Notes on Auditioning You have about one minute to show the directors what you can do. Be sure to find a that you are comfortable performing and one that sits comfortably in your vocal range. You can listen to musicals to get some ideas. Find a song that you can relate to and have fun with. It’s best to pick a rather than a pop song. Most show tunes can be sung “in character,” providing you with an opportunity to show off your acting and movement talent as well as your ability. Choose a song that shows off the very best of your talents. (You don’t have to sing—you can show us your other skills: perform a monologue, dance, juggle, or do some tumbling. Just be aware that you will probably not be cast in a singing role if you don’t sing.)

Please do limit your audition to one minute. If you go overtime, the directors may have to cut you off with applause. Recording Your Music Choose a song that you can find a karaoke track for. If you can’t find a track, you might be able to have one made. If you or someone you know plays piano, you can get sheet music at the library or order it online and have the accompaniment recorded onto your iPod or other device. If that’s not possible, you can always pick a different song. It’s best if you have your song burned on a cd and turned in as part of your audition packet. There will be a boom box in the room that will be used to play your audition music. Be sure to label your cd with your name (and the track number for your song if the cd holds more than one). If you can, edit your song so that it is approximately one minute in length and starts where you need it. It’s nerve-wracking to wait until the correct starting spot is found. If you are able to edit the song to a minute, you don’t have to start at the beginning. Sometimes the best audition pieces come in the middle of the song. Please—NO ACAPELLA ! The directors want to hear how you sing with accompaniment. Finding Music Online • iTunes—Visit http://www.apple.com to download the iTunes software. Search for a song by name with the added keyword “karaoke.” • http://www.musicnotes.com—This has lots of sheet music. If you purchase the digital version of a particular song, you can download the free musicnotes software that enables you to follow along in the music as it is played on a virtual piano. You can then record the accompaniment and use it for your one-minute audition. • http://www.pocketsongs.com - Sheet music, cds and digital karaoke downloads. • http://www.soundchoicestore.com • http://www.sheetmusicdirect.com • http://www.ez-tracks.com/karaoke.html • http://www.hamienet.com • http://www.hitkaraoke.com • http://www.musicalcreations.com Editing Songs Many computers come with sound-editing software, but if yours does not http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ has editing software that you can download for free. It is very basic and simple to use—perfect for cutting your song down to one minute. Song Ideas There are many musical theater songs. These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking. You don’t have to pick something from this list. Aida The Little Mermaid Dance of the Robe Beunos Aires Seasons of Love High Flying Adored Les Poissons Secret Garden Friend Like Me Fine White Horse One Jump Ahead Miracle of Miracles Poor Unfortunate Soul Hold On Tradition Positoovity Lily’s Eyes A Funny Thing Happened... She’s in Love The Girl I Mean to Be Comedy Tonight Seussical An American Tail Godspell Little Women Alone in the Universe Somewhere Out There All Good Gifts Astonishing Amazying Mayzie Annie Bless the Lord Some Things Are Meant It’s Possible Easy Street Save the People to Be Notice me Horton I Think I’m Gonna Like It We Beseech Thee Mary Poppins Shrek Here Feed the Birds Who I’d Be It’s a Hard Knock Life Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee Let’s Go Fly a Kite Snow White Little Girls Practically Perfect Silly Song Maybe Adelaide’s Lament A Spoonful of Sugar Whistle Why You Work Tomorrow A Bushel and a Peck Step in Time Song of the South You’re Never Fully Dressed Luck be a Lady Les Miserables Zip A Dee- Do-Da Annie Get Your Gun Sit Down You’re Rockin the I Dreamed a Dream Sound of Music Anything You Can Do Boat Little People Do, Re, Mi You Can’t Get a Man with Gypsy Master of the House Edelweiss Gun All I Need is the Girl On My Own I Have Confidence Beauty and the Beast Everything’s Comin Up Roses I’ll Make a Man Out of You My Favorite Things Home Let Me Entertain You Sixteen Going on Seven- If I Can’t Love Her Some People Gary, Indiana teen Bye Bye Birdie Huntchback of Notre Dame Seventy Six Trombones Sunday in the Park with Kids Today God Help the Outcast George Put on a Happy Face Get Me to the Church on Putting it Together Giants in the Sky Time Sweet Charity If Ever I Would Leave YOu I Know Things Now I Could Have Danced All Big Spender The Simple Joys of Maiden- No One is Alone Night Toy Story hood A Very Nice Prince Just You Wait You’ve Got A Friend in Me Jekyll and Hyde With a Little Bit of Luck All that Jazz A New Life Wouldn’t it be Lovely I Feel Pretty Roxie This is the Moment Oklahoma Willy Wonka A Chorus Line Joseph and the Amazing I Can’t Say No I’ve Got a Golden Ticket I Can do That Techincolor Dreamcoat People Will Say We’re In The Music and the Mirror Go, Go, Go Joseph Love Popular Nothing One More Angel in Heaven Oliver Wizard of Oz Cinderella Jungle Book Be Back Soon If I Only Had a Brain Impossible The Bare Necessities Consider Yourself A Year with Frog and Toad In My Own Little Corner I’d Do Anything The Letter Stepsisters Lament Getting to Know You Reviewing the Situation You’re a Good Man Charlie Company Kiss me Kate Who Will Buy Brown Another Hundred People Another Opening of An- You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket Beethoven Day Not Getting Married other Show Peter Pan Happiness You Could Drive a Person The Light in the Piazza I Gotta Crow The Kite Crazy The Beauty Is I Won’t Grow Up My New Philosophy Crazy for You The Light in the Piazza Pinocchio Suppertime Someone to Watch Over I’ve Got No Strings Me I Just Can’t Wait to be King Curtains Hakunna Matata Show People He Lives in You Just Around the Riverbend The Morning Report Audition Tips Websites • www.musicaltheatreaudition.com • http://www.voicestudio.kristinaseleshanko.com/AuditionTipsForSingers.htm • http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/680_musical-theater-audition.htm • http://www.stageagent.com/Shows/Songs/ • http://www.cramercenter.com/cramerstore/bshows/bdwy-al-silent.html Preparing an Audition Song Preparation and practice is essential. Make sure you know all the words and all the notes and rehearse your audition so that the movements/dance are very natural and easy for you. Creativity is encouraged, including the use of costumes and props—but don’t do something so complicated that it distracts from your audition. • Make sure the song is in your vocal range. • Think of a creative twist or style to make your audition stand out. • Choosing a song shows your personality. So be creative! Audition Procedure You have selected your music, you’ve practiced hard, you’ve submitted your audition packet, and you’re ready to try out for the play. Auditions will be scheduled in particular time slots. You can choose a time slot on your registration form; they are assigned in order of receipt. Upon arrival at the audition space, you should check in immediately at the registration desk. Just before your audition, you’ll be lined up in order with the other students in your time slot and led into the audition room, where you’ll be seated to wait for your turn to peform. The directors will be seated toward the front of the room at a table. Parents and other students who are not scheduled in that time are welcome to watch the auditions. When it is your turn, your music will be cued up on the boom box. Introduce yourself by stating your name, age, and the title of the song you’ll be singing, then nod to the person operating the boom box to start your music. Be confident and sing out. You can use the whole audition space. Move around. Think about the words you are singing. If you connect with your material, directors can see it in your eyes. Become a character—be the person who is singing your song. Some Basic Do’s . . . • Do get off to a great start with a strong, confident introduction. • Do keep going if you mess up or forget the words. Shake it off. Directors will respect your ability to persevere. • Do be respectful of those around you. This includes people running the CD player, directors, adults processing your forms, and other auditioners. Directors see all of this. • Do pay attention to other auditions and take note of ones you enjoy. What makes them great? Learn from others. • Do remember to breathe, focus, and have FUN! The directors know you are nervous. That’s okay! . . . and Don’ts • Don’t put your hands in your pockets • Don’t throw anything. • Don’t rock back in forth. • Don’t show it if you think you didn’t do your best . . . keep smiling and be confident. • Don’t be surprised if you get cut off by the directors after one minute. Directors have a lot to hear! • Don’t expect to be cast if you have a lot of schedule conflicts. • Don’t worry if someone in your audition group is doing the same song as you. Callbacks Callback auditions will take place the morning after your initial audition. The callback list will be posted on http://www.SaintGenesiusProductions.com sometime Friday night or early Saturday morning, as soon as the list is prepared. During callbacks, the directors will ask you to sing songs and read lines from the show you’ve auditioned for. They may also teach you some simple choreography to see how well you move and dance. • Get some sleep! The callback list will be the same whether you see it at 3 a.m. or 7 a.m. • The directors are there to help you do your best, so feel free to ask questions and clarify directions. • Do your best for every role you are called back for, not just the one you want. • Be flexible with your role expectations. • If possible, study the music from the show ahead of time. • The number of times you read or sing is not necessarily an indication of casting. Sometimes directors need to see some people more than others. • Don’t give up! The day is long; don’t let yourself get discouraged by how you feel you are performing or how others are doing. • Try! Do your best! Have fun with the material. • You are auditioning from the moment you walk into callbacks. Be respectful, helpful, and courteous. Directors prefer to cast actors who are easy to work with. • Listen closely to the directors’ suggestions and try to follow their instructions. • Have fun with the material and the characters. • Strong, creative choices are essential. • As soon as you are given a script, start reading over the scenes with the character for which you are called back. Find what the most important part of the scene is. What does your character want out of the scene? • Relate to the person you are doing a scene with. • Feel free to ask questions. • Take risks. The bigger the better. • Be engaged in the scene the whole time- not just when you are saying a line.