The Best Audition Songs for Elf – by Character
Do you have an upcoming audition for Elf? 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 Elf, broken down by character.
Since Elf is a contemporary musical, the following songs are from contemporary musicals as well. In addition, there are lots of light-hearted and holiday vibes below 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 comedic/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 Elf 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 (and not a specific character), there’s always a chance you might get chosen for a leading/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.
Buddy
“Edwina” – Dear Edwina
“How Lucky You Are” – Seussical
“Reindeers are Better Than People” – Frozen
“Sheldon Potts’ Halftime Show” – Junie B. Jones
Deb
“Fly, Fly Away” – Catch Me If You Can
“Lost in the Brass” – Band Geeks
“Right Hand Man” – Something Rotten!
“Stupid With Love” – Mean Girls
Emily Hobbs
“After All of This and Everything” – Freaky Friday
“Just Like That” – A Christmas Story
“Parents Lie” – Freaky Friday
“What a Mother Does” – A Christmas Story
Jovie
“Anywhere But Here” – Honeymoon in Vegas
“Don’t Wanna Be Here” – Ordinary Days
“No More Fear” – Freaky Friday
“True Love” – Frozen
Michael Hobbs
“Counting Down to Christmas” – A Christmas Story
“Middle of a Moment” – James and the Giant Peach
“On Your Way Home” – James and the Giant Peach
“Think Positive” – Willy Wonka
Santa
“Be the Hero” – Big Fish
“Everything’s Golden” – Tuck Everlasting
“The Genius on Cleveland Street” – A Christmas Story
“You Can’t Trust a Man” – Tuck Everlasting
Walter Hobbs
“Coffee Shop Nights” – Curtains
“I Miss the Music” – Curtains
“Love Who You Love” – A Man of No Importance
“Welcome to the World” – A Man of No Importance
Ensemble (Altos)
“I Love Play Rehearsal” – Be More Chill
“Jet Set” – Catch Me If You Can
“What You Got” – Freaky Friday
Ensemble (Baritones)
“Christmas is My Favorite Time of Year” – Catch Me If You Can
“In Summer” – Frozen
“Top of the World” – Tuck Everlasting
Ensemble (Basses)
“I’m Allergic to Cats” – The Theory of Relativity
“The Man Inside the Clues” – Catch Me If You Can
“We Look to You” – The Prom
Ensemble (Contras)
“Just Breathe” – The Prom
“There Was John” – Tootsie
“What They Never Tell You” – It Shoulda Been You
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Ensemble (Mezzos)
“I See Stars” – Mean Girls
“So Much Better” – Legally Blonde
“Watch What Happens” – Newsies
Ensemble (Sopranos)
“Around the World” – Grey Gardens
“Saturday Alone” – Calvin Berger
“Two Men in My Life” – Big Fish
Ensemble (Tenors)
“Hans of the Southern Isles” – Frozen
“Hugo’s First Case” – Tuck Everlasting
“Women and Sandwiches” – Freaky Friday
Step 4: Select a monologue
If requested, here are a few audition monologues for Elf:
• “A Pony for Christmas” in Kids’ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny➝
• “Playing With Fired” in The Best Men’s Monologues from New Plays, 2019➝
• “Snowballs” in The Acting Coach Approach: 48 Monologues for Kids➝
• “The Not-So-Nice List” in Kids’ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny➝
• “Unite” in Fantasy Monologues for Young Actors➝
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!
Elf Song List
Here’s a list of the musical numbers in Elf 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:
“Christmastown” – Santa, Buddy, Ensemble
“World’s Greatest Dad” – Buddy
“In the Way” – Deb, Walter, Emily, Michael, Ensemble
“Sparklejollytwinklejingley” – Buddy, Ensemble
“I’ll Believe in You” – Emily, Michael
“In the Way (Reprise)” – Emily, Walter
“Just Like Him” – Buddy, Walter, Deb, Ensemble
“A Christmas Song” – Buddy, Jovie, Ensemble
“World’s Greatest Dad (Reprise)” – Buddy, Company
Act 2:
“Nobody Cares About Santa” – Fake Santas, Manager, Buddy
“Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)” – Jovie
“There Is a Santa Claus” – Michael, Emily
“The Story of Buddy the Elf” – Buddy, Michael, Walter, Greenway, Ensemble
“Nobody Cares About Santa (Reprise)” – Santa
“A Christmas Song (Reprise)” – Jovie, Buddy, Emily, Walter, Michael, Ensemble
“Finale” – Company
Which of these audition songs for Elf 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.