28 Best Audition Songs From 2000s Musicals You Need

A strong musical theater audition book will contain songs from many different eras and decades. Beef up your song list with terrific tunes from 2000s musicals. There are so many great shows from this decade, there is something for everyone to sing.

Putting Your Book Together

So what should be in your audition book? The short answer is a little bit of everything. You need ballads, Golden Age, pop/rock, and maybe even a jazz standard. This may seem like a lot, and it can be. However, you can make your songs do double duty. For example, your Golden Age choice can also be your ballad. Your pop/rock can be your uptempo. 

For each song, you should have an eight-bar cut, a 16-bar cut, and a 32-bar cut. These must be marked and easy for the pianist to read. The full songs should also be included behind a divider. Organize it all in a three-ring binder in a way that makes sense so the pianist can easily find your music.

Now that you know what types of songs you need, consider the following songs from 2000s musicals. This decade is rich in styles and genres. There are traditional Broadway shows as well as contemporary and jukebox musicals. As you peruse the list, think about which songs best fit your voice and personality.

Uptempo Songs for All Voice Types

It can be tricky to find the right uptempo song. Should it be comedic? Serious? A Sondheim patter song? Fortunately, musicals from the 2000s are loaded with a variety of uptempo numbers for just about any audition. Here are some great choices, broken down by voice type.

Sopranos

• "Brand New You" from 13 by Jason Robert Brown. Perfect for teenagers, this song lets you show off your high notes in a funky pop style.
• "Practically Perfect" from Mary Poppins by George Stiles and Anthony Drew. Choose this for any Disney or children's show audition.
• "Get Out and Stay Out" from 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton. Use this song for any pop/rock auditions for 2000s musicals. 

Mezzo-Sopranos

• "Long as I'm Here With You" from Thoroughly Modern Millie by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan. Some songs from this show are much too overused. This is not of them. 
• "Someday" from The Wedding Singer by Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar. This song is great for a contemporary pop/rock audition piece.
• "Gotta Get Out" from Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon. Demanding rapid-fire delivery, you can show off your acting chops with this number.

Altos

• "Here I Am" from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels by David Yazbek. Fun and sassy, this uptempo number is a true crowd-pleaser.
• "Black is a Moocher" from The Wild Party by Michael John LaChiusa. This is a perfect vamp song.

Tenors

• "I'm Alive" from Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt. You can show off your rock vocals here. 
• "It Takes Two" from Hairspray by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. If you are a younger tenor and struggle to find the right rep, you can't go wrong with "Hairspray."
• "What Do I Need With Love" from Thoroughly Modern Millie by Dick Scanlon and Jeanine Tesori. You'll find a lovely, easy range for tenors here with some breezy high notes.

Basses/Baritones

• "Here For You" from 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton. This is a great choice for any lower voice that can pop up to the occasional high note.
• "Fantasies Come True" from Avenue Q  by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Dig into your comedic skills with this song.
• "Don't Let Me Go" from Shrek by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori. Use this number for any Disney show auditions.

Ballads and Slow Songs for All Voice Types

Every singer loves a good ballad. The folks at the audition table love to hear them, too. Choose one that has a story you can act and sits in your vocal sweet spot. You can try to avoid the most commonly sung ballads, but if you really own it and it's great in your voice, sing it anyway.

Sopranos

• "The Light in the Piazza" from The Light in the Piazza by Adam Guettel. This show is full of lovely songs for sopranos and this one is no exception.
• "The Finer Things" from Jane Eyre: The Musical by Paul Gordon and John Caird. If you need something on the legit side from 2000s musicals, give this one a try.
• "After Midnight Dies" from The Wild Party by Michael John LaChiusa. Sing this for something unexpected and different.

Mezzo-Sopranos

• "Please Don't Make Me Love You" from Dracula by Don Black, Frank Wildhorn, and Christopher Hampton. There's plenty to love in this uber-dramatic belt number. 
• "Chu-Chi Face" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. This song demands true comedic timing and a bit of slapstick.
• "I Miss the Mountains" from Next to Normal by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt. This is a lovely middle-range song with juicy belting.

Altos

• "The Winner Takes It All" from Mamma Mia! by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. From the popular jukebox musical, this ballad shows off your low notes. 
• "I'm Here" from The Color Purple by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. Deeply emotional and richly colored, this song is the place to run your riffs.

Tenors

• "I Turned the Corner" from Thoroughly Modern Millie by Dick Scanlon and Jeanine Tesori. A true crooner's delight, this lovely song isn't sung often enough.
• "Passeggiata" from The Light in the Piazza by Adam Guettel. If you've got an Italian-tenor quality to your voice, this is the one for you.
• "I Cannot Hear the City" from Sweet Smell of Success by Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia. This is rarely heard and makes a fab cut.

Basses/Baritones

• "Before the Summer Ends" from Dracula by Don Black, Christopher Hampton, and Frank Wildhorn. There are plenty of acting choices here.
• "What Is It About Her" from The Wild Party by Andrew Lippa. If you're looking for something dark and intense, this is it.
• "All That's Known" from Spring Awakening by Duncan Sheik and Steven Slater. This is a good pop/rock option.

Start listening and looking at scores and find your next audition song from musicals from the 2000s. Hopefully, you now have plenty of ideas for shows to watch and songs to learn. Break a leg!

Sources:

• https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/tips-organizing-audition-binder-10146/
• https://theatrenerds.com/6-steps-to-nailing-your-audition-song/
• https://www.stefanholmstrom.co.uk/single-post/how-to-choose-an-audition-song