Picking a Song - The Audition Chronicles

The walls in my mind are wallpapered with one question in bold, all caps font: WHAT SONG SHOULD I AUDITION WITH?!?
I think about it obsessively. I talk to my husband about it constantly (sorry, honey), I've even tried to get some tips from the pros. And somehow still come up blank with each new audition.

I'm gonna level with you.

I haven't been cast in two years and I'm questioning everything.

I'm honestly one audition away from singing the Ducktales theme song. (But like...don't you think in the right setting that this would be brilliant?)

But since you've come here hopefully looking for advice and not to sulk with me about my song choice woes, here's what I know. The general rule I've learned from those who are much more wise and more successful at auditioning than I is this: Sing something that will help the production team cast you in this show.

Okay...
So what does that even mean?

• Do you sing a song from a show by the same composing team?
• Do you sing a song that plays to your casting type?
• Do you dare sing a song from the show?
• What if the song that fits all of this criteria is someone else's song that made them very famous.

Honestly - it all depends. Which - I KNOW - that seems to be the answer to most audition related questions and it's endlessly frustrating. But here is the knowledge I've gathered so far:

• I think trying to find a piece similar in style to the show you're auditioning for is a good idea. Usually the easiest way to find a similar style is to look to other shows by the same composer. If you don't have luck there (maybe they only wrote one show for example), try to find a show written around the same time as the show you're auditioning for. I think this works best when you're looking at Golden Era musicals and can get trickier with some modern musicals, so don't be afraid to ask for help!
• I also think playing to your casting type (which should hopefully be your strengths as well) is a really good idea. To use myself as an example - I am an alto/belter/character type - so I'm probably not ever going to sing "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story for an audition, but I regularly sing "Hold On" from The Secret Garden. There are exceptions to this of course, but a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself "would the character I'm trying to be cast as sing this song if they were in this show?" If your answer is yes, you're probably on the right track.
• I have yet to stumble upon an audition where it seemed like a good idea to sing from the show, but would love to hear from someone who has done that and had success. However, I have been asked to prepare a song from the show as part of the audition - so I would say maybe just stick to only singing from the show when you're asked.
• I nervously asked my voice teacher once if she thought auditioning with "Don't Rain On My Parade" was a good idea. I've heard that it's risky, opening yourself up for comparisons to the greats like Barbra, Judy or Patti, but it's one of those risks that could potentially could pay off. Her answer was essentially - if it's a song that is a good fit for you and if you can make it your own, then why not?

Above all, sell it. Believe in yourself and have confidence you're gonna kill it. Whether you book the job or not, you've gained some more experience and will hopefully have learned a few things for your next audition.

What do you think?

Do you have any tips/tricks for picking a good audition song? 

I know I have some regular auditioners who read here and would love to hear what has brought you success!