| You're a singer looking for great audience songs | | | | and I'm A Stranger Here Myself from One Touch |
| for women. Have you thought about a "House | | | | of Venus. Check out Holding To The Ground from |
| song" from a Musical? | | | | Falsettos, My Brother Lived In San Francisco from |
| A House song bridges the gap between the | | | | Elegies for Angels Punks and Raging Queens, I |
| audience and the singer, when the character | | | | Hate Men from Kiss Me Kate, and My Strongest |
| comes out of the story on stage and speaks | | | | Suit from Aida. For the more old-fashioned |
| directly to the viewers, know that he (and the | | | | amongst you, there's I Think I May Want To |
| drama) is being watched. | | | | Remember Today from Starting Here, Starting |
| In Musical theater there are not many real House | | | | Now, Tale of the Oyster (Fifty Million Frenchmen), |
| songs, but there are a number of songs you can | | | | and The Physician (Nymph Errant). |
| alter to make your performance cross that | | | | You can use a strong story song like Waiting For |
| invisible fourth wall between you and the audience. | | | | The Music To Begin (Witches of Eastwick) if you |
| In this article I suggest 60 songs for women from | | | | use it to tell the audience your story. Another |
| the Musical Theater repertoire that could be sung | | | | perfect example comes from A Chorus Line, |
| as a House song. They fall into three categories: | | | | where Diana Morales sings Nothing to Zach who is |
| the true House song, the audience number and | | | | seated in the (real) audience throughout the show. |
| the soliloquy. | | | | It's therefore very easy to turn it into a house |
| In the first category, the true House song, the | | | | number and address the audience directly and |
| musical is written deliberately for the character to | | | | individually. Other songs include Gimme Gimme |
| step out of the drama and speak to the viewers. | | | | from Thoroughly Modern Millie, I Know Things |
| Think of Diva's Lament from Spamalot, or You | | | | Now from Into the Woods, Defying Gravity from |
| Can Always Count On Me from City of Angels. | | | | Wicked, and Always The Bridesmaid from I Love |
| When You're Good To Mama from Chicago | | | | You, You're Perfect, Now Change. |
| springs to mind immediately. Other true House | | | | Back to Sondheim again for The Ladies Who |
| songs include Big Spender from Sweet Charity | | | | Lunch from Company, The Story of Lucy and |
| (originally a chorus number but can be sung by | | | | Jessie (from certain productions of Follies), and |
| one person), I'm Still Here from Follies, Broadway | | | | Can That Boy Foxtrot (a duet that can be sung |
| Baby from Follies, I Just Wanna Dance from Jerry | | | | as a solo) from Marry Me A Little, or cut from |
| Springer, Jonny One Note from Babes in Arms, | | | | Follies, depending on who you read. |
| and Nobody Does It Like Me - the Cy Coleman | | | | Then there's Everybody's Girl from Steel Pier, Old |
| song from the musical SeeSaw. And Miss Byrd | | | | Fashioned Love Story from Wild Party, When You |
| from Closer Than Ever shares her secret across | | | | Got It, Flaunt It from The Producers, and How |
| the fourth wall. | | | | Did I End Up Here from Romance Romance. You |
| Many of the songs from the Victorian Music Hall | | | | might consider One Hundred Easy Ways from |
| era work as house numbers including Waiting At | | | | Wonderful Town, or My New Philosophy from |
| the Church, If It Wasn't For the 'Ouses In | | | | You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, and |
| Between, and even ballads such as The Boy I | | | | experiment with a song like Cockeyed Optimist |
| Love Is Up In The Gallery. Then there are the | | | | from South Pacific. |
| songs written in a Musical style such as Girl in 14G, | | | | Another great source of House songs is the |
| and The Alto's Lament. | | | | revue musical. Closer Than Ever by Maltby and |
| In the second category, the character sings to an | | | | Shire is a good example for songs like Back On |
| audience in her world as part of the plot. Good | | | | Base, or The Bear, The Tiger, The Hamster and |
| and Evil from Jekyll and Hyde is a great example | | | | The Mole. Or you could consider Songs for a New |
| as Lucy sings to the drinkers in the pub where | | | | World by Jason Robert Brown for I'm Not Afraid |
| she works. Then there's Don't Cry For Me | | | | Of Anything. You can also do what the musicals |
| Argentina (Evita), I Speak Six Languages from | | | | are doing currently and raid the pop/disco/rock |
| The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, | | | | scene for suitable songs - Holding Out For A Hero |
| Beat Out Dat Rhythm from Carmen Jones, Man | | | | started as a Bonnie Tyler song but is now in both |
| Wanted from Copacabana, and Blow Gabriel Blow | | | | Footloose and Shrek II |
| from Anything Goes. The Saga Of Jenny from | | | | It is unusual for a slower song to work as a |
| Lady in the Dark is sung in a courtroom, and you | | | | house number, but here are a few suggestions: |
| might just get away with Life of the Party from | | | | Maybe I Like It This Way from Wild Party, That's |
| Wild Party. | | | | Him from One Touch Of Venus, Why Him from |
| The unifocus song is the third type of House | | | | Carmelina, Bill (from Oh Lady! Lady! and versions |
| number - it's usually a soliloquy in which the | | | | of Showboat) and of course, Funny Girl from |
| character is asking questions. One of the most | | | | Funny Girl. |
| well-known songs is I Cain't Say No from | | | | Remember that the point of a House song is to |
| Oklahoma. Then there's I'm Shy from Once Upon | | | | speak directly to the viewers, so make sure you |
| A Mattress, Everybody Says Don't, and There | | | | look your audience in the eye while you perform. |
| Won't Be Trumpets, from Anyone Can Whistle, | | | | Enjoy. |