The Best Audition Songs for Follies – By Character

If you’re looking for audition songs for Follies, it’s best to choose a song in the style of Sondheim from musical theatre repertoire that matches the show’s tone and suits your vocal type. Be sure to check your audition notice for any specific song guidelines.

Because Follies premiered in 1971, the audition songs below are drawn from musicals between the 1970s and 1990s. 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 uptempo, 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 Follies.

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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.

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Benjamin Stone

“Fear No More” – The Frogs [Sondheim]

“Live Alone and Like It” – Putting It Together [Sondheim]

“Movies Were Movies” – Mack & Mabel

“Putting It Together” – Sunday in the Park with George [Sondheim]

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Buddy Plummer

“Good Thing Going” – Merrily We Roll Along [Sondheim]

“I Won’t Send Roses” – Mack & Mabel

“Multitudes of Amys” – Company [Sondheim]

“Need to Know” – Weird Romance

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Carlotta Campion

“I Wrote the Book” – Woman of the Year

“Say Yes” – 70, Girls, 70

“The Ladies Who Lunch” – Company [Sondheim]

“We Can Make It” – The Rink

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Hattie Walker

“Cabaret” – Cabaret

“Everybody Wants to Do a Musical” – Nick & Nora

“Nobody Does It Like Me” – Seesaw

“Rookie in the Ring” – My Favorite Year

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Heidi Schiller

“A Little Bit of Good” – Chicago

“I Never Do Anything Twice” – Side by Side by Sondheim [Sondheim]

“Love Makes Such Fools of Us All” – Barnum

“Nelson” – A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine

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Phyllis Rogers Stone

“Every Day a Little Death” – A Little Night Music [Sondheim]

“Like It Was” – Merrily We Roll Along [Sondheim]

“Send in the Clowns” – A Little Night Music [Sondheim]

“Where Is the Warmth?” – The Baker’s Wife

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Roscoe

“All I Care About” – Chicago

“Hundreds of Girls” – Mack & Mabel

“Razzle Dazzle” – Chicago

“Wonderful“ – Wicked

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Sally Durant Plummer

“Children and Art” – Sunday in the Park with George [Sondheim]

“Nothing Like You’ve Ever Known” – Tell Me on a Sunday

“Tell Me on a Sunday” – Tell Me on a Sunday

“Time Heals Everything” – Mack & Mabel

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Solange La Fitte

“Bonjour Amour” – Grand Hotel

“Chanson” – The Baker’s Wife

“Storybook” – The Scarlet Pimpernel

“What You Need” – Grand Hotel

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Ensemble (Altos)

“Liaisons” – A Little Night Music [Sondheim]

“My Big Mistake” – The Will Rogers Follies

“The Music and the Mirror” – A Chorus Line

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Ensemble (Baritones)

“I Promise You a Happy Ending” – Mack & Mabel

“It Wasn’t Meant to Happen” – Marry Me a Little [Sondheim]

“Our Time” – Merrily We Roll Along [Sondheim]

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Ensemble (Basses)

“I Waltz Alone” – Grand Hotel

“Old Friends” – Merrily We Roll Along [Sondheim]

“Marry Me” – The Rink

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Ensemble (Contras)

“I Don’t Want to Know” – Dear World

“Living in the Shadows” – Victor/Victoria

“Meadowlark” – The Baker’s Wife

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Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!

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Ensemble (Mezzo-Sopranos)

“Autumn” – Starting Here, Starting Now

“Colored Lights” – The Rink

“I Belong Here” –The Grand Tour

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Ensemble (Sopranos)

“A Call From the Vatican” – Nine

“Happiness” – Passion [Sondheim/solo version]

“Melodie de Paris” – Phantom

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Ensemble (Tenors)

“At the Grand Hotel” – Grand Hotel

“Larger Than Life” – My Favorite Year

“Not a Day Goes By” – Merrily We Roll Along [Sondheim]

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Step 4: Select a Monologue

If requested, here are a few audition monologues for Follies:

• “Actor!” in Audition Monologues for Young Men➝

• “Don’t Look at Me #1” in The Best Men’s Monologues from New Plays, 2019➝

• “I Don’t Want to Be an Actress➝” from Snakebit  (Jenifer)

• “It’s Best➝” from Elsewhere➝

• “Where Is He?➝” from The Father Clock➝  (Flub)

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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!

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Follies Song List

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

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“Beautiful Girls” – Roscoe, Company

“Don’t Look at Me” – Sally, Ben

“Waiting for the Girls Upstairs” – Young Buddy/Buddy, Young Ben/Ben, Young Sally/Sally, Young Phyllis/Phyllis

“Rain on the Roof” – Emily, Theodore

“Ah, Paris!” – Solange

“Broadway Baby” – Hattie

“The Road You Didn’t Take” – Ben

“In Buddy’s Eyes” – Sally

“Who’s That Woman?” – Stella, Company

“I’m Still Here” – Carlotta

“Too Many Mornings” – Ben, Sally

“The Right Girl” – Buddy

“One More Kiss” – Heidi, Young Heidi

“Could I Leave You?” – Phyllis

“Loveland” – Company

“You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow” / “Love Will See Us Through” – Young Ben, Young Phyllis, Young Buddy, Young Sally

“Buddy’s Blues” – Buddy

“Losing My Mind” – Sally

“The Story of Lucy and Jessie” – Phyllis

“Live, Laugh, Love” – Ben, Ensemble

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Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!

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Which of these audition songs for Follies 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.

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