16-BAR THEATRE AUDTION books

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 7:26pm

does anyone have one of these books? are they worth getting?

[Bway=happy]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 7:29pm

I love my Alto/Mezzo Book. The best part about them is that they even include Disney and Pop selections if those are the types of shows that you may be going out for.

Disclaimer to the book though: They include this in the intro and I think it's a good point. Make sure that you are familiar with whichever song you choose because the board might ask you to do the whole song. The book should be used as a sampler of around 100 songs to find ones that will fit you and the time allotted.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 9:25pm

I looooooooooooove my Mezzo/Belter book too.

More than anything I think it's a great reference for cutting songs and what makes a good 16 bars. I use it a lot and it's helped a lot to pick the best 16 bars for material already in my repertoire.

I'd highly recommend it.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 9:38pm

I just got one of those books as a birthday present (I'm 22! Yay me). Anyway, it's good, but it's all really famous stuff that most directors have probably heard a million times ("The Impossible Dream, etc.). It's a good book to have, but should by no means be one's only source of audition selections!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 9:53pm

The book I'm referring to above is a 16-bar book. The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology books are different, and are an absolute must, if not for auditions, than for personal repertoire. There are some good auditions songs in there too--I have volumes I and II in the baritone edition, and there's as good mix of famous stuff and lesser-known stuff. I highly recommend it.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 12/16/04 at 10:08pm

The series by Michael Dansicker is fantastic. I have the baritone one!

[MusicMan]

Posted: 12/17/04 at 12:14am

Throw the books away, listen to recordings, get to a library, do the research and create your own 16-bar cuttings that not only reflect who YOU are but also demonstrate actor smarts and offer you something to play, rather than doing the same hackneyed material that all the other unimaginative and lazy actors will be doing.

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 12/17/04 at 12:27am

what is the name of this book??? thanks :)

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/17/04 at 12:55am

"The 16-Bar Theatre Audition" ed. Michael Dansicker
Theres a few editions for each vocal part.

[broadway_star_tomorrow]

Posted: 12/17/04 at 2:59am

I have the mezzo one. It's a great starting point, and also something to use in a pinch, but to echo what MusicMan said, at a certain point it is a better idea to find your own stuff, material you connect with on a personal level that makes you different from the 12 million people out there.

[DancerGirl16]

Posted: 12/17/04 at 8:28am

I have to say, it is probably the most usefull book of music I have ever bought