that song. And sure, people get accepted after singing these oft sung songs all of the time. My son went in with Sit Down, Empty Chairs and a well know Italian 24 and he was accepted, but he did get the eye roll and sigh with Empty Chairs at one school.</p>
<p>All we are suggesting is use these guidelines to help insure your success. And of course good singing and confidence are very necessary!</p>
<p>“On the Street Where You Live” is not a bad option, and is a rather pretty song. If you feel strongly enough about this song, go for it. But just be aware that there is a gold mine of repertoire out there waiting to be sung. If you are not 100% sure with “On the Street”, try something from a less popular musical.</p>