When choosing an audition song...

How important is the genre of the song when you pick your audion song? For example, for all of you who auditioned for Spring Awakening recently. They ask for an idie rock song that shows off your range. That presents problems.

1) Finding sheet music for indie rock groups is really hard, at least for me. I was going to do a song by CWAF, but couldn't get sheet music.
2) Rock is heavily based. Piano accompinant is hard to come by and dosen't sound the same.
3) For a lot of Broadway singers, Broadway songs are what we listen to, what we can sing well, and what we know. I understand that Spring Awakening is a rock musical. But shouldn't they just be concerned with hearing us at our best? Unless we're allowed to sing something from the actual musical.

Naturally I didn't audition. But my question is how important is the genre of the song? Like if I went in there and had sang "If I Can't Love Her" from Beauty and the Beast, would I have had a chance? Or for any audition (Hairspray comes to mind, in that they ask for 60s music)

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I don't see why not. A good voice is a good voice. And if that song shows you off better than some rock song, I'd say why not?

I'd be a crappy casting director anyways. :)

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Updated On: 12/5/07 at 09:18 PM

i'll just say when i was in auditions for rent last year my friend only had brought a music theatre song and they bairly saw her. but the fact that they asked for a pop/rock song and she didnt sing one really hurt her chances. the casting director seemed pretty pissy that she had ignored their request.

I vaguely remember someone saying that the casting team likes to hear The Beatles.

There's a reason that casting notices tell you what genre of song to prepare. If you choose to ignore that, then you do so at your own peril. In any case, if you are serious about pursuing musical theatre, then you should have songs from every possible genre in your book, prepared and ready to go. Choosing appropriate audition material is very personal, and it is of vital importance in determining your chances of being cast. It takes research and hard work to develop your book of audition materials. If you're not willing to do that, so that you're properly prepared for any audition, then your success will be limited.

"I don't see why not. A good voice is a good voice. And if that song shows you off better than some rock song, I'd say why not?"


So you think Renee Fleming (ignore the age problem and focus on the voice) would make a good Amber in Hairspray?

My voice repitoire has every genre in it, including rock. It just seemed like another song choice would have shown my voice off better. Its not like I didn't look into it. I have about 17 new CDs in my collection because of it. But finding the sheet music was difficult, not to mention piano sheet music (cuz rock is so heavily guitar based).

My voice teacher told me when we were preparing, "This sounds great. But are you sure you can't sing this song instead?" Ha, that's why I'm asking.

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Updated On: 12/6/07 at 07:46 PM

Thanks for everyone's help. Its actually going to be put to good use. Me and my friend want to to go the Hairspray chorus auditions. They ask for a pop song, and I have one. Lets cross our fingers that its what they're looking for.

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I'd have to agree with most everyone above. If you're asked to bring a rock song, why would you go against their wishes and bring a different genre/style of music?

Musical theatre singing is very different from rock singing. Sure, the lines are becoming blurred with "rock musicals" coming into play, but they're both vocally demanding in very different ways. Maybe I'm the only one, but I feel like "Don't Do Sadness" (on the cast recording, at least), specifically during the "With the taste of dust in your mouth...", etc. lines, sounds VERY much like Kurt Cobain/Nirvana, which is pretty much the opposite of what music in shows like Hairspray or something by Sondheim sound like. So why try to mix one with the other?

You sing what they want you to sing because they are the people who have the casting power and they might be the ones paying you.