Why Choosing Audition Songs Is Not About Being Unique, It’s About Science

I woke up this morning and saw yet ANOTHER post about my second least favorite thing about this industry. The first, in case you are wondering is the idea of acting emotions. The second – which I saw this article about – is the idea of choosing “unique” and “new” repertoire that casting hasn’t seen.

These posts make me angry because I only ever see them from companies or composers who are trying to sell music on their websites, not coming from casting teams themselves. The other time I see posts like this is from voice coaches who are tired of teaching “popular” songs and want new artistic works in their studios because it makes them feel artistically fulfilled in some way. That, or they think that by writing these posts people will think they need new rep and will sign up for coaching sessions. 

This makes me angry because it hurts actors. These people are making the advice about them and their ability to make more money, rather than actually giving advice that helps actors succeed. 

Bad advice, ticks me off.

Sorry, where was I… oh yeah. Songs.

In any case, that’s not the way to choose repertoire. You don’t choose rep because no one else is singing it. You don’t choose rep because it’s new. You choose rep because you have a story to tell with this piece. You choose rep because it allows us to get to know YOU.

When I'm directing a show, I could really care less what you sing. I want to hear a story that is applicable to what I'm casting, but I could care less if you found an "undiscovered gem" - especially if it’s a song I've never heard of. 

I get distracted easily. If it’s a song I can’t immediately recognize, I am paying more attention to the fact that I don’t know the song and that I can’t figure out WHY I don’t know the song. I’ve watched thousands of musical theatre performances between coaching sessions, workshops, and auditions – how is there a song in the audition room I don’t know. 

THEN if I do realize it’s a new song from a show I haven’t heard of, now I’m trying to figure out the song. I’m trying to follow the words. I’m trying to listen to the melody.  Is this a good song? Is it a bad song? Do its lyrics fit what I’m casting in some way? Is there something I’m supposed to get with this song? I’m trying to basically evaluate the song.

Nowhere in that who string of thoughts was I paying attention to the person performing the piece.

But Nate (I hear you say) that’s you. That can’t be other casting teams. Give them some credit.

I am. Remember, I’m a director AND a voice teacher. I’m a coach – my job is to find new rep. I am constantly looking for new rep. I’m trained in all these areas and I’m STILL distracted. My job is to evaluate how you tell a story. It is always easier to do that, when there are fewer variables.

Casting teams are not voice teachers. We can evaluate technique, but it isn't our first impulse. If you sing a song we know, we are able to "tune out the song" and pay more attention to how you perform it - how you sing the challenging sections, how you paint the world of the piece, more importantly - how you tell the story. We don’t care about cool and new rep in that moment. We only want to care about YOU. 

Let’s go back to science class: 

The scientific method. Who remembers this? It basically is a set of procedures for how you conduct an experiment, right? Let’s think of auditions like an experiment. 

In an experiment, we have controls and variables. Controls are the pieces that always stay the same. We know what they do, and we know what to expect from them. The variables are the new things. These are the things that will change the outcome. The variables impact on the controls is what matters. 

Sometimes the variables yield great results and make things even more awesome. Sometimes the variables yield terrible results and things just don’t work. 

In the scientific method, you only change one variable at a time. This leaves all the other components to be the controls. By isolating the one variable, we can see what component has the desired impact or the negative results. If we have too many variables, we don’t know which one is actually causing the results. We don’t know what it is that actually works or doesn’t work. 

Thus, we only want ONE variable.

What is the variable in the audition room? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the song.

(In case you missed it, it’s YOU!!) 

You are the variable. You are the thing we are testing. You are the piece of the puzzle we are analyzing to see if it yields the desired results. By allowing us to use your song as a control, we can evaluate how YOU impact the song and its story. We can evaluate how YOU could fit into our show. 

But Nate (I hear you saying again) – I was told that being clever in the room is a good thing. How can I be clever if I’m singing songs they know?

Being clever in the audition room is not about what song you dug up online. That's not clever. That’s called Google. Clever is about how you tell the song’s story. Clever is crafting a whole story about your piece and starting to tell that story BEFORE you even walk in the room. Clever is using a song I wouldn't normally think has anything to do with what I'm casting and yet you've crafted a story in a way that makes me see the song in a whole new light.

One of my FAVORITE audition stories is about a client who sings “Popular” from Wicked for general season auditions. Now, if you’ve worked with me before you know that I think “Popular” is a TERRIBLE audition song (there are many reasons which I will discuss in the future.) I love the song. It just doesn’t work in the room. 

Or at least, it shouldn’t work in the room. 

This client flips the song on its head and rather than being Glinda (or Glinda ish) and being all bright and bubbly and pink, she sings it as frumpy, kind of grumpy, and definitely shades of browns and grays. She’s the exact opposite of Glinda. Think more Amy from The Big Bang Theory.

Now my client doesn’t really look like Amy. But she puts in effort to tell that story. She straightens her hair, puts on glasses and a sweater, and doesn’t wear makeup. Then, she goes in and acts all frumpy and then when they ask what she’s going to sing, she says “Popular” and then sings the song as if it was being sung by someone who was called a nerd or a geek her whole life. The song has a whole new story and yet is still the song we know. How she tells that story, gets her work practically every time. 

Moral of the story: Sing songs we know. 

We are auditioning YOU not the song. 

Also, added bonus: It makes life easier on your accompanist too. While they can sight read anything, they will be better able to help you tell your story if it's a song that they know. They may not have played it before, but they know what it sounds like. They will be able to be a better partner in the room if they can recognize the song. 

Don't be "unique" by choosing songs we don't know. Be YOU. Tell YOUR story using songs we know. 

If you need help finding the YOU in your rep, let me know. I’d love to set up a Coffee Chat with you and see how we make that happen.

As Always, You’re Awesome. Be Awesome. I’ll See You Soon.

Best Wishes!

-       Nate