The Best Audition Songs for Bye Bye Birdie – by Character
Do you have an upcoming audition for Bye Bye Birdie? Well unless you have specifically been asked to sing a song from the show that you’re auditioning for, it’s generally best not to. That said, you should still show off similar vocals and personality. So here’s our list of audition songs for Bye Bye Birdie, broken down by character.
Since Bye Bye Birdie is a post-golden age musical, most of the following songs are from golden age/post-golden age musicals as well. In addition, there is a classic/playful vibe to many of the following in order to match the style of the show.
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Step 1: Read your audition details
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.
Step 2: Get to know the show
In casting calls, they often ask for you to be “familiar with the show”. And even if it’s not requested, it’s generally assumed. One way to do this is to listen to the Bye Bye Birdie cast album➝ while reading through the synopsis.
Step 3: Pick an audition song
Next, based on your personality and vocal type, decide whether you’d like to audition for the ensemble or a specific character. Just keep in mind that if you audition for a specific character, you still might not be chosen for that particular role.
There’s usually a spot on the audition form asking if you are open to being in the ensemble or accepting a different role. I would suggest ticking that box and taking whatever you are offered. Every role is important, and you will earn valuable experience in a show.
And on that same note, even if you audition for the ensemble (rather than a specific character), there’s always a chance of being cast in a leading or supporting role!
To summarize, keep an open mind and try not to take the process too seriously. And when you’re ready, choose the song that you feel most comfortable with from the list below.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Ensemble (Baritones)
“Hey There” – The Pajama Game
“I Am in Love” – Can-Can
“Young and Foolish” – Plain and Fancy
Ensemble (Basses)
“A Fellow Needs a Girl” – Allegro
“Some Enchanted Evening” – South Pacific
“The Man I Used to Be” – Pipe Dream
Ensemble (Contras)
“Hey, Look Me Over” – Wildcat
“I Never Know When” – Goldilocks
“If You Hadn’t But You Did” – Two on the Aisle
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Ensemble (Mezzo-Sopranos)
“I’ll Show Him” – Plain and Fancy
“The Next Time it Happens” – Pipe Dream
“What’s New At the Zoo” – Do Re Mi
Ensemble (Sopranos)
“My White Knight” – The Music Man
“So in Love” – Kiss Me, Kate
“What’s the Use of Wond’rin’?” – Carousel
Ensemble (Tenors)
“All I Need Is the Girl” – Gypsy
“I’ve Just Seen Her” – All American
“Old Devil Moon” – Finian’s Rainbow
Step 4: Select a monologue
If requested, here are a few audition monologues for Bye Bye Birdie:
• “I Don’t Know➝” from Sun Dried➝ (Mary Louise)
• “In a Minute” from The Anniversary➝ (Tatiana)
• “Maybe I’m Wrong” from The Genius➝ (Boy)
• “Well Done, Junior Disaster Committee!➝” from Cry-Baby (Baldwin)
• “Where Is He?➝” from The Father Clock➝ (Flub)
Final Step: Prepare for your audition
After collecting your materials and getting familiar with the show, it’s time to move forward with the actual preparation. If you’re in need of some guidance on this step, you can always go through this FREE audition prep checklist!
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
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! The following 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.
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
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
Which of these audition songs for Bye Bye Birdie did you choose?
And what role are you auditioning for? We would love to hear all about it in the comments! And in the meantime, you can check out our database of best audition songs for other musicals.
Need extra help? Just go through this free audition prep checklist!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.