I thought we could start a thread of songs that have recently been overdone at auditions or from shows that were frequently heard this past audition season because as we know trends change. I know Heathers is going to be a big one
This can also be used for monologues
When I did a summer program this year, I feel as though A LOT of people had stuff Dogfight and Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown in their book. Heathers is also definitely very trendy.
This may be a little outdated now, but I heard a lot of “On My Way” from Violet in 2013 and 2014.
@CanadianMTgirl Definitely Violet! I’ve seen it in every freshman or senior showcase highlight video this year and the last
What about Shrek? I know the show itself is popular but I don’t know if the solos actually get done at auditions
Backstage posted some advice today:
Catherine’s monologue from Proof. Don’t know if it’s truly overdone, but I heard that one A LOT as we made the audition rounds.
I heard: “Breathe” from In the Heights, “Pulled” from Addams Family, and “I Can Cook” from On the Town the most last audition season in New York and at unifieds. A very well known CD from New York told me that she LOVES Breathe as an audition song, though, and wouldn’t care if EVERYONE sang it. She says it is the perfect song to showcase skills at an audition. I don’t necessarily agree, but I am not a full time CD.
On the boys side, I still hear alot of the Newsies score.
Bonnie and Clyde and Smash are also popular with both genders.
If Jeremy Jordan sings/sang it, most boys sing it.
Smash, really? Songs from a TV show are ok?
Smash songs are Broadway “genre” and by Broadway composers- so I imagine they would work- but I think they would be tricky (either b/c overdone or you need to be able to outsing some big voices)
Yeah it seems like anything Jeremy Jordan has touched has become overdone. Same with Sutton Foster. It’s just hard because you never know what the auditors want
Auditors want you to have a great audition…if that means you do a song that “appears” overdone then go ahead and do it. The only thing I would adhere to are songs that are on the do not sing list from a particular school. JMHO
Has anyone heard the song “I Will Prevail” from the musical Wonderland at auditions a lot? My D wants to sing it but it’s quite a song to sing for her.
My daughter used ‘Once More I Can See’ from wonderland in an MT workshop and the guy (casting agent from NYC) said to never do a song from a flop and never do a Frank Wildhorn. Whatever. One persons opinion. She has had excellent feedback and results for it elsewhere (she’s not studying MT, so no college auditions for reference).
Oh @MTmom2015 that’s good to know. Yes I think that show wasn’t around long. She just likes the song and it’s different. Frank Wildjorn is the Jekyl and Hyde guy right? Seems like everyone sings songs from that . Guess that’s why he said not to use him
I find it hard to believe that is universal opinion. Many songs have life regardless of whether or not the shows were a hit. “I’ve Got to Be Me” from Golden Rainbow, “Feeling Good” from The Roar of the Grease Paint, Smell of the Crowd, “Here’s That Rainy Day” from Carnival in Flanders. All shows that were flops but songs that were had lives of their own.
My impression from chatting with MT faculty is that Frank Wildhorn and Andrew Lloyd Webber don’t get a lot of love within the academic community. D was advised to stay away from them for college auditions. No doubt specific examples can be sited to the contrary, but I got lots of eye rolls when I asked about those two composers - I worked as a volunteer at a large regional college audition for three years and I got to chat with dozens of college faculty members each year at the event.
Agreed @halflokum . My S used a song from “Roar of the Greasepaint…” and it generally got very favorable comments from the auditors. One of the auditors remarked that he really seemed to “own the piece” which I suppose is the key to any audition song!
Is JRB still a no-no for college auditions?