<p>One of my all time favorite plays ever is Brighton Beach Memiors. However I'm just guessing that it is overdone. Outside of my tiny community I had no idea that it was a popular play haha. I don't look 14 physically though, and it would be a stretch I think. I'm always told I look older, and in local productions I'm always cast as the older characters...</p>
<p>Yes, that's a great show and a wonderful role -- but I have seen that play listed on "overdone" lists.</p>
<p>I am auditioning for AMDA in about a month or so. I was looking at different songs and monologues (sp?). I was thinking something along the lines of Durang for my monologue and for my song. I want one of them to definetely be from Jason Robert Brown's "The Last 5 Years". I'm unsure of what my second song should be or if my ideas are even good in the first place? Any advice?</p>
<p>Be very careful about choosing anything by Jason Robert Brown for auditions. My son enjoys performing a lot of his work, too, but excluded it from his audition choices because of the difficult piano arrangements.</p>
<p>Yes, definitely stay away from Last five years, it is so terribly overdone now, not to mention rarely age appropriate for those auditioning for colleges. Most Jason Robert Brown is very overdone now, although some songs are still "useable"....at least in the UK....</p>
<p>I have a song that I want to sing for an audition but...one of the people that is going to be sitting in on the auditions is currently in the show that the song is from. Should I stay away from that song because that person probably will have heard a million times already from the show and might be sick of it/might have heard a better version of it recently?</p>
<p>typecast22 - unless you truly "own the song", I would recommend that you stay away from it. I am not sure how influencial this person is, but why take a chance if you are not entirely sure. On the other hand, if it is a song that shows off your vocals, and you sing it possible better than the person in the cast, it may work in your advantage :).</p>
<p>Hello!! i'm lily a new member here.. Well, I am applying MT in university for the intake 2008-2009 but since I'm an international student and can't go for the audition, I have to send them a DVD of my performances in acting, dancing, and singing. I have to do one monologue as well. I'm so confused what monologue and songs to be performed.</p>
<p>For singing I must perform two songs from memory, in English. Each song should be from a musical theatre source and be contrasting in style showing my range and technique. And for acting I must perform one monologue from memory in English. </p>
<p>I'm a 17 year-old-teenage-girl. I'm a soprano and i'm short, only 5'0 or 5'1. And loads of people say that I look younger than 17.. Can you please help me to choose the monologue and the songs?</p>
<p>I plan to sing
"Castle on a cloud" - Les Miserables
and
"I can hear the bells" - Hairspray </p>
<p>do you think those songs suit me?? </p>
<p>and for the monologue.. i still haven't known yet... have any ideas?? what about cosette's monologue?? do you think it suits me??</p>
<p>Hi - Welcome to CC! You have a challenge, having to audition by DVD. </p>
<p>As for your songs - since "Castle on a Cloud" is sung by young Cosette in Les Mis - it is not really that age appropriate.....it is a pretty song - but it probably won't help you to look/sound older. And "I Can Hear the Bells" is a great song, too. They would both probably be considered ballads, though - and most schools like you to sing one ballad and one up-tempo. Some schools also prefer you to not sing anything that is currently on Broadway. Do you know any older shows? There is lots of information here on CC - and on this thread - about song choices. Read through some old posts and you might get some ideas. Good luck!</p>
<p>Typecastme22 - Conventional wisdom is that you should choose another song. It is generally not a good idea to invite comparison with the professional performance of a song in a currently running show. Instead of really focusing on you, there is the risk that attention will be focused on a comparison between you and the performer who performs the song in the show. This would seem to be particularly so where one of the auditors is in the show. Even if you bring something special to the performance of the song, if it is in a current show there's a real risk that the focus will be on comparing and contrasting how you perform the song with how it is performed in the show and you don't want to be evaluated based on an external reference instead of on your own performance.</p>
<p>Thanks. I agree with that. I think I am going to stay away from it just to be on the safe side.
Although the other song I was thinking of using was the staple song for the "rockstar" of last year's graduating class. He is now in a national tour. So I should probably stay away from that for a year or two.
Oh the joys of finding audition material....</p>
<p>Hi Lily - my daughter is a lot like you. She's only 4'11 and is also very young looking AND a soprano. She sang "Should I Be Sweet" for her NYU audition, which is upbeat, and a ballad from "Hunchback", but I can't recall the song; I've never heard her sing it! I don't remember the monologue she did, either, but I know Kristen Chenoweth sings "Should I Be Sweet". Good luck!!</p>
<p>Lily -- I agree that you should stay away from "Castle on a Cloud" -- it really isn't age-appropriate even if you look young. Stay away from her monologue for the same reason. In addition, many schools prefer that you do not perform a monologue from a musical. Just off the top of my head, take a look at "Member of the Wedding", or "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" -- if you have a young look, some of those characters may work for you.</p>
<p>thank you guys! i think you're right that i should stay away from "castle on a cloud". my vocal teacher also said the other days that that song doesn't show my voice range.. well, I'd like to apply to Lasalle College of The Arts.. It's in Singapore. I'm from Indonesia anyway. It's so hard for me because honestly I don't really know about musical theatre.. In Indonesia, MT isn't that popular. Even in my school, there's only me who will continue my study in MT major. We don't have theatre club in my school and all. But since I love dancing, acting, and singing. I'd like to try to take the MT major in the college.. oh by the way, there are some criteria from that college. </p>
<p>Audition: You must be prepared to demonstrate your aptitude for Singing, Acting and Dance.
1. Singing
You must perform two songs from memory, in English. Each song should be from a musical theatre source and be contrasting in style showing your range and technique. The combined duration of the songs should not exceed four minutes. All songs must be performed with live piano accompaniment. </p>
<p>Note: Choose songs that are appropriate for your age, experience and are not at the extremes of your vocal range. We prefer to hear performances of works that you feel comfortable with rather than something that will cause you difficulty. </p>
<ol>
<li>Acting
You must perform one monologue from memory in English not exceeding three minutes in duration. Please provide the audition panel with a copy of your speech. </li>
</ol>
<p>Note: Choose an acting piece that is appropriate for your age and experience. If possible, read the entire play from which your speech is taken. This will give you a greater understanding when performing a small section of the play. Use minimum props and only if they are essential to the piece. </p>
<ol>
<li>Dance
You are NOT required to prepare any dance material for this initial audition. However, it is advisable to bring dance gear with you should the audition panel ask you to audition for a dance class at that time. </li>
</ol>
<p>(LASALLE</a> College of the Arts - Bachelor of Arts)</p>
<p>So, I shouldn't perform a monologue from a musical then? but why? I thought I had to do monologue from musical if I wanted to take MT for the major.. What about a monologue "Ursula" from "Bye Bye Birdie"? I think I can perform the monologue well since my character is similar like ursula.. I can be hyper anyway. Oh it's so hard for me to choose. I wish my school taught us about musical theatre... </p>
<p>Is "I can hear the bell" a ballad? I didn't know that before. The only thing I know was that song is a fast song.. Now, I've to look for a slow song. What do you think??</p>
<p>I have emailed you. By the way, monologues from musicals rarely exist because most "musical monologues" are songs. Those that do exist are usually nowhere near as good as monologues from non-musical pieces and are also - often very overdone. You may be training in MT but in such a competitive industry you need to be ready work in every field, be it MT, a play, television, commercials, film and much much more. "I can hear the bells" is bound to be very overdone due to the popularity of the Hairspray movie at the moment and it being such a success on Broadway. I personally would avoid it and also "Castle on a cloud".</p>
<p>The Ursula monologue would probably not be a good choice, because it doesn't show much range -- being "hyper" is not really an acting challenge! Although the LaSalle specifications did not specifically say the monologue must be from a non-musical, that is what most schools prefer.</p>
<p>Whatever ballad you choose should be a strong contrast to your uptempo song. For example, if you have a belty comedy uptempo song, choose a more legit serious ballad. It's very difficult to suggest songs for you, since we don't know your range or the quality of your voice. But in general, stay away from very current shows like Hairspray.</p>
<p>Check out the following website: Audition</a> DOs and DON'Ts
It has some very good guidelines that may help you.</p>
<p>Generally speaking it is better to find a monologue from a play NOT from a musical (some schools actually specify this) UNLESS the school specifically requests that you do a monologue from a musical.</p>
<p>oh anyway, where can i find elisabeth's monologue from catholic school girls? i think i'd like to do that monologue..</p>
<p>Buy the play?</p>
<p>Catholic School Girls is available from Samuel French for $7.50:</p>
<p>Samuel</a> French, Inc. The House of Plays & Musical Plays for Over 175 Years</p>
<p>PS, I have her monologue if you want to email me but you DEFINITELY still need to read the entire play if you choose to audition with this monologue.</p>