Audition for Gypsy

[StaRawR]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:37pm

If I'm auditioning for the role of Louise in Gypsy, what would you suggest are some good pieces to sing?
I'm considering using "Much More" from Fantastiks... any thoughts?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:43pm

"Much More" is totally wrong for Louise...I don't have any suggestions off the top of my head, but that song is definitely inappropriate for that character.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:45pm

I would sing an "I want" song, more shy and held back, to show off acting ablilities. To show off your voice, use a bigger belty song (for the strip). Louise makes SUCH a transformation throughout the show, so it's tough to narrow down JUST one song.

[StaRawR]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:52pm

That makes a lot of sense. This is exactly my trouble with choosing a song to audition with for this role. Thank you for your help though.

[yeah]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:09am

If you can sing from the show, "Little Lamb" is a brilliant moment for Louise.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:28am

Finally someone gets the importance of "Little Lamb" to show one side of Louise, her vulnerable side and her crying out for attention. So many people on this Board have bad-mouthed the song over the years, belittling the importance of the song.

Jerome Robbins wanted "Little Lamb" to be cut, until Jule Styne threatened to pull his entire score from GYPSY, instructing his lawyers to do that unless Robbins took back his threat.

And let's have a real lamb for the next revival, however distant that may be.

[Elphie3]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:46am

As much as I NEVER recommend songs from "Wicked" - "I'm not that girl" would be very appropriate

[newintown]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:40am

"Somewhere That's Green" might work well, if you have the chance to do more than 16 bars. Musically, you can develop it like Louise's vocal progression, starting wistful, building to a belt in the bridge.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:54am

Honey Bun from South Pacific.

Or I Have a Love from West Side Story if you're a soprano/want to take a different angle.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 2:30pm

Uhhhh...no. NOT Honey Bun. So wrong.

As much as I hate to say it, "I'm Not That Girl" would work really well. It's held back and shy, but yearning for attention and to be someone else. All of which Louise is.

Gypsy9: I totally agree. I get SO mad when people say "Little Lamb" and "All I Need is the Girl" don't belong in the show. GYPSY is the most well-constructed show ever written. There isn't a single line, song, word or note that doesn't belong. (Not sure if you can tell what my fave show of all time is haha)

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 3:56pm

I completely disagree, I think Honey Bun is right...if performed properly, of course.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 3:59pm

OK, tell me HOW Honey Bun is in any way right then.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:02pm

Ok, so if you look at Honey Bun in the original context, it can be performed through a range of dynamics, and if you wish emotions...it can be taken from the same angle as the Gypsy strip...

That's my reasoning, and I would go with it.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:13pm

That still makes absolutely no sense...but whatever. I'll just agree to disagree.

(StaRawR: don't do Honey Bun)

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:38pm

Or you could. I would, and my auditions have not failed me yet!

[wicked1492]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:41pm

Good for you! Wanna sticker, a medal or a cookie?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:44pm

No...


Actually, a cookie wouldn't go amiss

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 6:54pm

Another suggestion (if you want to take a more modern approach) would be "Take That Look off Your Face" from TELL ME ON A SUNDAY.
Updated On: 6/8/10 at 06:54 PM

[yeah]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:32pm

Thanks, Gypsy9! "Little Lamb" is actually one of my favorite moments in the entire show. There's something about it that just works wonders for me, especially when done as brilliantly as Lauren Benanti.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:00pm

I think that "Honey Bun" would definitely NOT be a good choice for the audition. Why do people bash "Little Lamb" and "All I Need is the Girl"? Both are such important moments in the show. "Little Lamb" is the only moment in Act I when Louise reflects by herself, and the show would be terrible without it (well, maybe not terrible, but you wouldn't know the character as well).

Some songs that come to mind:
--"Maybe This Time" from Cabaret-it's a big "I want" song, although the characters are not very similar.
--"Roxie" from Chicago-If you want to show the side of Louise that comes out in Act II, where her fame boosts her ego, this would be good.
--"At the Ballet" from A Chorus Line-I think this song shows Louise's character in the beginning, when she is shy, but it has verses complaining about her situation, which shows a range of emotions appropriate for the character
--"My Friend the Dictionary" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee-This also shows Louise's shy side, but unlike the previous song, it only shows one part of the character, the rest being revealed at a later point in the show.

Some of these are probably overdone, so I might check that out first, but if I were auditioning for Louise with 32 bars, I would do "At the Ballet" with a verse and chorus to show a range of emotions.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/9/10 at 12:01am

Two songs from Fade Out, Fade In might work if you are looking to show off more of your belt: "The Usher from the Mezzanine" and "Go Home Train."

However, don't forget that "Little Lamb" does require a good upper range to sing it well. I wonder if part of the reason that so many people hate the song is that they've seen productions of Gypsy where the Louise just doesn't have the range to do the song justice. It really can be a painful song to sit through when the actress sounds strained singing it.

[StaRawR]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 4:20am

I ended up singing "Much More" and got cast as June.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/16/10 at 4:42am

I think "I'm Not That Girl" would be a good choice and "At the Ballet" is a great choice. I would stay away from Honey Bun though, ClapYo'Hands might have a good way to make it work in relation to the role, but I don't see it personally.