Do not use list for auditions

<p>Hey, I'm just starting to look for songs to do for my auditions for this upcoming year. I'm a true true soprano and have a hard time finding up-tempos that show off my voice...does anyone have any ideas? thanks!</p>

<p>It's very difficult to recommend specific songs for you without having heard your voice. That being said, you might try looking at almost anything written by George Gershwin. Most of his songs are not overdone, and even his uptempo songs tend to be in soprano range.</p>

<p>Okay, I know this thread is pretty much about songs but I have a monologue question...Angels in America...I found a monologue I really love in this and I'm not sure if it would be okay for college auditions. The schools I am auditioning for have no "do not use list" but ask for contemporary monologues. Do you think I would be okay with this? Is it overdone or anything?</p>

<p>I do not think Angels in America is overdone in college auditions. What character? Most of the characters in Angels in America are significantly older than 17 and many schools suggest (or require) you use a monologue by a character close to your own age.</p>

<p>Okay cool! Louis. I mean, he is described as "young" but I know that's not like college aged or anything. A friend from NYU suggested it to me so I thought it might be okay. I'll be 19 for most of my auditions, and I know that's not that far from 17, but still I think it will be okay. I definitely don't look like a 17 year old either. The audition requirement just says a contemporary monologue no longer than 60 seconds.</p>

<p>Bruce, which monologue is it? Does it come from Millenium Approaches or Perestroika? I'd have the same concern as Kat expressed. Louis could not be played by a 19 year old. Ben Shenkman was 35 when he played the role in the film version, and Joe Mantello was probably just slightly younger than that when he played the role on Broadway. The other issue, I guess, is that if you were to choose this monologue, you should probably read the entire piece, meaning both parts of the play, which in the busy time of audition prep is time-consuming. :)</p>

<p>As for it being overdone? I don't think that's the case simply because there aren't really any age appropriate characters.</p>

<p>Millennium Approaches. I already read it. Took a few hours. I'm half way through Perestroika. The one where Louis is talking to Belize at the coffee shop at the end of scene 2. Time isn't really an issue. I have A LOT of free time...obviously if I am checking this website this much :) lol
I wouldn't necessarily have even read this play in my search because I just assumed they would be too old, but an acting major at NYU suggested it to me.</p>

<p>Are Little Women songs for guys safe to use?</p>

<p>Are "Hard to Speak My Heart" from Parade and "She Loves Me" from She Loves Me alright?</p>

<p>freedom: I've never seen the printed music for "Hard to Speak My Heart" -- sometimes Jason Robert Brown's songs are difficult to play. I like "She Loves Me" for a young man -- and I've never heard it mentioned as overdone.</p>

<p>typecastme: the only song I know of that's overdone from Little Women is "Amazing" -- my guess is that you're OK with that show.</p>

<p>It's not hard at all. I'm "proficient" on the piano, but not spectacular and I can sightread it with few problems, so I'm sure someone who has studied piano for years could play it no problem. It's basically just one chord played throughout with some small interludes where it might seem hard for a little while.</p>

<p>I thought the overdone song from Little Women is Astonishing, which is for a female anyway.</p>

<p>"Astonishing" is very overdone, as is "She Loves Me" - but I think "She Loves Me" is ok if you absolutely own it. I'd avoid "Astonishing," as any of Sutton Foster's belt "anthems" tend to be sung often and badly, thereby biasiing auditos against them. </p>

<p>"Take A Chance On Me" is the big male song from Little Women. It's not as overdone as the female stuff for college auditions, althought it's somewhat overdone professionally. It's HARD to sing well, so if you really nail those high notes without pushing or pressing at all, it may be a good choice - cause not many people will! :)</p>

<p>Good luck!!!</p>

<p>Oops -- it is Astonishing, not Amazing. Sorry!</p>

<p>"omstage", I think you meant to say "Astonishing" not "Amazing", since the former exists and the latter does not! The male songs from "Little Women" aren't very good, so really, try looking elsewhere. As for playing anything written by JRB, he's almost in the catagory with Sondheim- unless you are taking your own acompanist, stay away if at all possible.
What is your voice type and are you loking for a ballad, up-tempo, how many bars,etc?</p>

<p>This song isn't hard at all. It's basically just a Bb and Eb played over and over again with a series of really slow base chords. It's really slow tempo, too. It's easier than She Loves Me, and that is rather easy.</p>

<p>You should be okay at most schools through...or at least at Elon. They rehearse with you and are really amazing. They have the amazing pianists. I dida Sondheim and another really hard song to play and they had no problems at all.</p>

<p>I have to respectfully disagree with LulusMomma about the male songs from "Little Women" -- I happen to like them, especially the one that CoachC mentioned, "Take a Chance on Me". Anyway, our opinions don't really matter -- if YOU like a song, and you sing it well, then it's probably a good choice!</p>

<p>Avtussel--monologue</p>

<p>If you want a Shakespearean monologue--try the Queen in Cymbeline--I think there's a part where's she's plotting against Imogen in Act I or II that works really well.</p>

<p>"Moliere also writes in rhyming couplets."</p>

<p>He may in the original French (which I don't speak or read so I am not sure how true this statement his), but his translators render his plays in both prose and verse--so be careful. I know Wilbur did a great translation of Tartuffe in rhymed couplets, but I also had studied a Tartuffe in verse the same year (can't remember who translated into prose).</p>