What to Sing for a Sound of Music Audition

Let’s talk The Sound of Music. Will this beloved musical ever go out of style?

I sure hope not! All these years later, it’s a crowd pleaser, not to mention a show with many great roles for actors of all ages.

In fact, as I write this in September of 2026, they are having an open call for the Von Trapp kids for a Broadway production!

Anyway…..

As always, these suggestions of mine aren’t songs from the show itself.

The idea is: if I were preparing an actor to audition for one of these roles, what other songs would I want that show the people behind the table the same vocal style and character?

And with The Sound of Music, that means we get everything from powerhouse legit soprano to young tenor to sophisticated leading lady to comic character baritone (who can steal the show, depending who you cast!)

MARIA

Our girl Maria needs warmth, sincerity, and tons and tons of optimism. I don’t want four sugary sweet ingénue songs- THAT won’t work! She needs humor, heart, and enough maturity that I believe the relationship with the Captain.

How Are Things in Glocca Morra? — Finian’s Rainbow
I Whistle a Happy Tune — The King and I
A Wonderful Guy — South Pacific
They Say It’s Wonderful — Annie Get Your Gun

CAPTAIN VON TRAPP

This is a real leading-man baritone stuff. He needs restraint, authority, romance, and the ability to let us see what’s underneath all of that discipline. A level headed, classic baritone hunk!

My Defenses Are Down — Annie Get Your Gun
Try to Remember — The Fantasticks
This Nearly Was Mine — South Pacific
If Ever I Would Leave You — Camelot

MOTHER ABBESS

Bring me the VOICE!

Mother Abbess needs mature legit soprano material with enormous emotional authority. These songs should feel sweeping and majestic!

Crossover queens (you ladies from the opera world!) this is often your chance to check “star in a musical!” off your list of professional goals.

You’ll Never Walk Alone — Carousel
How Could I Ever Know? — The Secret Garden
Love Never Dies — Love Never Dies
Somewhere — West Side Story

LIESL

Young, romantic, sincere,slightly spunky, and just old enough to think she knows everything about love (silly girl!)

The material needs to feel youthful without becoming too childish.

I Like Him — Drat! The Cat!
Much More — The Fantasticks
One Boy — Bye Bye Birdie
It Might as Well Be Spring — State Fair

ELSA SCHRAEDER

Elsa needs old world elegance.

I want polished, sophisticated legit material — not big contemporary belt songs ! That’s sooooo NOT her! Think along the lines of Kelli O’ Hara and Laura Benanti.

Moonfall — The Mystery of Edwin Drood
To Keep My Love Alive — A Connecticut Yankee
When Did I Fall in Love? — Fiorello!
Poor Monty– A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

MAX DETWEILER

Oh, Max. How can you not love Max????

Charming. Theatrical. Worldly. Self-interested. And absolutely convinced he’s the cleverest person in the room.

Which means, obviously:

C’est Moi — Camelot
All I Care About — Chicago
Where Is the Life That Late I Led? — Kiss Me, Kate
Reviewing the Situation — Oliver!

ROLF

Yes, Rolf needs good audition songs, too. He has a substantial duet and needs to sound like a believable young romantic tenor

I want youthful, earnest material — not full-grown leading-man swagger, he’s a teenager for Heaven’s sake!

Love, I Hear — A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
On the Street Where You Live- My Fair Lady
I Met a Girl — Bells Are Ringing
Miracle of Miracles — Fiddler on the Roof

THE VON TRAPP BOYS

For the younger boys, I’d keep things youthful, character-driven, and singable without going too juvenile.

The Kite — You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Middle of a Moment — James and the Giant Peach
When I Get My Name in Lights — The Boy from Oz
Giants in the Sky — Into the Woods

THE VON TRAPP GIRLS

Same idea here: age-appropriate, melodic, sincere, and something that lets us hear a real voice without asking a child to screlt (scream+belt) or sing a song meant for a thirtysomething.

I Gotta Crow — Peter Pan
The Girl I Mean to Be — The Secret Garden
Candle on the Water — Pete’s Dragon
I’ve Got the Sun in the Morning — Annie Get Your Gun

And there we have it: audition songs for The Sound of Music !

Next time, we are leaving Salzburg behind and getting a LOT weirder.

Beetlejuice, anyone????? Email me if you have any requests. And, if you want to make sure your song is ready to go for Sound of Music or ANY show, you know who to book with!!!