audition songs/ monologues

<p>Very interesting! Cameoboi, that would be a great bit of info to remember, just in case someone at an audition objects to that song!</p>

<p>For what it is worth my daughter used a song from a movie musical that never was used in any play anywhere. Written way before 1950, she had great success with this song, received many compliments about it. It was written by aan icon in the musical theatrer business. She was accepted tko Oklahoma City University, Boston Conservatory, and several other programs using this song, and is currently a freshman in the MT BFA program at Penn State.</p>

<p>oh by the way, do you know the background of the night luster monologue?? what is it about anyway??</p>

<p>Usually I admonish students to "do your homework" before asking questions about pieces - to read the whole play - but NIGHT LUSTER isn't in print (only the one monologue in a monologue book), so I'll throw you a bone:</p>

<p>The author, Laura Harrington, teaches playwriting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You might do a little research on that school's website, and find her email address. I'd bet she'd be generous enough to either point you to where you can get the play or, if not in print, share the context with you.</p>

<p>I do, however, caution you against using this monologue for several reasons:</p>

<p>1) it is primarily a passive piece - all emotion, no objective = potentially self-indulgent and non-theatrical (i.e., boring).</p>

<p>2) several colleges list this on their "Do Not Use" list because it is done to death! You don't want the auditors to stop listening fully as soon as you announce your piece, simply because they have heard it done (often poorly) by many other prospective students.</p>

<p>Just my two cents. Good luck with your auditions.</p>

<p>Hey I too have a question, I'm sorry if it has been asked before but mine is more personalized so to speak...</p>

<p>Okay this was my issue...Originally I was going to sing Gethsamane for my ballad...But decided to change it because it's just tooo tricky technically between how people would view my mix and the whole legit vs. rock deal...</p>

<p>However to replace the song I have two options...Either sing
A.) Why God, Why? which happens to be a terribly overused audition song for male tenors....However it's a song that I am very confident in and I know I can nail it just because I've worked on it a lot over the past year especially this past summer at the CAP21 precollege program...It's one of my best in regards to my repetorie....
or
B.) Sing a new song that is rather legit and is from 1952 and I know for a fact that it's not overused...I have the capability of nailing this song too...However my first audition is February 1st, so I have a little over a month to learn and master the song....</p>

<p>The only issue with this option is the time restriction of it being a month and that means that both my songs are legit, this one from 1952 and the other opened in 1956....</p>

<p>It sounds like you mean that both your songs (if you don't do Why God Why) will be classic/Golden Age MT songs - meaning the era of composition. I haven't heard you sing, but Why God Why and Gethsemane don't really show off the same vocal qualities - Gethsemane is a true rock, "scream"-mix kind of song (if you sing the highest part), but Why God Why is pop-contemporary (it's not viewed as a rock song) and therefore usually actually shows off many of the same vocal qualities as a legit song - it's the musical style that's different. The money notes of Why God Why should be just as full and "sung", with legit technique, as those of a legit song - whereas in Gethsemane most people actually do type of falsetto "scream" at the top of Gethsemane ("Whhhhhyyyy - should I die....") - b/c the top of Gethsemane is a lot higher than that of Why God, and very few men have a head voice that actually sits up that high. (The exceptions I can think of are some metal band singers like Sebastian Bach, who went on to do Jekyll and Hyde with a score that was transposed UP for him - crazy!!! ;), and someone like Michael Longoria, who is now Frankie in Jersey Boys and has a naturally very high voice.) But in Why God, you may riff a little, scoop/slide into notes, etc. - whereas you'd likely sing a legit song a lot more "straight".</p>

<p>Why God is also a ballad, unless you sing the middle ("When I went home before, no one talked of the war...") - so make sure your two songs contrast in tempo and emotional/acting content. But if your classic song is an uptempo, then I'd say do it and Why God - if you truly sing the heck out of Why God. Yes, it's overdone, but if you own it, especially if you other song is NOT overdone, you should go for it. :)</p>

<p>^That was my bad....I was just a tad flustered being that I had a mini nervous break down on Christmas Eve for college auditions...i mean my possible new song....Miss Saigon is very 80s as I'm sure where all aware pop contemporary as you mentioned....And all the complications with Gethsamane is why I'm dropping it...I'm working on that part of my voice...especially with the spring awakening deal here and of how rock-esque shows for musical theatre may certainly be on the horizon...So I was just trying to see if I could possibly showcase that talent for my auditon...And then I was like ummmm no....</p>

<p>I'm going to try and learn that new legit song which is from a show from 1952 that I'm attepmting to keep on the down low if you know what I mean...If I'm not "feeling" the song and do not feel that i have the capability of pulling it off in a month then hello Miss Saigon....I'd just have to work on the vocal performance and ensuring that I'm connecting with the song for Why god, Why?.....oh life</p>

<p>I have a monologue-related question...</p>

<p>I'm auditioning for MT/Acting programs this February, and am considering a piece from "Class Action" by Brad Slaight. The piece is about a guy and the sock puppet he makes to channel his anger - is this piece overused? I've heard it before but don't know if that was just by chance or if it is in fact an overdone piece.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>I've been searching for quite awhile now.. and I've just run out of leads.
I'm looking for a high, bright, belty uptempo to contrast my incredibly legit ballad. I've been pouring through youtube clips and cast recordings for literally months.. and nothing has really GRABBED me. I'm running out of time, and I NEED to make a selection. ANY help at all anyone could give me.. whether it be a song suggestion.. or just a musical to look into.. I am willing to do the work myself, and I have been.. I just need somewhere to go from here.</p>

<p>Any help is GREATLY appreciated. </p>

<p>(i've read all 40 pages of this thread.. written down, and looked into every song/show mentioned already.)</p>

<p>I know that you realize that many people will come back with "without knowing you, it is impossible to recommend anything". Why don't you try to explain in a bit more detail "your type", your strengths, i.e. what parts have you played etc? I think some of us will then try and get you going :).</p>

<p>I don't think anyone has mentioned these 2 shows, so you might want to check them out: "I Can Get it For You Wholesale" and "Closer Than Ever.".</p>

<p>Starting Here, Starting Now by Maltby and Shire (as is Closer Than Ever) is a good show for pop-y material.</p>

<p>My daughter also did a very high legit soprano ballad and used "You've Got Possibilities" from It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman as her up-tempo. Was a contrast that worked for her.</p>

<p>I hate to say it for fear of sounding ungrateful..</p>

<p>...but I've looked through all of those already.</p>

<p>You've got possibilities is actually kind of up there on my list...but something about it doesn't feel right.</p>

<p>Miss Byrd is nice.. but I just don't feel comfortable doing something so sexual for such an important audition.</p>

<p>Miss Marmelstein.. is actually ridiculously done to death around here.. and while it may not be so on the college circuit.. It' just forever scarred to me.</p>

<p>And, as for describing myself.. I didn't want to get too into detail because I was afraid it'd seem like I was asking you all to do the work for me. I'm 17, obviously a girl, haha, about 5'7" dark hair dark eyed. Vocally my legit range is from about A3 - E6. My tone is kind of dark for a soprano...and I almost prefer my mezzo range more. What I'm looking for is a belty piece, though. Something high and bright, because I can do that, as well as the low, huge liza belt, and I really feel that the bright belt is more 'broadway now' to contrast showing that I actually CAN sing legit and do the classic style well.</p>

<p>As An actress.. I tend to read older on stage. If I had to 'type' myself.. I'd probably say I'm a mix between a character actress, and the unconventional ingenue. Think Millie, Elphaba, Sally Bowles, Christine Colgate, the leading lady with a twist. Something funny, sassy, standout, and really Like blow your face off-belt is what I'm looking for. I don't want to be forgotten, you know? It doesn't have to be obscure.. just not overdone. I think I'm getting a bit too picky and need to just FIND SOMETHING.. but for as long as I still have time (I'm giving myself until the end of christmas break) to look, I want to keep searching for 'THE' song.</p>

<p>Thanks again, guys.
I don't post much, but I've been reading for a long long time, and have learned SO MUCH. It's so great to know that when I need help all I have to do is ask and not even an hour later there are a bunch of replies.</p>

<p>Thanks,
Bianca</p>

<p>How about "Welcome To The World" from John & Jen.</p>

<p>syrso2, I know that many will say that The Wild Party (both) are overdone but I don't necessarily agree with that. Have you had a look at both? I prefer LaChiusa, unlike most people, but I think that Lippa's version may have a better choice of songs for you. </p>

<p>Or, have you listened to See What I Wanna See? Or how about Elegies: A Song Cycle? Or The Great American Trailer Park Musical? There were a few songs in that that Orfeh did a great job with, although not sure if the sheet music is available.</p>

<p>"I Want to go to Hollywood" ... "Little Bit Off"... "What about Today?" ?? it's very difficult to play, but the end of "Meadowlark".</p>

<p>Aahh thank you all for suggestions.</p>

<p>I think I'm up and rolling again.</p>

<p>I WILL find my song.</p>

<p>and of course I'll let you all know what I choose.. AFTER the season's done. ;)</p>

<p>Thanks SO MUCH CC.
this is a PRICELESS resource.</p>

<p>There are so many songs that are good possibilities. I know you want to find the "right" song but it could be that you are so caught up in finding the "right" song that you may never find it, LOL. See if you find a few that are good for you and sing them and get an opinion from a voice teacher as to which song shows you off the best. It is not as important that you pick the best song but more that you pick the song that will show your skill set the best. </p>

<p>Others gave you some really good suggestions. I agree with AlwaysAMom that The Wild Party (Lippa) has several good belt songs. I think she and others suggested some other good musicals to look at. </p>

<p>So, do you have an amazing belt? </p>

<p>Some belt songs, given your description in your post, to check out:</p>

<p>I Want to Go to Hollywood from Grand Hotel (agree with KatMT!)
You Can Always Count on Me from City of Angels
Shopping Around from Wish You Were Here
The Spark of Creation from Children of Eden
I Want It All from Baby
Lights of Broadway from The Wild Party (La Chiusa)
Raise the Roof from The Wild Party (Lippa)
Here I Am from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (though is a recent Bdway show)
The Story Goes On from Baby
Home from The Wiz
I Got Love from Purlie
Wherever He Ain't from Mack and Mabel
Look What Happened to Mabel from Mack and Mabel
Change from A New Brain
The Other Side of the Tracks (fast version) from Little Me
What Do I have That I Don't Have from On a Clear Day</p>

<p>(some of those are contemporary and some are not)</p>

<p>Thanks! There's a ton to pick from, there, and I think I found another that I fell for as well.</p>

<p>Just a question, though.</p>

<p>Do you think singing something gilbert and sullivan is appropriate for these auditions, or is that too opera?</p>