The Best Audition Songs for A New Brain – By Character
When considering audition songs for A New Brain, it’s fitting to choose an introspective or piano-driven musical theatre song that aligns with the tone of the show and suits your vocal type. Always refer to the audition notice for specific guidelines.
Because A New Brain premiered in 1998, the audition songs below are drawn from musicals between the 1980s and 2010s. Each one has been carefully hand-picked and reviewed to ensure it matches the show’s style.
Step 1: Review Audition Info
Please read your audition details carefully, as they sometimes specify the type of song they’d like to hear (a ballad, something uptempo, etc.). Make sure to select a song that’s appropriate for your specific casting call.
Step 2: Study the Show
Before auditioning, you should get familiar with the show, and listening to the cast album is a great way to do that. Here’s where you can learn more about A New Brain.
Step 3: Pick an Audition Song
Before choosing a song, find your voice type and range using the Vocal Guide.
Based on your personality and vocal type, decide whether to audition for the ensemble or a specific character. Whatever you choose, try to stay open to other casting possibilities.
When you’re ready, choose a song from below that best fits your voice and style.
Audition Songs for A New Brain
✨ Want audition material that gets you noticed? Explore monologues, songs, and guidance on finding your casting lane inside The Theatre Trip Archive on Patreon!
Gordon Michael Schwinn
“Favorite Places” – Ordinary Days
“The Kid Inside” – Is There Life After High School?
“What More Can I Say?” – Falsettos
“You Gotta Die Sometime” – Falsettos
Lisa
“A Lovely Day to Be Out of Jail” – The Life
“Infinite Joy” – Elegies: A Song Cycle
“Stars and the Moon” – Songs for a New World
“We Had a Dream” – The Life
Mimi Schwinn
“Anytime I Am There” – Elegies: A Song Cycle
“Colored Lights” – The Rink
“Dancing All the Time” – Big
“Never Get Married” – Honeymoon in Vegas
Roger Delli-Bovi
“It Wasn’t Meant to Happen” – Marry Me a Little
“People Carry On” – The Story of My Life
“Shouldn’t I Be Less in Love With You?” – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
“The Games I Play” – Falsettos
❓ Curious which character type suits your personality? Take our free Character Archetype Quiz to find out if you’re a villain, ingénue, hero, romantic, or something even more unique!
Ensemble (Altos)
“Holding to the Ground” – Falsettos
“Just Not Now” – I Love You Because
“Only One” – Elegies: A Song Cycle
Ensemble (Baritones)
“I Like It Here” – The Story of My Life
“I Think I Like Her” – Summer of ’42
“Life Story (Reprise)” – Ordinary Days
Ensemble (Basses)
“If I Sing” – Closer Than Ever
“Mrs. Remington” – The Story of My Life
“What Would You Do?” – If/Then
Ensemble (Contras)
“King of the World” – Songs for a New World
“My Body Wasn’t Why” – The Glorious Ones
“Nothing Really Happened” – Is There Life After High School?
Ensemble (Mezzos/Sopranos)
“Hear My Song” – Songs for a New World
“I’m Breaking Down” – Falsettos
“I’m Not Afraid of Anything” – Songs for a New World
Ensemble (Tenors)
“Need to Know” – Weird Romance
“The Phone Call” – Lucky Stiff
“Write What You Know” – The Story of My Life
Step 4: Select a Monologue
If requested, here are a few audition monologues for A New Brain:
• “Big Green Pill” From God’s Ear
• “Insularity of Passion” from The Real Thing
• “Meaning of a Flower” from Everything So Far
• “My Life in Vinyl” from High Fidelity
• “Too Abstract” from Sylvia
Step 5: Audition Prep
Choosing the right song is just the beginning! Strong preparation helps you walk into the room with confidence and ready to show what you can do.
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A New Brain Song List
Here’s a list of the musical numbers in A New Brain, along with which characters sing in each of them. Unless you have been asked to, do not choose from the below songs for your audition! This is more intended to be used for character research purposes.
* That said, if you’ve specifically been asked to sing a song from the show, you can find the sheet music for the best possible audition songs below.
“Frogs Have So Much Spring (The Spring Song)” – Gordon
“Calamari” – Gordon, Rhoda, Waitress
“911 Emergency” / “I Have So Many Songs” – Rhoda, Nancy, Doctor, Gordon, Ensemble
“Heart and Music” – Gordon, Minister, Ensemble
“Mother’s Gonna Make Things Fine” – Mimi, Gordon
“Trouble in His Brain” – Doctor, Mimi
“Be Polite to Everyone” – Mr. Bungee, Gordon, Mimi, Rhoda
“I’d Rather Be Sailing” Roger, Gordon
“Family History” – Nancy, Richard, Mimi
“Gordo’s Law of Genetics” – Doctor, Rhoda, Lisa, Ensemble
“And They’re Off” – Gordon, Company
“Roger Arrives” – Lisa, Roger, Gordon, Mimi, Rhoda
“Just Go” – Gordon, Roger
”MRI Tomorrow” – Gordon, Roger, Richard
“Poor, Unsuccessful and Fat” – Richard, Gordon, Mr. Bungee
”MRI Day” – Nancy, Gordon
“Sitting Becalmed in the Lee of Cuttyhunk” – Gordon, Richard, Doctor, Rhoda, Nancy, Ensemble
“Craniotomy” – Doctor, Gordon, Nancy, Minister, Mimi, Roger
“An Invitation to Sleep in My Arms” – Gordon, Rhoda, Mimi, Roger
“Change” – Lisa
“Yes” – Gordon, Mr. Bungee, Ensemble
“In the Middle of the Room (Part 1)” – Gordon, Mimi
“Throw It Out” – Mimi
”In the Middle of the Room (Part 2)” – Gordon
“A Really Lousy Day in the Universe” – Roger, Lisa
“Brain Dead” – Gordon, Roger, Ensemble
“Whenever I Dream” – Rhoda, Gordon
“Eating Myself Up Alive” – Richard, Nancy, Doctor, Minister, Lisa
“The Music Still Plays On” – Mimi
“Don’t Give In” – Mr. Bungee, Gordon, Roger, Rhoda, Mimi
”Craniotomy (Reprise)” – Doctor
“You Boys Are Gonna Get Me in Such Trouble” – Richard, Roger, Gordon
“The Homeless Lady’s Revenge” – Lisa, Gordon, Roger
“Time” – Gordon, Roger
“Time and Music” – Minister, Roger, Mimi, Gordon, Lisa, Mr. Bungee, Company
“I Feel So Much Spring” – Gordon, Lisa, Minister, Mimi, Rhoda, Company
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip and the author of The Thespian’s Bucket List. She is also the creator of The Cast Album List. Her background includes a BA in Theatre, a TESOL Drama certificate, and professional experience in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
