Audition songs for mezzo-sopranos
These seven songs sit in a mezzo range, from golden-age comedy to contemporary pop-rock. Voice types overlap, and some guides file the same song under alto or soprano, so treat the list as a starting point and check the key against your own voice.
1. I Cain't Say No
Oklahoma!. Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Broadway, 1943. Uptempo.
Ado Annie sings it. It suits a golden-age comic second lead.
Heard often: Listed as overused by Theatre Trip (2021).
2. Hey, Look Me Over
Wildcat. Music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. Broadway, 1960. Uptempo.
Wildy and Jane sing it in the show, which was written for Lucille Ball. As a solo it makes a bright, brassy introduction.
3. What Did I Have That I Don't Have?
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Music by Burton Lane, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Broadway, 1965. Ballad.
Daisy sings it. BroadwayWorld advises against playing it as one long note of self-pity. Guides file it under both alto and soprano.
4. Still Hurting
The Last Five Years. Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Off-Broadway, 2002. Ballad.
Cathy opens the show with this contemporary dramatic ballad, sung at the end of her marriage.
Heard often: NewMusicalTheatre.com (2015) says anything from this show is probably out.
5. Astonishing
Little Women. Music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Broadway, 2005. Ballad.
Jo March sings about what she wants from her life in Act 1. The song builds to a big belt and suits a headstrong young lead.
Heard often: Named as overdone by NewMusicalTheatre.com (2015).
6. Watch What Happens
Newsies. Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman. Broadway, 2012. Uptempo.
Katherine, a young reporter, sings it. It was written new for the stage version and shows patter and comic timing.
Heard often: Named as overdone by NewMusicalTheatre.com (2015).
7. Dead Mom
Beetlejuice. Music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect. Broadway, 2019. Uptempo.
Lydia, a grieving teenager, sings this mid-tempo pop-rock belt.
Heard often: BroadwayWorld (2024) suggests holding off while it is this popular, and Theatre Trip lists it as overused.
Need a short version? Read how to make a 16-bar cut. More lists: Audition songs for sopranos, Audition songs for altos and belters, Audition songs for tenors, Audition songs for baritones.
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Sources
We checked each show's writers and opening year against its Wikipedia page in October 2026. The songs and the "heard often" notes come from these guides: