The best way to get better at auditioning for musicals is to audition more! It may seem intimidating at first, but if you know how to prepare for musical auditions, you’ll be a pro in no time! If you’re new to theatre or would like some common questions answered, check out this guide on how to prepare for a musical audition, as recommended by an experienced actor and music director.
Research the Musical
First, you’ll want to research the musical that you are auditioning for. Unless you are auditioning for a brand-new show, you should be able to find information about it online. Stageagent.com is a great place to start for peer-edited synopses and character breakdowns, including each character’s stage age and vocal range. Additionally, listen to the cast recordings on streaming platforms like Apple Music, or clips of performances on YouTube or TikTok – but be aware that all performance levels may be shared. This can help you get a feel for which characters you may connect with and which songs are in your range.
Pick the Song
Choose a song from a different musical than the one you are auditioning for. Look for a song that is in a similar style to the musical/character(s) you are auditioning for. You will want to pick a song that shows off most of your vocal range, not just one end of it! Be sure the song also allows you to show your acting range effectively (comedic timing, emotional connection, etc.). It’s recommended you do not select songs by Stephen Sondheim or Jason Robert Brown (unless you are auditioning for a Sondheim or Brown musical), as these composers’ musicals are known for being hard for accompanists to sight-read. Be sure to follow any specific directions for choosing a song given in the audition notice; show the production team right away that you can take direction!
Obtain Sheet Music
Once you’ve picked your song, you will need to obtain sheet music for it. You’ll want at least two copies of the sheet music: one for you to take notes on while you practice, and one for the audition accompanist. For a musical audition, you will want to bring piano/vocal sheet music containing only the solo vocal line and the piano part (which will usually be two lines). Do NOT bring sheet music from a conductor score with several parts, sheet music that only has the vocal line, or sheet music that has instrumental parts other than piano! You can always ask a music teacher or a musician friend if the format of your sheet music looks good for your audition.
There are several sites online where you can purchase sheet music for individual songs, such as musicnotes.com and sheetmusicplus.com. Additionally, your local library may have musical songbooks that you can make copies of, so long as you have a library card. Sheet music from these books tends to be a little larger, so make sure the copier is set to the right settings!
Choose an Audition Cut
Most production teams will ask for about 16-32 measures (also known as “bars”), or one minute of music. One measure is the amount of music between each vertical line on the page – usually three or four beats, depending on the time signature. Measures are shorter than lines of music; many beginners confuse these terms.
Once you have your audition cut chosen, mark your music with neat “START” and “END” labels. You will also want to circle or highlight any tempo or key changes; however, avoid unnecessary markups on your sheet music, so the audition accompanist can read it easily. Audition accompanists are strong musicians, but they will usually be sightreading much of the music; help THEM help YOU by making your sheet music easy to read!
Be sure to thank your audition accompanist for being there; their job is not easy, and they are often overlooked!
No Accompanist? No Problem!
If the production team tells you that there will not be an audition accompanist, you will want to bring an instrumental recording of your audition piece. Many free recordings are available on YouTube; just be sure to practice your audition cut ahead of time to ensure it aligns with the recording’s tempo and key. Remember that if you change tempos mid-audition, a recording won’t follow you the way that a live accompanist will! If your audition will be sans accompanist, you don’t need to bring sheet music.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Most importantly, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE! The more comfortable you are with your audition piece, the better you will present yourself at your audition.
Last Updated on: April 16, 2026
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