<p>Hey, everyone. </p>
<p>I'm auditioning shortly for NYU and Ithaca, and I was wondering if anyone could give me feedback on some of the songs I'm considering...they are:</p>
<p>-Honey Bun, South Pacific
-Unexpected Song, Song and Dance
-Come to Your Senses, Tick, Tick...BOOM!
-Stranger in Paradise, Kismet
-The Love of My Life, Brigadoon
-Diamond's are a Girl's Best Friend, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</p>
<p>Thanks in advance! :)</p>
<p>This is just my VERY humble opinion, but I would stay away from Unexpected Song and Diamonds. Unexpected Song shows great range, belty and high, but I think perhaps it is overdone. Diamonds, I don't think, shows any range whatsoever. Although anyone singing it besides Carol Channing would be an improvement, lol!
Having said that, if you pick a song that's overdone and sing it masterfully, I can't see how that would be used against you! Have I confused you yet??</p>
<p>what do you guys think of johnny one note, from babes in arms?</p>
<p>Wow thank you so much for the reccomendations. I finally found a song that is useable (Baby Let's Dance by Cole Porter, from the show Les Revue de Ambassedurs). Thank you thank you thank you everyone for all of your help.</p>
<p>Does anyone have an opinion on 'Love Look Away' from Flower Drum Song, 'Waiting for Life' from Once on This Island, and the sex goddess monologue from Kennedy's Children? I am currently preparing for Cap21 summer program auditions.</p>
<p>Unless you are Asian for the first song or African-American for the second song, you should not use them (in my opinion).</p>
<p>The monologue you mention is narrative, as I remember - telling a story about a past event without revealing anything profound in the present tense (a dangerous trap in choosing monologues). If you can't find what is active, conflict in the here-and-now, then you should look for a stronger potential piece.</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>OK how about stuff from West Side story??? Somethings coming, or Maria, For instance.
Thats sondheim is that a no no? im confused on that.
And what about Changing registers on stuff?? aka "How are things in Glocca Morra" from finians rainbow, Yet in a low register like Sinatra. Just curious. These things make me more nervous than my Boco Auditions themselves.</p>
<p>West Side- Don't bother. WAY overdone, AND its Sondheim.</p>
<p>Actually, it's Bernstein (Sondheim lyrics only). It is done often, but is remarkably actable...just hard as heck to play well - especially "Something's Coming," with the rhythm/meter (so you might be doing yourself a disservice in choosing that). Maria is fairly easy to play, and is luscious, I think! It also shows great range.</p>
<p>If you transpose a song to a different key, be prepared to explain why (or be asked to sing it in the original key, if they need to test your range limits and how you handle singing in those outer edges of it).</p>
<p>Are you a guy? I assume so, as your WSS songs are Tony's...but "Glocca Morra" is not a man's song, is it? ("...does that laddie with the twinklin' eye come whistlin' by, and does he walk away, sad and dreamy there not to see me there?"). I would not change the intended gender of a song for a very simple reason - the auditors may spend your whole audition not being wowed by your work, but in wondering if you have done the research necessary to perform the song, like reading/listening to the play/score, figuring out the context of the song, relationship, objective, etc.; or worse, being angry that you haven't bothered to even listen to the show (or look up who sings it online), and begrudging your "wasting their time" with an audition that doesn't involve much effort. You see?</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>True, I always forget that Sondheim only did the lyrics. </p>
<p>I just feel like songs like 'Maria' are as well known as On My Own, and are also much harder to play.</p>
<p>Thanks for the notes, And I will be pre-recording the music to Something's coming Since I'll be auditioning in Chicago, I wont have to change anything about it and according to people who have heard me, I perform it amazingly well.
I read your post about being in the top 5% and i do believe if 100 people performed that song that i would be in the top 5, I used that to actually give me the confidence in the song.
As for "How are things in Glocca Morra", My vocal coach where I used to live actually showed me the transposed version which Frank Sinatra sang, which said Lassie with the long brown hair.
I was a little worried about that, but I thought since Frank had said it why not. But While im on the subject, are sinatra songs good to use at auditions? I've been told my Lower register gives me a very similar sound which has caused me to sing many songs like New York, New York - Ive got the world on a string - and Come fly with me.
Would using a song like that be a good idea? or bad?</p>
<p>I dont know about that, i am sure they are fine if they come from musicals. I have heard not to choose songs that arent from musicals because you cant really act them, you would have to make up a background story and that isnt what they want to see.
I think i have finally chosen my songs does anyone have opinions on them?
I am singing-
Home from Maury Yeston's "Phantom"
Wild and Reckless from "Drat the cat!"
and then i would just have these on a list in case they wanted to see more-
Surabaya Johnny from "Happy End"
When the earth Stopped turning from "Elegies"
I Want to go to Hollywood from "The Grand Hotel"
What Good would the Moon Be? from Street Scene
My White Night from "Music Man"
Moonfall from "The Mystery of Edwin Drood"
Does anyone know whether "When the earth stopped turning" is for a guy or a girl? I have 2 different versions of the song, one a girl sings and one a guy sings, i am not sure whats up with that.</p>
<p>I'd like some advice about choosing Neil Simon monologues for auditions. . . Their are a couple that I would possibly like to use, because they are 1) age appropriate 2) I can relate quite a bit 3) fantastic monologues. But, my questions is: Would performing a Neil Simon work be a put off in a college audition, because he tends to be over-done? (Mainly because he's so excellent) Now, I know enough to not do monologues from any of his tony-award winners, as they are definitely over done. But I am just curious, Because I really would like to use one of these monologues. However, I don't want to be reguarded as someone who "didn't do their homework" and randomly picked Neil Simon because he's a popular playwright. </p>
<p>Anyway, I'm sort of desperate to finalize my songs and monologues, as I have my auditions (Point Park, Otterbein & Oklahoma City) at the very beginning of February! So, any advice would be greatly appreciated! </p>
<p>Thanks so much,</p>
<p>Kate</p>
<p>P.S. Does ANYONE know where to find sheet music for "She Loves Me"?? I have looked and looked, to no avail! I have music for a couple of the songs (from musical compilations), but I'm specifically looking for "I Resolve" and "Ice Cream". . . apparently it's out of print! Please help...</p>
<p>As a general rule, I advise against doing audition monologues from Neil Simon. However, if you pick a more obscure one that is not overdone and you feel it shows your ability best and you LOVE performing it, then go for it. </p>
<p>But please be honest with yourself that you have completely exhausted all other possibilities and read countless plays and still feel it is the absolute best monologue for you. There is a bounty of wonderful material out there if you will just take the time to read and explore other possibilities</p>
<p>Good luck with whatever you choose,
xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>For any hard to find sheet music we go to Colony Music in NYC. They have a website colonymusic.com.</p>
<p>I have to say, the best advice I can offer is to do what you're most comfortable with, even if it's "overdone", as long as it isn't actually listed on a "Do Not Use" list. When they asked for an additional monologue at Juilliard, I used one of Nora's from Brighton Beach Memoirs (probably the most overdone of them ALL) because I had played the part and knew the thing back and front, and it got me through a callback, interview, and onto the wait list. Do what you know you do best.</p>
<p>what are the schools you can use shakespeare monologues for?</p>
<p>There are probably others, but Carnegie Mellon and Juilliard both require a classical monologue. This classical could be Shakespeare or other. I've read that some people recommend using the Greeks.</p>
<p>She loves me is available through Amazon.com - and is under $11</p>
<p>but some schools I have heard also request that you not use shakespeare monologues...</p>