I would be interested to hear your opinion on using less popular choice of materials from generally overdone plays and musicals. Here’s what I am asking: we all know a great many plays and musicals that have “go to” monologues or songs that people use all the time. Do you feel that using a different monologue from the same play, or a different song from the same musical is also a no-no, - just because the auditors will cringe as soon as they hear the title of that play, - or would you say it’s an option worth considering? Thank you!
Great question…I have wondered this too. Does anyone have any insight on this?
I asked my daughter this question last year when she was preparing for auditions because I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t use monologues or songs from shows she had been cast in…even just as extra material in the back of her book…just in case?!
She felt with all the material out there, why take that chance? Many of the over-done songs and monologues are from extremely popular shows that auditors have seen many times, probably cast with broadway/industry greats or uber talented former students. So, even if that particular song/monologue isn’t the overdone one…it’s still a role they’ve probably seen a zillion times by some incredible actors. She also felt that choice of material was a big part of showing auditors who she was. She went through quite a bit of material before finding the right pieces that were age appropriate, unique…but not too obscure, and (more importantly) that gave her the most opportunity to express her abilities and potential. We used a local monologue coach to help find material and her vocal coach was a little obsessive about finding obscure music.
With all that said…just to prove there is never one right answer…I’ll tell you what happened. She ended up using a less popular classical monologue from a common Shakespeare play and was complimented twice with, “We rarely hear that one…great choice.” Then at her second audition she was told to take a song out of her book - too obscure, hard to put into context, didn’t showcase voice well enough. (Luckily he gushed over next song) At another audition she sang a song that I think is considered overdone. It was given to her over the summer at a camp by one of the auditors, so she insisted it was important to honor their choice of a perfectly suited song for her…probably a good call since that is the school she attends today!
Some will say if you can crush Astonishing, bring it. Others will cringe or feel strongly that auditors appreciate unique choices. It seems my daughter made different decisions about material based on each school.
It’s been said before…be sure they love ALL the material in their book and have as much material as possible so auditors can hear what else they have when asked - that will happen!!! Definitely honor the ‘do not sing list’ if a school has one. If there is overdone material they love, try looking at other shows from the same writer/composer instead. Best wishes for a great audition season!!
Deelight, - great response! Thank you. You just confirmed my own thoughts. It’s not that there are not enough original materials out there. It is a matter of feeling a deep and personal connection with some pieces that come from overdone shows, that daughter won’t trade for anything else. But we are going for a variety of well and lesser known pieces, and a couple obscure ones thrown into the mix
Read the guidelines for each program and make sure you follow them. Many schools specifically indicate that you not use any cuts from specific musicals.
jeffandann, thank you. We do check to see if there are specific requirements.