🎭 Great Alternatives to Overdone Audition Songs (For Men and Women)
We’ve all been there. You show up to an audition, excited and prepared, only to hear three people before you sing “Gimme Gimme”, “She Used to Be Mine”, or “Corner of the Sky.” And suddenly… your unique performance feels not-so-unique.
The truth is, overdone audition songs become cliché not because they’re bad—they’re beloved. But if casting directors have heard them a hundred times this week, your version has to be earth-shatteringly good to stand out.
Instead of going head-to-head with a Broadway warhorse, consider a song that’s equally compelling, shows off your voice and acting, and makes the panel lean forward—not tune out.
Here’s a breakdown of great alternatives to the most overdone audition songs, organized by voice type and gender.
🎤 WOMEN: SOPRANO
🚫 Overdone: “Think of Me” (Phantom of the Opera)
Try Instead:
- “How Could I Ever Know” – The Secret Garden
- “Love, Look Away” – Flower Drum Song
- “What Makes Me Love Him?” – The Apple Tree
🚫 Overdone: “Popular” (Wicked)
Try Instead:
- “I Know the Truth” – Aida
- “Gorgeous” – The Apple Tree
- “The Music Still Plays On” – Baby
🚫 Overdone: “I Could Have Danced All Night” (My Fair Lady)
Try Instead:
- “Vanilla Ice Cream” – She Loves Me
- “What More Do I Need?” – Saturday Night
- “That’ll Show Him” – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
🎤 WOMEN: MEZZO/ALTO
🚫 Overdone: “She Used to Be Mine” (Waitress)
Try Instead:
- “The Life I Never Led” – Sister Act
- “Quiet” – Matilda
- “Simple Little Things” – 110 in the Shade
🚫 Overdone: “Don’t Rain On My Parade” (Funny Girl)
Try Instead:
- “Hold On” – The Secret Garden
- “If You Knew My Story” – Bright Star
- “How Did We Come to This?” – The Wild Party (Lippa)
🚫 Overdone: “Maybe This Time” (Cabaret)
Try Instead:
- “Colored Lights” – The Rink
- “Life Story” – Closer Than Ever
- “Another Winter in a Summer Town” – Grey Gardens
🎤 MEN: TENOR
🚫 Overdone: “Corner of the Sky” (Pippin)
Try Instead:
- “Run Away With Me” – Kerrigan & Lowdermilk
- “Her Voice” – The Little Mermaid
- “Fight the Dragons” – Big Fish
🚫 Overdone: “Santa Fe” (Newsies or Rent)
Try Instead:
- “Goodbye” – Catch Me If You Can
- “Leave” – Once
- “Why” – tick, tick… BOOM!
🚫 Overdone: “Waving Through a Window” (Dear Evan Hansen)
Try Instead:
- “With You” – Ghost: The Musical
- “Neverland” – Finding Neverland
- “It All Fades Away” – The Bridges of Madison County
🎤 MEN: BARITONE
🚫 Overdone: “If I Can’t Love Her” (Beauty and the Beast)
Try Instead:
- “Tell My Father” – The Civil War
- “At Night She Comes Home to Me” – Baby
- “Love Who You Love” – A Man of No Importance
🚫 Overdone: “Stars” (Les Misérables)
Try Instead:
- “This Is Not Over Yet” – Parade
- “No Moon” – Titanic
- “The Streets of Dublin” – A Man of No Importance
🚫 Overdone: “Some Enchanted Evening” (South Pacific)
Try Instead:
- “Come Back With the Same Look in Your Eyes” – Song & Dance
- “Isn’t It?” – Saturday Night
- “I Don’t Remember Christmas” – Starting Here, Starting Now
✨ Bonus: Comedy/Character Songs (For Any Gender)
🚫 Overdone: “Adelaide’s Lament” (Guys and Dolls) or “You’ll Be Back” (Hamilton)
Try Instead:
- “Way Back to Paradise” – Marie Christine
- “Model Behavior” – Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- “Nobody Steps on Kafritz” – Lunch
- “The Brain” – Young Frankenstein
🎒 Final Tips
- Check the vibe of the show. Always choose material in a similar genre/style.
- Make sure it fits your type. It’s not just about voice—it’s about essence.
- Tailor the cut. Build your version of the song with a clear arc and clean ending.
- Practice with an accompanist. Don’t find out something is hard to play at the audition.
- Keep updating your rep book. Songs get overdone when everyone sticks with the same 3 cuts for years.
🎧 Looking for More Song Ideas?
Grab our Repertoire List by Voice Type over here. — perfect for building your binder and prepping for the season.
Want help choosing your next cut? Drop a comment or book a rep session!
Break a leg!
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