The Best Audition Songs for Bye Bye Birdie – By Character

When considering audition songs for Bye Bye Birdie, it’s fitting to choose an upbeat or character-driven song from musical theatre repertoire that aligns with the tone of the show and suits your vocal type. Always refer to the audition notice for specific guidelines.

Because Bye Bye Birdie premiered in 1960, the audition songs below are drawn from musicals between the 1940s and 1960s. Each one has been carefully hand-picked and reviewed to ensure it matches the show’s style.

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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 upbeat, etc.). Make sure to select a song that’s appropriate for your specific casting call.

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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 Bye Bye Birdie.

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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.

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Audition Songs for Bye Bye Birdie

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✨Need more options? The list below gives you a great starting point! The Theatre Trip Repertoire Studio gives you access to thousands of songs, hundreds of monologues, and tools to help you find your casting lane! Explore the Repertoire Studio →

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Albert Peterson

“Beautiful Girl” – Singin’ in the Rain

“On the Street Where You Live” – My Fair Lady

“Ridin’ on the Moon” – St. Louis Woman

“Shall I Take My Heart” – Goldilocks

“Singin’ in the Rain” – Singin’ in the Rain

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Conrad Birdie

“Don’t Be Cruel” – All Shook Up

“Heartbeat” – Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

“I Don’t Want To” – All Shook Up

“Serve Yourself” – Pump Boys and Dinettes

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Kim MacAfee

“A Little Bit In Love” – Wonderful Town

“In My Own Little Corner” – Cinderella

“It Might as Well Be Spring” – State Fair

“This Is All Very New to Me” – Plain and Fancy

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Mr. Harry MacAfee

“Heart” – Damn Yankees

“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” – My Fair Lady

“The Sadder But Wiser Girl” – The Music Man

“Those Were The Good Old Days” – Damn Yankees

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Mrs. Doris MacAfee

“Be Kind to Your Parents” – Fanny

“Sweet Thursday” – Pipe Dream

“We Deserve Each Other” – Me and Juliet

“We Need a Little Christmas” – Mame

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Mrs. Mae Peterson

“Miss Marmelstein” – I Can Get It for You Wholesale

“One Hundred Easy Ways” – Wonderful Town

“Why Do The Wrong People Travel?” – Sail Away

“You Mustn’t Be Discouraged” – Fade Out – Fade In

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Rose Alvarez (Rosie)

“I’m Going Back” – Bells Are Ringing

“It’s a Perfect Relationship” – Bells Are Ringing

“The Beast In You” – Goldilocks

“The Gentleman Is a Dope” – Allegro

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🎭 Are you never quite sure which roles to audition for? Take our free Casting Archetype Quiz to see if you’re a villain, ingénue, hero, romantic, or a type that’s even more unique!

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Ensemble (Altos)

“Everybody’s Got a Home But Me” – Pipe Dream

“I Enjoy Being a Girl” – Flower Drum Song

“I’m Not At All In Love” – The Pajama Game

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Ensemble (Baritones)

“Hey There” – The Pajama Game

“I Am in Love” – Can-Can

“Young and Foolish” – Plain and Fancy

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Ensemble (Basses)

“A Fellow Needs a Girl” – Allegro

“Some Enchanted Evening” – South Pacific

“The Man I Used to Be” – Pipe Dream

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Ensemble (Contras)

“Hey, Look Me Over” – Wildcat

“I Never Know When” – Goldilocks

“If You Hadn’t But You Did” – Two on the Aisle

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Ensemble (Mezzo-Sopranos)

“I’ll Show Him” – Plain and Fancy

“Sing Happy” – Flora, the Red Menace

“What’s New At the Zoo” – Do Re Mi

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Ensemble (Sopranos)

“My White Knight” – The Music Man

“So in Love” – Kiss Me, Kate

“What’s the Use of Wond’rin’?” – Carousel

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Ensemble (Tenors)

“All I Need Is the Girl” – Gypsy

“I’ve Just Seen Her” – All American

“Old Devil Moon” – Finian’s Rainbow

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Step 4: Select a Monologue

If requested, here are a few audition monologues for Bye Bye Birdie:

• “Cupid Strikes” from They’re Playing Our Song

• “Dancing Shoes” from Grease

• “Madison Avenue” from No Strings

• “Twenty Minutes” from They’re Playing Our Song

• “Wrong Side of Life” from Square One

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Step 5: Get Your Free Audition Prep Tools

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.

Get Theatre Trip’s free audition prep resources, including:

☑ Your Audition Prep Checklist
☑ Printable Audition Stamp Cards
☑ Updates when new audition tools are added

Grab your free resources on Patreon→

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Bye Bye Birdie Song List

Here’s a list of the musical numbers in Bye Bye Birdie, 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.

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Act 1:

“An English Teacher” – Rosie

“The Telephone Hour” – Ensemble

“How Lovely to Be a Woman” – Kim

“Put on a Happy Face” – Albert

“Normal American Boy” – Albert, Rosie, Ensemble

“One Boy” – Kim, Rosie, Ensemble

“Honestly Sincere” – Conrad, Ensemble

“Hymn For a Sunday Evening” – The MacAfee Family, Company

“One Last Kiss” – Conrad

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Act 2:

“What Did I Ever See in Him?” – Rosie, Kim

“A Lot of Livin’ to Do” – Conrad, Kim, Ensemble

“Kids” – Mr. MacAfee, Mrs. MacAfee

“Baby, Talk to Me” – Albert, Ensemble

“Spanish Rose” – Rosie

“Kids (Reprise)” – Randolph, Mr. Macafee, Mrs. Macafee, Company

“Rosie” – Albert, Rosie

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