Musical Theatre Audition Guide:
Choosing Your Musical Theatre Audition Songs
What Audition Songs You Need
To fulfill the requirements of most audition situations, you will need two audition songs: an up-tempo, and a ballad. Community theatres and open calls (when there are heavy time constraints) will usually only ask you for one song, so choose one that suits you and the part you would most like to get. Doing your research on the theatre company and the show you are auditioning for will help you feel confident about your choice.
Always Choose Audition Songs Appropriate to Your Age & Life Experience
I cannot say this enough. Just because you like a song doesn't make it a good song for you to sing in an audition. In order to believably portray the character of a song, you have to relate to the content of the lyrics on a personal level. You have to really understand what it means to be in this situation. If we have learned anything from reading the judges' comments of the King/Queen of Broadway Vocal Competition, it is that choosing a song that you can relate to emotionally is extremely important. There are lots of people who can sing well - what will set you apart is your ability to communicate emotion.
Always Choose Audition Songs in an Appropriate Style
What sets a show tune apart from other songs is its character. A show tune is sung by a very obvious character, one that you have to become when you sing it. Don't choose an audition song that is anything but a show tune unless you are auditioning for a musical such as Rent, when you are usually asked specifically NOT to do a song from a musical. If you are unsure about the style you should be looking for, look for other shows by the same composer as the show you are auditioning for.
See MusicalTheatreAudition.com's article on Musical Theatre Audition Song Repertoire for more information about choosing audition songs for certain show styles.
Your Audition Songs Should Show Your Strengths First
Never choose an audition song just because you think that is what the audition panel wants to hear. When given a choice, always choose the best audition song you have to offer. Choose an audition song that is within your comfortable singing range - this is not the time to stretch for a note, as blowing a note will almost certainly also blow your chances for a role. The audition panel will expect you to show off the very best you have to offer, and this means performing a song that is well polished and well rehearsed.
Choose Audition Songs That Let You Be Yourself
Be the first you, not the 52nd Michael Crawford. Many auditioners have the tendancy to try and copy the style of whoever sang the recorded version of their audition song. DON'T DO THAT! Pick a song that you can identify with, and use it to show your own personality and style, not someone else's. Make sure you practice with only the accompaniment - singing along with a recording will not help you develop your own style. Find characters that suit your personality here.
Choose the Best Audition Songs for You
I see postings on discussion boards all the time, asking for audition song suggestions. What people seem to forget is that what makes a song right for you is your voice and personality, the two things that other people cannot see over the internet! If you want a truly great audition song, you'll have to search for it yourself.
Accompaniment For Your Audition Songs
There are three choices when it comes to accompaniment. The first is to use a piano accompanist, as usually one is provided. The second is to sing a capella. Finally, you can use recorded accompaniment.
It is important to be aware that not all auditions will give you a choice. Many auditions will insist that you use their accompanist. If you are given a choice, you need to be aware of a few factors that should influence your decision.
Accompaniment will keep you on pitch, and will fill in the instrumental sections of the piece. Live accompaniment also best mimics how you would be performing in the show, and demonstrates how well you can work with an accompanist. However, using an accompanist requires you to have sheet music in the correct key, and you will need to practice singing with the accompaniment before the audition. While using pre-recorded accompaniment makes rehearsing easy, it limits your ability to make creative changes in dynamics and tempo. Singing a capella should be done only when absolutely necessary.
| Comments () >> |
 |
| Write comment |
You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet. |
 |
