Musical Theater

70+ Taylor Swift Songs To Use At Your Next Audition

If you're interested in singing a Taylor Swift song at an upcoming audition, check out these recommendations!

Musicnotes

Apr 7, 2023 • 9 min read

Update: Additional songs added on February 15, 2024, including titles 'from the vault'!

This article comes from Stephanie Lexis, the founder of The Broadway Body Positivity Project!

If there is one thing all musical theatre Swifties can agree on, it’s that Taylor Swift’s music needs to be on Broadway. A jukebox musical or original musical by Swift seems inevitable, but until then, the best we can do is perform her music in theater settings.

Taylor Swift’s catalogue of accessible melodies and Nashville storytelling make great audition choices for contemporary and pop/rock/folk musicals. A song from Swift’s discography could also be a fresh addition to a cabaret or recital.

If you’re eager to “Swift-ify” your repertoire, here is a comprehensive guide to finding the right song that’ll make the whole place shimmer!

Taylor Swift

Taylor’s self-titled debut album is headstrong and hopeful, navigating teen angst, self-discovery, and first heartbreaks. The innocence and youthfulness of this record offers many audition options for teenage-driven shows like 13 and Mean Girls.

"Picture to Burn"– Mean Girls, 9 to 5, Bad Cinderella, Bring it On, Pretty Woman, Heathers, Lysistrata Jones

"Teardrops on My Guitar"– 13, Seussical, Mean Girls, Bare

"A Place in this World" - 13, The Prom, Dear Evan Hansen, Lysistrata Jones

"Cold As You" - 13, Waitress, Once, Be More Chill, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen, Tick Tick Boom, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"The Outside"- 13, Mean Girls

"Should’ve Said No" - Mean Girls, Waitress, 9 to 5, Next to Normal, Violet, Spitfire Grill, The Wedding Singer, Pretty Woman, The Prom, Bad Cinderella, Heathers, Bonnie and Clyde, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"Our Song" - 13, Bright Star, Spring Awakening, Lysistrata Jones

"Invisible" - 13, Suessical, Mean Girls, The Prom, Next to Normal, Be More Chill, Bare, Alice by Heart, Beautiful, The Wedding Singer, Lysistrata Jones

"I’m Only Me When I’m With You" - 13, Mean Girls, Bad Cinderella, Lysistrata Jones

Fearless

For Taylor's sophomore album, she truly feels like a debutante. If Fearless were a musical, Taylor would be the classic ingénue who gets swept up by romance and fairytales, only to be later crushed by them. Those auditioning for high-school musicals like Footloose and The Prom will find many selections here.

"Fearless" - 13, Mean Girls, Waitress, Dear Evan Hansen, Pretty Woman

"Fifteen" - 13, Mean Girls, Heathers, The Prom, Be More Chill, Dear Evan Hansen, Footloose, Next to Normal

"You Belong With Me" - 13, Mean Girls, The Prom

"Tell Me Why" - 13, Mean Girls, 9 to 5, Pretty Woman, The Prom, Bonnie and Clyde, The King’s Wife

"You’re Not Sorry" - 13, Bonnie and Clyde, Bring it On, Dear Evan Hansen, The Prom, Be More Chill, Bare, Pretty Woman, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"The Way I Loved You" - Bonnie and Clyde, The Prom, Pretty Woman, Spitfire Grill, The Notebook, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"Forever & Always" - The Prom, Pretty Woman, Bad Cinderella, Bring it On, Tick Tick Boom, Next to Normal, 9 to 5, Six, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"Change" - 13, Dear Evan Hansen

“Today Was A Fairytale” - 13, Pretty Woman, The Prom

“Mr. Perfectly Fine” - Bad Cinderella, Lysistrata Jones, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Heathers, Next to Normal, The King’s Wife, Footloose, Pretty Woman, The Wedding Singer, Six, The Last 5 Years

Speak Now

After being doubted for her songwriting abilities, Taylor’s Speak Now album (standard release) was entirely self-penned. In this era, she is both bold and bruised, reflective and confessional. Speak Now is a great choice for country-flavored musicals and high school musicals, from 9 to 5 to Footloose!

"Sparks Fly" - Pretty Woman, The Prom, Footloose, Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, Lysistrata Jones

"Mine" - Waitress, The Wedding Singer, Come From Away, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"Speak Now" - The Wedding Singer, Bright Star, Bad Cinderella

"Mean" - 13, Mean Girls, 9 to 5, Urinetown, Bright Star, Waitress, Dear Evan Hansen, Lysistrata Jones, Bonnie and Clyde, Carrie, Footloose, School of Rock, Next to Normal, The Prom

"The Story of Us" - 13, Mean Girls, Heathers, Footloose, Tick Tick Boom, Ghost, The Wedding Singer, Bonnie and Clyde, Six, The King’s Wife, Lysistrata Jones

"Enchanted" - 13, The Prom, The NoteBook, Pretty Woman, The Wedding Singer

"Better Than Revenge" - Mean Girls, Heathers, Bad Cinderella, Six, Carrie, Pretty Woman, Lysistrata Jones

"Haunted" - Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Mean Girls, Heathers, Carrie, Next to Normal, Bonnie and Clyde, The King’s Wife

"Long Live" - Mean Girls, Legally Blonde

"Superman" - Next to Normal

"When Emma Falls in Love" - Spring Awakening, The Wedding Singer, Almost Famous, Beautiful

"I Can See You" - Bare, Heathers, Mean Girls, Spring Awakening, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Six, The King’s Wife, RENT

Red

Red is a particularly unique album in Taylor’s discography, as it’s a mosaic of different genres detailing a tremendous heartbreak. The mainstream radio hits are pure, unadulterated pop. The country songs feel more like twangy pop songs, but nonetheless have the same fiery passion and brilliant storytelling. Taylor is our tour guide through a palette of emotions, and we embrace every bump, twist, and turn. Musicals like The Last 5 Years and Waitress would be great shows for Red audition songs!

"State Of Grace" - Mean Girls (Cady), Come from Away, The King’s Wife, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Woman, Bring it On, The Last 5 Years, Lysistrata Jones

"Red" - The King’s Wife, Pretty Woman, The Wedding Singer, Waitress, 9 to 5, Bonnie and Clyde, The Prom

"I Knew You Were Trouble" - Six, Mean Girls, The King’s Wife, Bonnie and Clyde, &Juliet, Legally Blonde, Next to Normal, Bad Cinderella, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Altar Boyz

"22" - Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Altar Boyz, Lysistrata Jones

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" - Legally Blonde, Six, Bad Cinderella, Lysistrata Jones

"Holy Ground" - Waitress, Spitfire Grill, Mean Girls, The Last 5 Years, Tick Tick Boom, School of Rock, Come from Away, Head Over Heels, Lysistrata Jones

"Starlight" - The Last 5 Years, The Notebook, Bright Star, Come from Away, The Wedding Singer, Ghost, Mean Girls, The Prom, Lysistrata Jones

"Begin Again" - Waitress

"Safe and Sound" - Spitfire Grill, Spring Awakening, Alice by Heart, Fun Home, Once, Bonnie & Clyde

"Come Back, Be Here" - Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, Next to Normal, The King’s Wife, The Last 5 Years, Alice by Heart, Beautiful

"Better Man" - Six, The Last 5 Years, The King’s Wife, Pretty Women, Beautiful

"Message In A Bottle" - The Prom, Lysistrata Jones, Bring It On

"Forever Winter" - Next to Normal, Mean Girls, Spring Awakening, The King’s Wife, Waitress, Bare

"The Very First Night" - The Prom, Legally Blonde

1989

Taylor’s 1989 album is a pop explosion. It’s glitzy, polished, saturated with synths, and full of catchy hooks and beats, balanced out by a little bit of satire and self-deprecation. 1989 songs are a smash for musicals with optimistic characters, like Legally Blonde and Spongebob. Songs from this album can easily be performed comedically and/or over-the-top for satirical musicals like Xanadu and Beetlejuice.

"Welcome to New York" - Xanadu, Legally Blonde, Altar Boyz, Lysistrata Jones, Pretty Woman, Moulin Rouge, Shrek, Head Over Heels, &Juliet, Six, Bring it On, Spongebob, Mamma Mia

"Blank Space" - Xanadu, Mean Girls, Pretty Woman, Moulin Rouge, Head Over Heels, Altar Boyz, &Julier, Lysistrata Jones

"All You Had to Do Was Stay" - Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Pretty Woman, Fun Home, 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee, Be More Chill, Six, The Wedding Singer, Mamma Mia, The King’s Wide

"Shake It Off" - Legally Blonde, Xanadu, Head Over Heels, Altar Boyz, Moulin Rouge, &Juliet, Spongebob, Six, Lysistrata Jones, Bring it On, Bad Cinderella, Beetlejuice

"Bad Blood" - Beetlejuice, Shrek, Bad Cinderella, Mean Girls, Heathers, Carrie, &Juliet, Six, Xanadu, Bring it On, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Legally Blonde, Spongebob, Be More Chill, 25th Putnam County Spelling Bee, Lysistrata Jones

"Wildest Dreams" - The Little Mermaid, Hamilton (Eliza), Moulin Rouge, Ghost, Six (Jane), Aladdin, Pretty Woman, Seussical, Frozen (Anna)

"How You Get the Girl" - Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, Bad Cinderella, Spongebob, The Wedding Singer, Aladdin, Xanadu, &Juliet, Footloose, Moulin Rouge, Lysistrata Jones

"I Know Places" - Six, Bonnie and Clyde, &Juliet, Moulin, Bring it On, Beetlejuice, Bad Cinderella, Heathers, Mean Girls, Carrie, Aladdin, Bring it On, Lysistrata Jones

"Clean" - Spitfire Grill, Alice By Heart, Spring Awakening, Fun Home, Bare, Beautiful, Once, Waitress, The Last 5 Years, Bonnie and Clyde, The King’s Wife

"Say Don’t Go" - Six, The Prom, Next to Normal, The King’s Life, RENT, The Last 5 Years, Pretty Woman, Waitress

"Now That We Don’t Talk" - The Prom, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, The Wedding Singer, Lysistrata Jones, Six,

"Is It Over Now?" - Six, The King’s Wife, Next to Normal, Legally Blonde, The Last 5 Years

Reputation

Reputation at first seems like 1989’s evil twin. It appears brash, unabashed, and vengeful. But as the listener dives in, it’s a passionate surrender to love as the world comes crashing in. Taylor is her most womanly, sexy, confrontational, and uninhibited in this era. Reputation is a gold mine for musicals with badass characters, like Six, The King’s Wife, Aida, etc.

"….Ready for It?" - Six, Mean Girls, Carrie Heathers, Moulin, Bad Cinderella, Xanadu, Bring it On, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Altar Boyz, Beetlejuice, Savage, Lysistrata Jones

"I Did Something Bad" - Frozen (Elsa), Six, Moulin Rouge, Mean Girls, Heathers, Carrie, Beetlejuice, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Bad Cinderella, &Juliet, Footloose (Ariel, Chuck), Wicked (Elphaba, Morrible), Savage, Hadestown, Bonnie and Clyde, The King’s Wife, Xanadu, Shrek, Aida, The Addams Family, Lysistrata Jones

"Don’t Blame Me" - Same as above

"Look What You Made Me Do" - Beetlejuice, Xanadu

"Gorgeous" - Mean Girls, Spongebob, Xanadu, Footloose, Shrek, Frozen (Anna), The Addams Family

"King of My Heart" - B&C, Mean Girls, Six, The King’s Wife, Aida

"Dress" - Moulin Rouge, Six, Pretty Woman, Savage, Aida

"This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things" - Mean Girls, Bad Cinderella, Heathers

Lover

Lover is the calm following Reputation’s storm. In this era, Taylor takes respite from artistic risks and 180s, allowing herself to write open-hearted and blissful love songs. A contemporary romantic musical like Ghost would be ideal for auditioning with a Lover track.

"I Forgot That You Existed" - Mean Girls, Legally Blonde

"Cruel Summer" - Mean Girls, Bad Cinderella, Lysistrata Jones, Heathers, Carrie, Pretty Woman, Legally Blonde, The Last 5 Years, Xanadu, Mamma Mia, Moulin Rouge, Ghost

"Lover" - Ghost, Hamilton (Eliza), Moulin Rouge, Beautiful

"The Man" - Six, Legally Blonde, Baby (add options up or other ways to show more range)

"Death By A Thousand Cuts" - The Last 5 Years, Ghost, Mamma Mia (^^add range)

"Me!" - Avenue Q, Xanadu, Spongebob, Shrek, Seussical, Beetlejuice

Folklore

During COVID-19 lockdown, Taylor embraced the escapist cottage-core aesthetic and weaved an album with folkloric storytelling and confessional songwriting. Folklore is deeply imaginative and intimate. Turn to Folklore for folky musicals like Spring Awakening and Alice by Heart.

"seven" - Spring Awakening, Alice by Heart, Hadestown, Once

"august" - Spring Awakening, Alice by Heart, Hadestown

"illicit affairs" - The Last 5 Years, Alice by Heart, Once, Waitress (Jenna)

"mad woman" - Hadestown, Once

Evermore

Folklore tiptoed so that Evermore could wander deep into the woods. Equal parts folksy, warm, and wintry, Evermore songs would be a charming audition choice for the likes of Hadestown, Fun Home, Spitfire Grill, and Swept Away.

"willow" - Hadestown, Swept Away, Alice by Heart

"‘tis the damn season" - Fun Home, Hadestown

"tolerate it" - Next to Normal, Fun Home, Bare, Waitress, The King’s Wife, The Last 5 Years,

"dorothea" - Swept Away, Bright Star, Spitfire Grill

"ivy" - Swept Away, Hadestown, Once, Waitress

"right where you left me" - Fun Home, The Last 5 Years, Ghost, Alice by Heart, Spitfire Grill

Midnights

In a triumphant return to pop, Midnights brings back the synths to contemplate romantic love, friendship, status, and self-esteem. It’s nocturnal, restless, and dreamy –the ultimate album for the insomniac. Sonically, it’s a bit of a mixed bag and could suit various musicals depending on the track.

"Anti-Hero" - Mean Girls, Next to Normal

"You’re On Your Own, Kid" - Mean Girls, Alice by Heart

"Karma" - Xanadu, Beetlejuice, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge

"Bigger than the Whole Sky" - Spring Awakening

"Paris" - Moulin Rouge, Legally Blonde, Xanadu

"Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve" - Spring Awakening, Bonnie and Clyde, Waitress