20 Best Audition Songs From 2010s Musicals You Need

So you're ready to do some musical theater auditions? Great! Get your book in shape with outstanding audition selections from 2010s musicals. This decade is full of wonderful shows that will allow you to demonstrate your range and skills at any audition call. You will be able to find just what you need, whether it's a belter's ballad or a comedic patter song.

What Belongs in My Book?

You need a small group of songs that fit every occasion. This means a ballad, an uptempo, something contemporary or pop/rock, a Golden Age, and possibly a comedic song and/or jazz standard. For example, your uptempo song can also be comedic and your Golden Age can be your ballad.

Print your music double-sided and put it in a 3-ring binder. Have eight-bar, 16-bar, and 32-bar cuts of each song ready at the front of the binder. Put in a divider, then put your full-length songs in the back. Make sure everything is well-marked and easy to read.

How About Musicals From the 2010s?

So glad you asked! Musicals from this decade can meet just about all the criteria from above. You won't find Golden Age in 2010s musicals, because that specifically refers to shows from the 1940s to about the mid-1960s. But there are songs in the Golden Age style you can choose as well as just about every other style and genre you might need.

Contemporary Musicals

One of the most popular musical theater genres today, there are plenty of contemporary musical theater audition songs to sing. Take a look at the following:

• "I Believe" from The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone - a high-energy number for tenor
• "I Don't Need a Roof" from Big Fish by Andrew Lippa - a mezzo-soprano ballad
• "Ring of Keys" from Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron - a ballad for a young or young-playing soprano
• "Hard To Be the Bard" from Something Rotten by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick - a comedic song for baritone
• "No One Else" from Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy - this is an ethereal, lush, and sweet ballad for a soprano

Pop/Rock and Jukebox Musicals

Pop/rock music abounds in 2010s musicals. These are shows that are written for the stage in a pop/rock style. Jukebox musicals are shows that take already existing music by an artist and build a story around the songs. Both types of shows have become increasingly popular and successful on Broadway. Some examples to choose from for your audition include:

• "Wait for It" from Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda - a dazzling hip-hop-infused number for baritones
• "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical by Gerry Goffin and Carole King - a slow and low ballad for mezzos
• "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" from American Idiot by Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day - a great rock audition song for tenors
• "Blue Hair" from The Black Suits by Joe Iconis - an uptempo rock number for sopranos

Traditional Broadway-Style Musicals

Of course, there's never a shortage of musicals with soaring ballads and charming character pieces. There are many traditional songs on tap, such as:

• "Fly, Fly Away" from Catch Me If You Can by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman - a favorite for mezzo-belters
• "What Only Love Can See" from Chaplin: The Musical by Christopher Curtis - a gentle soprano ballad to showcase the head voice
• "Where Are All the People" from Chaplin: The Musical by Christopher Curtis - a ballad for baritones
• "Proud of Your Boy" from Aladdin: The Musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken - a tenor ballad for Disney show auditions

Musicals That Recall the Jazz Age or Golden Age

There were some musicals from the 2010s that deliberately took their musical styles from yesteryear. These shows are great for auditions for Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, or similar shows. Check these out:

• "Poor Monty" from A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak - a comedic song for sopranos
• "Sibella" from A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak - a ballad for lyric tenors or high baritones
• "I've Found a New Baby" from Bullets Over Broadway by Jack Palmer and Spencer Williams - a jazzy uptempo number for mezzos
• "Foolish to Think" from A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak - a dramatic song for tenor or baritone

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few more audition songs that are so good they deserve a spot in your book.

• "Charming" from Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy - a scathing number for mezzos
• "In My Dreams" from Anastasia by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty - a nice ballad for belters
• "When He Sees Me" from Waitress by Sara Bareilles - a wryly funny uptempo choice for middle voices

Hopefully, this list will inspire you to find even more great songs from 2010s musicals. Find the ones that speak to you and get out there!

Sources:

• https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/What-Was-the-Golden-Age-of-Broadway-20220219
• https://rogerlove.com/selecting-an-audition-song/