Meta description: Looking for the perfect Beetlejuice audition song? Here are musical theatre audition song ideas for Lydia, Beetlejuice, Delia, Barbara, Adam, Miss Argentina, and Charles.
If you’re wondering what to sing for a Beetlejuice audition, there’s one very important thing to remember:
Weird is not enough. Don’t go for the obvious!
Yes, Beetlejuice is strange. It’s dark. It’s funny. It’s contemporary. And depending on the character, it can require everything from rock vocals to slapstick humor to genuine emotional vulnerability.
But that does NOT mean your audition song should simply be the loudest or most unhinged number in your book.
The best Beetlejuice audition songs show character, comic timing, strong storytelling, and the vocal ability to handle the role you’re going after.
And as always, I’m much more interested in songs that suggest the character and what they’re all about than songs that make it look like you’re doing your best impression of the original Broadway cast, ‘cause let’s face it, we hear enough of THAT!
So, what should you sing?
Here are some of my favorite audition songs for the principal characters (singing roles) in Beetlejuice.
Audition Songs for Lydia Deetz
Lydia needs much more than a big contemporary belt.
She’s funny and sarcastic, but underneath all of that is a teenager dealing with enormous grief and loneliness, and some self doubt.
You want to show someone intelligent, emotionally complicated, and a little unusual — not just “goth/rocker girl energy.”
“One Perfect Moment” — Bring It On
This is a great choice for showing Lydia’s intensity, as well as her struggles with confidence.
It has a contemporary musical theatre sound, plenty of vocal opportunity, and that sense of desperately wanting one thing to finally go right.
It allows you to show drive and emotional urgency without simply trying to recreate one of Lydia’s songs from the show.
Sometimes understated shows you’ve really done your homework on the character!
“Out Here on My Own” — Fame
Want to show Lydia’s more vulnerable side?
This is a gorgeous option.
Seriously, whenever one of my vocal students wants to work on this song, I am giddy!
“Out Here on My Own” gives you loneliness and sincerity without requiring you to become overly dramatic. It lets the casting team see the emotional heart underneath Lydia’s sarcasm.
Note: this is from the MOVIE version of Fame, NOT the stage version (which also has fantastic songs, look into it!)
“Stupid With Love” — Mean Girls
For the quirky side of Lydia, this is a fun contemporary choice.
It’s smart, awkward, super funny, and highly actable!
Most importantly, the comedy comes from a very specific character with a very specific point of view…and Cady has a lot in common with Lydia. After all, both girls struggle with wondering where they fit in!
That’s much more useful in a Beetlejuice audition than simply trying to prove how weird or LOUD you can be.
Seen it/heard it! Show ‘em something different, you’ll thank me!
Audition Songs for Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice may be one of the easiest characters in the entire show to overdo at an audition.
Please do not spend your whole song screaming:
LOOK HOW LOUD AND FUNNY I AM.
Ok, so it’s obvious. The role absolutely requires huge huge huge personality. THAT can’t be disputed.
The guy needs to be OUT THERE!
But it also requires timing, vocal stamina, danger, definitely some swagger,and the ability to completely control an audience and make them love ya.
“Hard to Be the Bard” — Something Rotten!
This one checks an awful lot of boxes.
Rapid-fire storytelling? Check.
Ego? Oh yes. Check.
Frustration? Check.
Big comic choices? Absolutely YES!
Therefore, this is one of my top picks..and perhaps not an obvious one, ‘cause that’s how I roll.
Unless the casting folks specifically ask you to do a character voice, please refrain. And that goes for all the following songs,too.
“Oogie Boogie’s Song” — The Nightmare Before Christmas
If you want to lean into the darker, more sinister side of Beetlejuice, this is a terrific option.
Okay okay..this one may be a bit more obvious..but come on now. It’s MEANT for a Beetlejuice audition!
It has swagger, camp (my favorite), menace, theatricality, and the sense of someone having FAR too much fun being terrible.
It also gives you plenty of room to interact with the audition room rather than simply standing there and singing.
This one shows an actor who isn’t afraid to be “out there” in every way!
“In the End of Time” — School of Rock
If you want to demonstrate that you can actually handle the rock side of Beetlejuice, take a look at this one.
It’s chaotic, funny, vocally aggressive, and requires complete commitment.
There’s also a fun connection: Alex Brightman originated Dewey Finn in School of Rock before originating Beetlejuice on Broadway. And Alex is awesome.
But that isn’t the only reason the song works.
It lives in exactly the kind of high-energy rock-comedy world the role demands.
Audition Songs for Delia Deetz
Delia is a gift.
She is confident, eccentric, theatrical, completely committed to whatever she believes at that particular moment — and definitely in her own worlds of delightful delusion!
Your Delia audition song should let you make bold choices.
“Miss Baltimore Crabs” — Hairspray
Sharp, theatrical, funny, and overflowing with confidence.
This gives an actor plenty of room to make strong character choices without having to force the comedy. The text speaks for itself, enjoy it!
“If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It” — The Producers
Big physical comedy.
Fearless confidence (to say the very least!)
Absolutely no embarrassment whatsoever.
That’s a pretty good recipe for Delia, if you ask me. Delia is Delia’s biggest fan.
“I Just Want to be a Star” — Nunsense
It’s a great choice if you want the comedy to come primarily through the lyrics rather than through broad physical choices! It’s not as “out there” as the other pieces, but it’s still upbeat, definitely NOT serious, and meant to be sung by an extrovert…although a different kind.
Keep in mind, Delia may be nutty, but she’s a nutty that really does MEANS WELL!
Audition Songs for Barbara Maitland
Barbara is one of the characters where restraint really helps.
She’s warm, practical, a little repressed, slightly neurotic, and deeply human.
Her journey is partly about realizing that the safe little life she thought she wanted may not actually be enough.
“If He Really Knew Me” — They’re Playing Our Song
This feels extremely Barbara to me, I just looove this one.
It’s conversational, warm, funny-sad, simple and melodic.
You can show personality and inner life without pushing. Like I say allll the time: simple can sometimes be the most effective.
“How Can I Win?” — The Goodbye Girl
This is a great option for Barbara’s frustrated side.
She’s trying very hard to remain a sensible, reasonable person while the universe becomes increasingly ridiculous around her.
That gives you a lot to play with. Barbara can so relate to not knowing what to do when under pressure!
“What You Don’t Know About Women” — City of Angels
Barbara has her neurotic moments for sure, but she’s also witty and calls it like it is.
Do the solo version (available in those anthologies we all know in love)
City of Angels is a score that many sleep on…don’t you be the same! Great audition songs!
Audition Songs for Adam Maitland
Adam needs sincerity.
He’s awkward, sweet, anxious, practical, a bit dorky, and extremely lovable.
This is not the role where I would worry about showing off enormous vocal fireworks.
Let them like you. The key for Adam is to get them all on your side.
“I Think I Can Play This Part” — The Goodbye Girl
Earnest, nervous, slightly awkward, and oh so charming.
That is a very good Adam combination.
“The Life You Wished For” — Chaplin
This brings out Adam’s more heartfelt side.
It has warmth and longing without suddenly turning him into a sweeping romantic leading man.
I ADORE the score to Chaplin, it’s stellar. If you haven’t heard it , drop what you’re doing and go listen!
“Grow for Me” — Little Shop of Horrors
This may be the most immediately Adam-ish song on the entire list. And yes, leaning more towards “obvious”.
Sweet.
Neurotic.
Awkward.
Nerdy.
Hilarious.
That’s Adam, am I right????
Audition Songs for Miss Argentina
Miss Argentina gets a relatively brief amount of stage time and still has to make sure you NEVER forget her. She’s got one song, and she SELLS it, honey!
This is not the time for subtlety.
You want glamour, personality, star quality, humor, and a lady who just might steal the show.
“I Want to Go to Hollywood” — Grand Hotel
Ambition, glamour , belt, and giant personality.
This may be one of the closest stylistic matches on this entire list.
“Not for the Life of Me” — Thoroughly Modern Millie
Bright, brassy, energetic, determined, and full of personality.
There’s also plenty of room here to show both vocal ability and old-fashioned musical theatre star quality. Big belt, big dreams!
“Whatever Happened to My Part?” — Spamalot
Honestly?
Sooooo perfect.
Diva outrage!
Comic belt.
Seriously theatrical vanity.
And the overwhelming belief that the biggest problem currently facing the universe is that you are not receiving enough stage time.
Miss Argentina would understand. Would she EVER!
Audition Songs for Charles Deetz
Charles needs to feel like an actual dad.
He can absolutely be funny, but he’s also one of the emotional anchors of Lydia’s story.
His audition song should show maturity, warmth, frustration, and genuine affection rather than turning him into a generic comic older man, that ain’t him.
“My Time of Day” — Guys and Dolls
Simple, mature, warm, and sincere.
This shows the quieter side of Charles beautifully.
And because so much of Beetlejuice is deliberately larger than life, sometimes an understated audition choice can be incredibly effective. Tired of hearing me say it? Well , it’s true!
“Plant a Radish” — The Fantasticks
Use a solo version or create a smart solo cut.
The exasperated-parent humor is almost too perfect.
It has warmth, practicality, and that wonderful underlying thought:
Why is raising a human being SO much harder than literally everything else? Help! Single dads need an instruction book!
“Sometimes a Day Goes By” — Woman of the Year
This gives Charles the emotional depth the other two choices don’t. I think this pick could be a slam dunk, to be honest.
Regret, tenderness, maturity, and genuine feeling — without overselling any of it. After all, he lost his beloved wife. This song shows exactly how he feels when he is missing the woman that he loves.
Not to mention this melody is gorgeous and sweeping.
How to Choose the Right Beetlejuice Audition Song
The best audition song isn’t necessarily the song that sounds the most like something from Beetlejuice.
And it definitely isn’t automatically the song that allows you to make the biggest or weirdest choices.
Ask yourself:
What does this song tell the casting team about me in this particular role?
For Lydia, maybe you need to show vulnerability.
For Beetlejuice, maybe you need to prove that you can handle comedy while still killing it vocally.
For Delia, maybe you need to show fearless character work.
For Adam or Barbara, the smartest choice may actually be something smaller and more real.
Your song should help the people behind the table really see you inside the show.
It shouldn’t make them think about the person who played the role before you.
One Last Beetlejuice Audition Tip
Don’t confuse weird with interesting.
Casting already knows Beetlejuice is weird. And funny. And big.
What they need to know is whether you can tell a story, make specific choices, handle the vocal demands of the role, and create a character we care about!
And if you’re auditioning for Beetlejuice himself, remember:
He may be chaotic, but he’s an artful chaotic!
That’s the guy who will get the role.
Break a leg ! And, if you are auditioning for Beetlejuice or ANY musical and need help, I am here for you!