The Best Audition Songs for Ruthless! – by Character
Do you have an upcoming audition for Ruthless!? 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 Ruthless!, broken down by character.
Since Ruthless! is a musical from the 1990s, the following songs are from the 1990s-2000s. In addition, there are lots of piano-heavy/satirical vibes below 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 uptempo, 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 read through the synopsis while listening to the Ruthless! cast album➝.
Step 3: Pick an audition song
Next, based on your personality and vocal type, decide which character you’d like to audition for. 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 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.
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.
Louise Lerman/Betty/Eve
“All I Want for Christmas” – Nuncrackers
“Die Vampire, Die!” – [title of show]
“My Friend, The Dictionary” – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
“Life With Harold” – The Full Monty
Judy Denmark/Ginger Del Marco
“Colored Lights” – The Rink
“Dancing All the Time” – Big
“Holding to the Ground” – Falsettos
“Willing to Ride” – Steel Pier
Lita Encore
“Everybody Wants to Do a Musical” – Nick & Nora
“Only One” – Elegies: A Song Cycle
“Rookie in the Ring” – My Favorite Year
“They Don’t Know” – Thoroughly Modern Millie
Myrna Thorn
“Funny” – My Favorite Year
“I Am Here to Stay” – Nunsense II
“I Am Playing Me” – [title of show]
“Times Like This” – Lucky Stiff
Sylvia St. Croix
“Don’t Be the Bunny” – Urinetown
“I Wanna Be a Producer” – The Producers
“I Want the Good Times Back” – The Little Mermaid
“Stupid Things I Won’t Do” – Infinite Joy
Tina Denmark
“I Speak Six Languages” – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
“My New Philosophy” – You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
“My Party Dress” – Henry and Mudge
“Picture Show” – Bonnie & Clyde [Young Bonnie’s part]
Step 4: Select a monologue
If requested, here are a few audition monologues for Ruthless!:
• “Actor!” in Audition Monologues for Young Men➝
• “Green Pepper➝” from Cocktails at Pam’s (Estelle)
• “It’s Never One Thing➝” from Shows for Days (Irene)
• “Some People Are Bizarre” in Magnificent Monologues for Teens➝
• “Three-Word Play” in The Acting Coach Approach: 48 Monologues for Kids➝
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!
Ruthless! Song List
Here’s a list of the musical numbers in Ruthless!, 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:
“Tina’s Mother” – Judy
“Born To Entertain” – Tina
“Talent” – Sylvia
“To Play This Part” – Tina
“Teaching Third Grade” – Miss Thorn
“Where Tina Gets It From” – Judy, Sylvia
“Pippi in Tahiti” – Louise
“Kisses and Hugs” – Judy
“Teaching Third Grade (Reprise)” – Miss Thorn
“Talent (Reprise)” – Sylvia
“I Hate Musicals” – Lita
“Angel Mom” – Judy, Tina
Act 2:
“Penthouse Apartment” – Eve
“It Will Never Be That Way Again” – Ginger
“I Want the Girl” – Sylvia
“There’s More To Life” – Tina
“Parents And Children” – Ginger, Tina
“Ruthless!” – Ginger, Sylvia, Tina
“Talent (Reprise 2)” – Tina
“Ruthless! (Reprise)” – Company
Which of these audition songs for Ruthless! 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.