Hello, I’m a junior in High School and I am interested in participating at the college auditions at my state’s Thespian Festival. My biggest fear is that I actually can’t sing and will get so invested in this major and get rejected from alll schools. I believe this ‘mock’ audition, let’s call it, will help me figure out where I stand.
Anyway, I am trying to gather a good set of songs to use there, ideally ones that would work at the real college auditions. I would like a variety. The big road bump I run into is that I need something age appropriate, but I am also a bass. For instance, my favorite song to sing is Some Enchanted Evening but I don’t really look the part, I am tall (6’2) and give off the look as a Jack from Into the Woods or Gabe from Next to Normal but most of these type of roles are made for tenors.
Right now here is my list of songs I want to use.
Some Enchanted Evening - South Pacific
Younger Than Springtime - South Pacific
Why - Tick, Tick… Boom
No One Has Ever Loved Me - Passion
No More - Into the Woods
No One Is Alone - Into the Woods
My Friends - Sweeney Todd
Johanna - Sweeney Todd
Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful - Cinderella
The Girl That I Marry - Annie Get Your Gun
Till I Hear You Sing - Love Never Dies
I’m curious, which of these would work and which wouldn’t, I am never sure what qualifies as overdone or not college audition appropriate. Also if you have any good song suggestions that would be awesome.
Based on postings here on CC, basses seem to be in relatively high demand for college programs, so if you truly can sing theses songs well, go for it. Unfortunately, anything by Sondheim is generally considered a “Do Not Sing” for college auditions - even though they may be OK for a scholarship competition/festival. What kind of vocal training do you have? What is your range?
The Sondheim “no no” is generally due to the fact that it is complicated. But Sweeney sung by a rich, bass voice sounds fantastic. South Pacific and/or Annie Bet Your Gun can work for an audition- it is often recommended to have something from the pre 1970 era. You are right that you are not the correct age for some of those parts, but I think there’s a little more leeway with college auditions- after all, if a college does one of these shows, they will be using people your age. The most important part of song choice (within general guidelines, don’t sing things that are overdone, currently on bway etc) is to pick something you feel a connection to, that shows off the best of your voice, and you will feel great singing
Some other ideas:
Bass: Ballad
Traditional / Legit style
There’s No Reason in the World from Milk and Honey
I Will Follow You from Milk and Honey
If Ever I Would Leave You from Camelot
She’s My Love from Carnival
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ from Oklahoma!
Bass: Uptempo
Traditional / Legit style
C’est Moi from Camelot
Where is the Life of Late I Led? From Kiss Me, Kate
Why are you concerned you really can’t sing? Do you have a coach, been in musicals etc?
I would also say that Till I Hear You Sing would be a big no. Look at some of these!
All I Care About-Chicago
Razzle Dazzle-Chicago
Coffee Shop Nights-Curtains
The Colors of My Life-Barnum
Gaston-Beauty and the Beast
The Greatest Star of All-Sunset Boulevard
Justice Will Be Done-Martin Guerre
No Other Way-Tarzan
A Secretary Is Not A Toy-How To Succeed
Purpose-Avenue Q
Make Them Hear You-Ragtime
All of those (besides H2S) Will give you more options in the post 1970 Category
@mom4bwayboy That’s good to hear. I do love me some Sondheim so that unfortunately cuts out a lot of my list. I’m in choir at my high school and I’ve taken about 6 months of voice lessons, it’ll be another year till I audition though. My range is D2-E4. But there’s defiantly room for growth before next year.
@MTMajorCook I think, like everyone, I am nervous that I don’t have what it takes. I am not the kid who always gets the lead in our high school musical. I do have a big passion for musical theatre more than anyone I know. My soundcloud is Wesley Hortenbach.
@stageman181 A lot of the songs you suggested are very high for a bass range.
Then you might as well sing old man river. If you can hit all the notes in till i hear you sing, as you said you could sing earlier, you can sing every note in every song i mentioned thank you very much.
While it is a lovely song and I can hit the notes, I don’t think Old Man River would be an approximate song for me.
I’m sorry, I should have mentioned when I like to sing Till I Hear You Sing it’s down a third.
@ParachuteBoy - I see, its hard to have such confidence. Once you find your material and fell comfortable with it hopefully that will help.
Have you tried any of the Anthology books by Hal Leonard? There is a Baritone/Bass volume. My S sometimes pulls from these books. He doesn’t necessarily use the published songs but he refers to the musicals for other numbers.
Coming from a fellow Baritone/Bass, maybe look at these:
“I’ll Be Here” from Lippa’s The Wild Party
“It’s Got to Be Love” from On Your Toes
“Lost in the Darkness” from Jekyll & Hyde
“It’s Hard to Speak My Heart” from Parade
“Don’t Go” from Cabaret
I’m not sure if all of them would be suitable for auditions but might be worth looking at even just to add to repertoire. Hope this helps 