Common wisdom in the musical theater community suggests that some songs are best avoided when it comes to auditions.
There’s no single “don’t sing” list, says Aaron Hawley. It’s more of a concept: over-the-top songs, difficult pieces for a performer or pianist, or selections that may be a little inappropriate.
“We have songs that fit into all of those categories in our show,” the director says of the Indiana Musical Theater Foundation’s upcoming summer cabaret, “The ‘Do Not Sing’ List.” Performances will be at 7:30 pm on June 14 and 15 at RKF Studios, 2446 Lake Ave.
“For me, the number one rule of the ‘no singing’ list is that if you truly believe that a song is a perfect fit for you and the role you are auditioning for, regardless of whether it is on the ‘list’ or not, There shouldn’t be anything stopping you from singing it,” Hawley says.
That is the premise of the summer cabaret, which the director describes as a unique opportunity for the cast and the audience. It’s rare to hear someone sing “Defying Gravity” outside of “Wicked,” he offers as an example.
Performances will include “Waving Through a Window” from “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl,” and “Memory” from “Cats,” to name a few. Hawley says the cast is filled with seasoned local theater artists and newcomers who deliver powerful numbers.
Hawley spent seven years as a student in IMTF’s Fort Wayne Summer Musical Theater program, meaning he spent a lot of time preparing for auditions. She says he wouldn’t be able to do anything like this cabaret if it weren’t for those experiences.
“When I was a student I was in the summer cabaret four times, mostly under the direction of Kia Zembala,” Hawley says. “She really made IMTF’s summer cabaret what it is today, and I’m so grateful to have been able to watch her and see what it takes to put on a show like this.”
The director thanks IMTF CEO and Executive Artistic Director Andrew Sherman for entrusting him with the cabaret project. Hawley made his directorial debut with the 2023 Summer Cabaret, which was a tribute to 25 years of Fort Wayne Summer Music Theatre.
“FWSMT has meant a lot to me over the years, and it certainly has to Andrew, so to take the helm of something to honor all that history was an incredible honor,” Hawley says.
The artists on the “’Do Not Sing’ List” include Addi Antibus, a vocal performance and arts management student at Indiana University’s Jacob’s School of Music in Bloomington. She answered the following questions via email.
Q. What song will you perform in this cabaret?
TO. I will be singing “If This Is Love” from “The Notebook The Musical.” I was actually introduced to it by Aaron Hawley, since it’s from a musical that made its Broadway debut this year. It has a fairly simple structure that works very well for an audition piece. Since it’s from a newer musical, I think people are taking advantage of it because it’s “darker.” But because so many people are doing that, it will be added to the “’Do Not Sing’ List” before the show has been on Broadway for a full year.
Q. As a performer, what do you think about “do not sing” lists? Did you ever think, “well… maybe I should sing that anyway”?
TO. On the one hand, I recognize that there are some songs that are very outdated. But, on the other hand, it should be the talents of the performer that get them the gig. “Gorgeous” from “The Apple Tree” is in my book, but it also constantly appears on the list. So if you love singing a song, don’t let an arbitrary list stop you from singing a song you love.
Q. What do you think should be added to the ‘do not sing’ lists for auditions? What do you think should not be on that list?
TO. My first thought is something related to “Hamilton”, but that’s already there. “Movie In My Mind” from “Miss Saigon” and (as much as I like the musical) the solo songs from “Falsettos” (2016) can be a bit over the top at times.
This might be my soprano bias, but I think classic unbelted soprano songs like “Till There Was You,” “If I Loved You,” and “Once Upon a Dream” shouldn’t be on the list. Simply because the belt is such a priority in modern musical theater that sopranos who don’t belt it don’t have much to choose from when it comes to modern repertoire, so we have to rely on the classics.
Q. What do you hope audiences experience with “The ‘Do Not Sing’ List” cabaret?
TO. I feel like a lot of performers try to make underground, dark songs. “The ‘Do Not Sing’ List” Cabaret is a great opportunity for both performers and audiences to hear the classic and popular theater songs we all know and love.
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