The Best Audition Songs for The Last Five Years – By Character
If you’re looking for audition songs for The Last Five Years, it’s best to choose an expressive song from contemporary 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 The Last Five Years premiered in 2001, the audition songs below are drawn from musicals between the 2000s and 2020s. 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.
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 The Last Five Years.
Step 3: Pick an Audition Song
Next, based on your personality and vocal type, decide which character you’d like to audition for. And finally, choose a suitable song from the list below!
Catherine Hiatt
“Always Starting Over” – If/Then
“Anywhere But Here” – Honeymoon in Vegas
“Before It’s Over” – Dogfight
“Don’t Wanna Be Here” – Ordinary Days
“Fly Into the Future” – Vanities
“Gotta Get Out” – Ordinary Days
“I’ll Be Here” – Ordinary Days
“Manhattan Bridge” – Next Thing You Know
“You Can’t Be Everything You Want” – Next Thing You Know
“You Learn to Live Without” – If/Then
Jamie Wellerstein
“And I Breathe” – Next Thing You Know
“As Good As I Get” – Next Thing You Know
“Come Back” – Dogfight
“Favorite Places” – Ordinary Days
“Goodbye” – I Love You Because
“Hey, Kid” – If/Then
“Isn’t That Enough?” – Honeymoon in Vegas
“Run Away With Me” – The Mad Ones
“You Don’t Need to Love Me” – If/Then
“You Never Know” – If/Then
Step 4: Select a Monologue
If requested, here are a few audition monologues for The Last Five Years:
• “A Girl’s Guide to Chaos” in Solo!: The Best Monologues of the 80s – Women➝
• “Bread and Circuses” in Audition Arsenal for Women in Their 20s➝
• “Bridge Partners” in Audition Arsenal for Women in Their 20s➝
• “Mom, Dad and a Bad Idea (#1)” in The Best Men’s Monologues from New Plays, 2019➝
• “Right Place, Right Time #2” in The Best Men’s Monologues from New Plays, 2019➝
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!
The Last Five Years Song List
Here’s a list of the musical numbers in The Last Five Years, 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.
“Still Hurting” – Cathy
“Shiksa Goddess” – Jamie
“See I’m Smiling” – Cathy
“Moving Too Fast” – Jamie
“A Part of That” – Cathy
“The Schmuel Song” – Jamie
“A Summer in Ohio” – Cathy
“The Next Ten Minutes” – Jamie, Cathy
“A Miracle Would Happen” / “When You Come Home to Me” – Jamie, Cathy
“Climbing Uphill” – Cathy
“If I Didn’t Believe in You” – Jamie
“I Can Do Better Than That” – Cathy
“Nobody Needs to Know” – Jamie
“Goodbye Until Tomorrow” / “I Could Never Rescue You” – Jamie, Cathy
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
Which of these audition songs for The Last Five Years 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.
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 and a TESOL drama certificate, with experience working and interning in Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.
