Good evening, friends!
Welcome to Part 3 of my Audition Tips series! So far, I've covered the value of KNOWING YOUR SHOW and PREPARING YOUR VOICE. You are now ready to:

SELECT AND MASTER YOUR AUDITION SONG

Selecting the perfect audition song is a powerful tool that is often overlooked by the general auditioning population, but should definitely become one of your finely honed skills! Here are some tips to help you get the leg up on your competition:

-Choose a song that MATCHES the largest solo of your desired character...You may notice that I did not say "Choose the largest solo that your desired character sings." That's because it's usually frowned upon to sing a song directly from the musical you are auditioning for. It comes across as presumptuous and thoughtless to the production staff. Being a musical director of 25+ shows (and counting!), it's my recommendation to show the director and musical director your knowledge of the vast categories of musical theatre genres with a song that makes them visualize you as the character you want, without actually singing one of their popular songs. Trust me, we will be blown away and hand you the part on a silver platter (pending your acting and dancing audition, of course...lol)! So, unless a director specifically asks you to sing a song from the show, save it for the callback!

-Some musical theatre songs to avoid for auditions AT ALL COSTS include:

 *Girl in 14 G
 *Taylor the Latte Boy
 *Gorgeous (Apple Tree)
 *Take a Chance on Me (Little Women)
 *Neverland (Finding Neverland)
 *Not for the Life of Me (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
 *Gimme Gimme (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
 *Screw Loose (Cry Baby)
 *Privilege to Pee (Urinetown)
 *Here I Am (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)
 *Astonishing (Little Women)
 *Show Off (The Drowsy Chaperone)
 *On My Own
 *Anything Jason Robert Brown
 *Anything from Phantom of the Opera
 *Anything from Wild Party
 *Anything from Wicked
 *Anything from Les Miserables

Man, oh man.....If I had a dollar for every time a singer came in with "On My Own" from Les Miserables or "Defying Gravity" from Wicked.....Well, let's just say those are BIG FAUX PAS! Just say no.

-Be sure that your sheet music is properly "cut and marked" for the audition pianist. Most directors will request that you prepare a 32-bar (or measure) segment of a song, and honoring that specification will earn you big respect points with the casting team. Those that enter an audition planning to sing the full song run the risk of being cut off early, which will probably not get you to the best part of the song, sadly preventing you from showing off what you can really do. I will be posting a tutorial on this process in the near future for educational purposes.

-Ensure that the sheet music is written out in the right key. Do not assume that the accompanist can transpose the music by sight. Even though it's not an impossible request, it's not considered polite protocol, since it puts unnecessary pressure to play well for you. Trust me, we feel TERRIBLE if we mess you up! :( Additionally, any tempo changes and pauses in the music should be clearly marked. Since this can be a lot to think about, try to rehearse your song with an experienced pianist and/or vocal coach. Since most audition notices will insist that you bring your own sheet music with you, it'll be good to have a solid run-through with a professional, if your budget allows.

-Don’t rely on learning your audition song SOLELY from a recording. When purchasing sheet music, it's very common for several publishers to print different versions, which could be considerably different from the recording that you fell in love with. Plus, singers take many creative liberties to demonstrate their abilities, and they usually don't match the sheet music you will be handing to your accompanist. Again, find a professional to review it with! You won't be sorry! :)

-Memorize your lyrics and music. Holding a cheat sheet, the sheet music, or looking over the pianist's shoulder will appear that you either did not prepare enough for the audition, or that you have low confidence in your ability to remember the song. Plus, you won't get to maintain the proper eye contact with your audience. Being as prepared as possible will never fail to impress!

-Finally, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER sing a capella at an audition. Why, you might ask??? Logically speaking, it's a play that will be accompanied by an orchestra, or at the very least, a backing track. A director and musical director need to be sure that you can easily sing with an instrument behind you, and still maintain your rhythm, lyrics, expression, and pitch.

In conclusion, step up to the plate, friends, and you'll rock it everytime!!! Have a great night, and be sure to check back in tomorrow for Part 4!

All the Best,
Kim