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 by a musical theatre professional to ensure fit and audition readiness.
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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.
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.
Step 3: Pick an Audition Song
Based on your personality and vocal type, decide whether you’d like to audition for the ensemble or a specific character. Just know that if you audition for a specific character, you still might not be chosen for that particular role.
Be sure to indicate that you’re open to the ensemble or other roles. You’ll gain valuable experience no matter where you’re placed. And remember, even if you audition for the ensemble, you could still be cast in a leading or supporting role.
To summarize, keep an open mind and have fun with this! And when you’re ready, choose the song that you feel most comfortable with from the list below.
The Audition Songs
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
“Sing Happy” – Flora, the Red Menace
“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: Audition Prep
Once you’ve chosen your song, it’s time to start preparing! Grab your FREE Audition Prep Checklist and Stamp Cards to stay organized and motivated for your upcoming auditions!
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
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
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.
