Monologues and Rep Songs?

Don’t get these straightforward points wrong! Finding monologues and songs for auditions can seem like a daunting task and at Front & Centre, we’re asked for advice on finding material all the time. It can be a simple enough task - as long as you know what you’re looking for.

Here are our FIVE biggest tips for finding audition monologues and songs.

1. Age is key.

It seems simple, but you’d be surprised how many people can get this wrong. Step one has to be to look for songs and monologues played by a character with a similar age to you. If you’re 13 years old, you don’t want to be performing a monologue about a 44 year old mum talking about her kids; you’ve got to be able to resonate with the character and the material.

2. Find Relatable Characters.

If you’re auditioning in any capacity, it’s likely you’re interested in Musicals and have watched them on stage or at least on film. Think back to watching these shows/films, did you find any of the characters particularly relatable? If so, have a look online and find out if they have any sections of script long enough to be a monologue and find out what song they sang. If there’s no usable material for auditions, then research similar characters to them and see what else you can find.

3. Don't Overthink it.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in finding very niche material which a panel won’t hear too often to help us “stand out”. There are of course occasions where this can be helpful but, popular songs and monologues are popular for a reason - they’re good, solid pieces of writing. Don’t be afraid of someone bringing the same material as you to an audition, even if you can hear them singing the same song as you right before you go in - it doesn’t matter! Panels hear 1000’s of auditions every year so, it’s likely they’ve heard everything before, just go in there and deliver your brilliant version.

4. Make sure you enjoy performing the material.

We’ve all been in a position where we’re having to perform something we don’t particularly enjoy and naturally, it never shows you off in your best light. For rep songs and monologues, you have the power. You can choose something you love, not something someone else likes or thinks you should do. Follow your gut, ultimately, it’s you who has to perform it.

5. What are you auditioning for?

This is perhaps the hardest point to navigate, but it’s extremely important and it’s something I still have to remind myself regularly when auditioning for shows. Sometimes you can find a song or monologue which is perfect for you. The character is your age, you resonate with them and you enjoy performing it but… it’s just not right for the audition. Ask yourself, “what do they need to see from me in this audition?” then ask yourself “does my song/monologue give the panel what they need?”. Make sure the answer to that second question is a resounding “yes”.

So, these are my five biggest tips for finding rep songs and monologues! It comes from my own experience auditioning for shows and my involvement on audition panels. They may seem like simple things, but they're very easy to get wrong. Break a leg!!