<p>I just noticed that some schools prohibit audition music from Rent, Phantom, and Beauty and the Beast, all of whom I find very appealing. Just curious, why do musical theater programs prohibit music from these shows for auditions?</p>
<p>maybe they are sick of hearing those songs? maybe they want to see the student dig a little deeper into the wealth of show music?</p>
<p>Irishmomof2, This is my take on this too. I just thought that there were other reasons.</p>
<p>My guess is that the adjudicators believe those songs are overdone. How many times can a person sit through “Seasons of Love,” as touching as it is? I think they want students to find pieces that are appropriate for their character type, voice and acting ability, and not just choose something because it is popular, or was popular.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, the auditors don’t want to hear music from shows which are running on Broadway or which have run on Broadway in recent years. NMR is correct in that they want kids to be able to show that they’ve given lots of thought in choosing their songs and monologues, and have not just chosen material which is currently popular. Finding appropriate pieces, as she stated, is all part of developing a repertoire of audition material which will be useful throughout their college careers, and afterwards. With Rent, in particular, many of the songs are also not songs designed to be sung by one person, which is another issue that creates problems with the material.</p>
<p>Also, in the case of Rent, the show is so specific in terms of musical style that it doesn’t really give a sense of what your voice can do in the broader range of musical theatre. Musical Theatre programs are looking for a student’s potential for growth and success in the field. Rent doesn’t really help give a sense of those things.</p>
<p>I can understand Rent somewhat. However, Les Miserables, Beauty and The Beast and Phantom have a lot of different musical styles and give a good sense of what the voice can do.</p>
<p>Yes, but I just betcha they’re sick of hearing people sing “I Dreamed a Dream” and “Castle on a Cloud!” (They are probably even sicker of hearing “Defying Gravity” and “Popular.” :))
Of course, it is up to each person whether he or she will abide by the “Do Not Use” lists or not. But if I were a student who was preparing to audition for a musical theater program, I would follow those guidelines, even if I disagreed with them. Why? Because I wouldn’t think it was a good idea to go into an audition in which I want to impress the adjudicators and do something they told me not to do! 
They would rightly conclude that I don’t follow their guidelines and thus, may not be the kind of student they want to allow into their program.
There really ARE hundreds of other fabulous songs to sing out there. Why risk annoying the people you are setting out to impress?</p>
<p>Five or six years ago I sat with my son outside the open doors of a large room waiting for him to audition as girl after girl sang “ALL THAT JAZZ”. His comments became funnier and funnier as each girl did her JAZZ until I was having a hard time keeping my laughter. Finally it was his turn and as he walked in I moved so I could watch between the door hinges. “What are you going to sing?” He was asked as he handed the accompanist his music. With a straight face he said, “ALL THAT JAZZ” there was dead silence, and then the accompanist started laughing, then the director et al. all broke out in gut splitting belly laughs. He got the part.</p>
<p>Great story … and your son clearly has a wonderful sense of humor and is smart. He established rapport with the casting team right away. Great job! (Ugh, years ago I heard a 12 year old girl sing “All That Jazz” for an audition for a middle school musical. Can you imagine? It must have been hard for the adjudicators to keep a straight face.)</p>
<p>Have to disagree with the Rent score not being able to give a good sense of what the voice can do. It depends on which songs you look at. Vocally, it is one of the most demanding scores in any Broadway show, which may be another reason that 17 year olds shouldn’t be singing it! 
Although it’s a rock opera, it contains a variety of different songs, which, in my opinion, overall, can show an amazing range of what type of talent a singer has. The number of Rent alumni who have gone on to star in numerous other Broadway shows is a testament to the many vocally talented actors (and various types) who have been in the show: Spelling Bee, Avenue Q, AIDA, Miss Saigon, YAGMCB, Footloose, Chicago, Les Mis, Cabaret, The Lion King, Taboo, Lennon, All Shook Up, Big River, The Color Purple, Hairspray, Tarzan, Little Shop, The Wedding Singer, The Full Monty, Rocky Horror, The Wild Party, Wicked, Hedwig, Flower Drum Song, Assassins, Jesus Christ Superstar, High Fidelity, just to name a few! :)</p>
<p>I think the issue is more related to the other reasons given.</p>
<p>It seems to me that most of the audicators want to hear at least something from more classical MT not just modern or pop like songs. I would say that I also wonder how often some of the do not use lists are updated. We moved to cincinnati 7 years ago and they still have all the same songs listed. At that time I thought it was because several of the shows on the list were things they had done recently or were doing in the next season or two. But who knows.
Just as an aside, D did an equity dance audition last summer and while they were teaching the dance I had at least an hour to talk with the equity monitor. At that time he said that about one third of auditioners he heard while being a monitor sang Defying Gravity and he thought he would scream if he had to hear it again.</p>
<p>I just heard recently that Jason Robert Brown songs are getting the reputation of being overdone, has anyone heard anything to that affect, one of the colleges has actually told their kids not to do those songs.</p>
<p>I know they can be extremely difficult to play, so you’re taking a chance that the pianist in the audition may have difficulty playing the song. Also, some people don’t seem to appreciate JRB’s stuff, so I’d say it’s best to avoid it, if you can find something else to use instead.</p>
<p>I agree with alwaysamon Rent it is very challangeing to sing. </p>
<p>alwaysamom - “Vocally, it is one of the most demanding scores in any Broadway show, which may be another reason that 17 year olds shouldn’t be singing it!”</p>
<p>Because the music in Rent is so rock in nature it can lead some young singers (although certainly not all) to push vocally to create that rock sound.</p>
<p>While one of the reasons that we don’t want to hear Rent in auditions is because it is over done. The other reason is because it is so specific, and does not give a good sense of the core quality of the vocal instrument. We are looking to see the full potential of a young singer. And while it may seem like a good idea to show how you can handle both rock musicals and classic musicals, we are mosre interested in hearing the simple, unique, special quality of each students voice. It is difficult to hear this in rock material.</p>
<p>Regardless, if a school is putting out a do not use list they are doing so for a reason. Each school may have it’s own reasons, but we all put a lot of thought into the information materials we put out for our prospective students. We want them to have a successful audition experience. We want students to make our decisions difficult. </p>
<p>When push comes to shove each student has to choose what is right for him or her in terms of material selection. But, I agree with NotMamaRose…</p>
<p>“if I were a student who was preparing to audition for a musical theater program, I would follow those guidelines, even if I disagreed with them. Why? Because I wouldn’t think it was a good idea to go into an audition in which I want to impress the adjudicators and do something they told me not to do! They would rightly conclude that I don’t follow their guidelines and thus, may not be the kind of student they want to allow into their program.”</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>“And while it may seem like a good idea to show how you can handle both rock musicals and classic musicals, we are mosre interested in hearing the simple, unique, special quality of each students voice. It is difficult to hear this in rock material.”</p>
<p>I realized after I posted the reply above that I worded my opinion and the opinion of the faculty where I teach as if that is the opinion and reasoning at all schools. That is certainly not the case. Each school will have there own reasons for not wanting to hear (or wanting to hear) specific material. That is why the “do not use” lists at all schools at different, and why some schools do not put them out at all. :)</p>
<p>Hi.</p>
<p>I have written this before on the boards, but I will repeat it in this thread. I go through this intense song selection process with almost every student I coach… I almost wish the colleges would do this in reverse… Pick 40 ballads for girls, 40 ballads for guys, 40 uptempos for girls, 40 uptempos for guys. Now… each student has to choose two from each category. That solves that. It would make it much easier for everyone. The students, the piano player, the parents, the coaches… Instead of a DON’T DO list… Make a MUST DO list… Remember when colleges start doing it, you heard it here first…lol.</p>
<p>Now theres going to be lots of people saying it won’t work, and blah, blah, blah… we’ll you know what? It would work.</p>
<p>Good Luck to everyone.</p>
<p>I just visited Emerson College yesterday, and in the musical theatre information session…they presented an example of a good audition/bad audition. It was SO Hilarious!! The girl posing the auditioner came in with her sheet music from “Wicked”…brought the whole book right in, slapped it down for the accompanist and said “um…can you just play it like the CD?”
Then she sang the end of defying gravity while standing on a chair and milking every note like a bad gospel singer…it was sooooo funny…and then she grabbed her music and ran out without so much as a thank you to her poor accompanist. LOL</p>
<p>TomBFACoach,</p>
<pre><code>I like your idea how do we get the schools to agree!
</code></pre>