Audition Cuts - COMPANY

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by George Furth

In my own practice, I've been trying to listen and play through some Broadway scores. Since creating the ShortCuts has had my mind on audition cuts lately, I thought it might be useful to note the different places I could see cutting sections out of these songs that didn't require a massive amount of rearranging or slicing up the sheet music. I went over to my bookshelf and grabbed the first score I had, which was a favorite of mine, COMPANY.

I've seen COMPANY in a few different iterations. My first introduction to it was the 2006 Broadway Revival directed by John Doyle with Raúl Esparza as Bobby. I remember watching it while I was in music school and thought it was such a beautiful production where many of the actors were also playing instruments. I believe I watched the taping that was filmed for Greatest Performances in 2008.

The next version that I saw was at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where the orchestration was performed by two pianists that flanked the stage. Another beautiful and simply staged production. We watched the documentary about the recording of the original cast album for grad school and I have taught and played many of these songs for different workshops and college classes. I love the 2011 New York Philharmonic Concert as well as the 2021 Broadway revival where many of the roles were gender-bent. I love how modular this piece of theatre is and that it's a story that can be told with the simplest of design and still be an excellent night at the theater. I could go on and on about the writing of this show and I'll save that for another time or over a coffee. Now the real reason you clicked on this post is below. The following is a list of recommended cuts from the entire score of COMPANY. The measure numbers are referencing the original score and may differ from sheet music that is sourced elsewhere. I am not attaching any sheet music because it is not mine to offer and I encourage you to utilize sheet music websites or stores to get your scores. (Though finding digital copies isn't too difficult.) The range of each song also refers to what's in the original score and you can easily find these songs in different keys on those websites.

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COMPANY

Length - 32 bars Time - 1:00 Measures - 39-70 Range - E3-Ab4

Starting Lyric - Phone rings, door chimes...

Ending Lyric - Really about!

Additional Notes - Write in the score for the pianist to play a Bb7 chord on the final "bout" to end the cut. Good for a general audition for the Sondheims that are in this style. Useful for ensemble calls. If you want it a whole step higher without getting new music, start at m.124 LITTLE THINGS

Length - 13 bars Time - :20 Measures 1-13 Range - E3-F#4

Starting Lyric - It's the little things you do...

Ending Lyric - Mmhm

Additional Notes - This could be a fun one for a Mrs. Lovett audition.

LITTLE THINGS

Length - 19 bars Time - :26 Measures 15-33 Range - C#3-F#4

Starting Lyric - It's the little things you share...

Ending Lyric - Jesus Christ, is it fun!

Additional Notes - One the ending, write in an E major chord on the word fun to end the song cleanly.

LITTLE THINGS

Length - 33 bars Time - :48 Measures 15-47 Range - C#3-F#4

Starting Lyric - It's the little things you share...

Ending Lyric - Mmhm

Additional Notes - This would be the preffered section to get the full section.

SORRY-GRATEFUL

Length 24 bars Time 1:25 Measures 3-27 Range - B2-D4

Starting Lyric - You're always sorry,

Ending Lyric - All to do with her.

Additional Notes - If you don't want the intro, ask the pianist to just play the starting note and take the song off of you. On the final "her" you can pop it up the octave to resemble the end of the song.

SORRY-GRATEFUL

Length 14 bars Time :40 Measures 14-27 Range - B2-D4

Starting Lyric - Everything's different

Ending Lyric - All to do with her.

Additional Notes - This would fit if they need a 16 bar and you still get both sections of the melody and I would still pop the note on the end up the octave.

YOU COULD DRIVE A PERSON CRAZY

Length 35 bars Time :45 Measures 14-49 Range E4-A5

Starting Lyric - You could drive a person crazy

Ending Lyric - ...person himself!

Additional Notes - This might sound a little off without the three part harmony. You could add to the comedy of doing it as a solo if you sing the echoes of the "doo-doo" moments and add to the being driven crazy. If time allows, start at m. 11 with the doo-doos and do some comedic instrument imitations.

HAVE I GOT A GIRL FOR YOU

Length 32 bars Time :30 Measures 106-142 Range F4-Db4

Starting Lyric - Whaddya like,

Ending Lyric - ...get married for?

Additional Notes - At the end, just copy the notes in m. 149 (Ab, C, Db) for "married for" to pop it up and make it feel final. Write in a Db major chord on "for?" for the pianist to just hold when you reach that note.

SOMEONE IS WAITING

Length 41 bars Time 1:30 Measures 44-85 Range C#3-F#4

Starting Lyric - Someone will hold me

Ending Lyric - Wait for me.

Additional Notes - The trap of this one is that it's a little slow and static for an audition cut. It's gorgeous inside the flow of the show, but might feel a little lackluster in an audition room.

ANOTHER HUNDRED PEOPLE

Length 38 bars Time :47 Measures 70-108 Range C4-Eb5

Starting Lyric - And they find each other...

Ending Lyric - ...just got off of the train.

Additional Notes - This is a fun wordy one to do with a lot of energy. Some pianists may have a difficulty with playing this as well as catching the three key changes if you're doing a live audition. I would keep the end of this one down and show off the lower part of your voice. You could take any of the other sections of this song if you desired a different cut. They all end pretty cleanly.

GETTING MARRIED TODAY

Length 39 bars Time :30 Measures 83-122 Range A3-B4

Starting Lyric - Go! Can't you go?

Ending Lyric - ...not getting married today.

Additional Notes - A tough one to bring into a live audition, but would be great for a self tape. Great patter song.

MARRY ME A LITTLE

Length 20 bars Time :30 Measures 23-43 Range B2-E4

Starting Lyric - Marry me a little

Ending Lyric - I'm ready now.

Additional Notes - This is a hard song to cut up. If I wanted/needed to do this one I would take that cut or start at "You can be my best friend" to the end of the song.

SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE

Length 28 bars Time :40 Measures 45-73 Range C3-Eb4

Starting Lyric - Everyone winks,

Ending Lyric - By side.

Additional Notes - Write in a C7 chord to start and just have the pianist ring it out. At m73, write in an F major chord and either sing an F or a different note to end the music.

WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT YOU

Length 42 bars Time :30 Measures 146-187 Range C3(4)-Eb4(5)

Starting Lyric - What would we do...

Ending Lyric - ...do without you?

Additional Notes - Use the two measures to lead into the singing. At m187, have the pianist finish playing on the downbeat with the Eb Major.

BARCELONA

Length 32 bars Time :40 Measures 28-60 Range Eb3-F4

Starting Lyric - Look, you're a very special...

Ending Lyric - Thank you.

Additional Notes - Ask the pianist to give you a bell tone at the beginning with your G. You could do a small rewrite at the end and take April's lines so its "June" (oops that's the wrong name.) "April" (Convincing that I know it.) "April" (Apologize.) "Sorry"

THE LADIES WHO LUNCH

Length 22 bars Time :35 Measures 39-61 Range E3-Bb4

Starting Lyric - Here's to the girls...

Ending Lyric - Let's all drink to them!

Additional Notes - While this is a great song, it's a tough audition one because it contains the iconic "Rise!" repeats at the end and that feels like a lot for most audition rooms.

THE LADIES WHO LUNCH

Length 22 bars Time :50 Measures 83-104 Range E3-G4

Starting Lyric - So here's to the girls on the go

Ending Lyric - Rise!

Additional Notes - This would be the ending cut of the song if you needed to show off the end.

BEING ALIVE

Length 19 bars Time :45 Measures 117-136 Range F#3-F#4

Starting Lyric - Somebody crowd me with love

Ending Lyric - Being alive!

Additional Notes - The ending cut of this song. There's a similar cut from 60-75. If you had the time, you could start the ending cut from m76 "Somebody hold me too close" or m88 "Somebody need me too much" or m101 "Make me confused" All of those options also give satistfying musical sections.

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I hope you find this list helpful in your search for useable cuts and as always feel free to email with any questions to patrick@shortcutsmusicals.com

Happy Singing! Patrick