Best Audition Songs for Mean Girls
Almost everyone who walks into a Mean Girls audition has seen the movie, and a lot of them have quoted it for years. That familiarity is great, but it can also be a trap. It’s tempting to bring an impression of Regina or Karen instead of your own take, and the casting panel will notice.
The score is built on contemporary pop and rock, with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and the lyrics are packed with jokes and sharp details. The songs below share that feel: a pop or rock sound, a funny or biting lyric, and a teenager who’s trying to figure out where they fit in. They’re grouped by role, and if you’d like suggestions matched to your own voice and age, our Audition Song Finder can help.
What Kind of Audition Song Should You Choose for Mean Girls?
Look for a contemporary musical theatre song with a pop or pop-rock feel. A song with crisp rhythm and a strong lyric will tell the panel more than a slow, classical ballad.
Comedy matters just as much as sound. Every principal in this show gets laughs, and the jokes come from the lyric, not from mugging. Pick a character with a specific problem and let the humor come from how seriously they take it. For a refresher on the basics, here’s how to pick a song that fits you.
In general, prioritize:
- A modern sound. Pop, pop-rock, or recent musical theatre, sung in a natural, speech-based way.
- Songs about fitting in. Friendship, popularity, and finding your place drive most of this show, so songs on those themes connect easily to the roles.
- Age you can play. Most of the characters are high school students, so songs written for teens or young adults usually land best.
- Wit you can deliver. Pick a song with jokes, so the panel can see your comic timing, not just your range.
- A contrast you can show. Many of these characters say one thing and feel another, so look for a song with conflict.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Cady
Cady needs warmth, curiosity, and a pop sound that can grow from wide-eyed to confident over the course of the show.
Pulled — The Addams Family
From The Addams Family, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, written for Wednesday. She’s in love with a normal boy and suddenly finds herself pulled toward a world she always rejected.
Good for: showing a dry, deadpan side that can still sing out.
Not for the Life of Me — Thoroughly Modern Millie
From Thoroughly Modern Millie, music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by Dick Scanlan, written for Millie Dillmount as she arrives in New York from Kansas. Like Cady, she’s an outsider with big plans.
Good for: singers with a bright mix who can show optimism without being sugary.
Watch out: it’s set in the 1920s, so keep the style light rather than old-fashioned.
A Change in Me — Beauty and the Beast
From Beauty and the Beast, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice, added to the Broadway production for Belle in 1998. Belle realizes she has grown into someone new.
Good for: singers with a lyrical sound who want a ballad.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Regina
Regina needs total control, a confident pop belt, and the ability to be charming and threatening in the same breath.
My Strongest Suit — Aida
From Aida, music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, written for Princess Amneris with the women of the palace. Amneris treats fashion as armor, the way Regina does.
Good for: strong belters who can sell a big, glossy pop number.
No Way — SIX
From SIX, music and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, written for Catherine of Aragon. She refuses to step aside for Henry’s new queen, just as Regina won’t give up her crown.
Good for: belters with a contemporary pop sound and a commanding presence.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Janis
Janis needs a strong, rock-flavored belt, a sharp sense of humor, and real hurt underneath the sarcasm.
Everything Else — Next to Normal
From Next to Normal, music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, written for Natalie, who practices piano to keep her life under control. She’s smart, guarded, and angry, which suits Janis.
Good for: mezzos and belters with a contemporary rock sound.
Watch out: the show deals with mental illness and grief, so check that it suits the room.
What It Means to Be a Friend — 13
From 13, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, written for Patrice after Evan tears up her party invitation. Like Janis, she’s been let down by someone she trusted.
Good for: younger teen performers who want a song written for their age.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Gretchen
Gretchen needs fast, clear comedy, anxious energy, and a voice that can rise to a big belt when her feelings finally spill over.
When He Sees Me — Waitress
From Waitress, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, written for Dawn, who is terrified of a first date.
Good for: singers with quick diction and a pop sound.
I Speak Six Languages — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
From The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, written for Marcy Park, an overachiever who is exhausted by being perfect.
Good for: comic actors who can handle quick lyrics and character work.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Karen
Karen needs sunny comic timing, a bright pop sound, and total confidence in whatever she’s saying.
My New Philosophy — You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
From You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (the 1999 revival), music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, written for Sally. She announces each new outlook with total conviction, much like Karen.
Good for: bright sopranos or mixers with strong comic instincts.
Lovely — A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
From A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, written for Philia, who announces that being lovely is her one talent.
Good for: sopranos who want a lighter, legit option.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Damian
Damian needs showmanship, wit, and a strong voice that can lead a big number and talk directly to the audience.
Live in Living Color — Catch Me If You Can
From Catch Me If You Can, music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, written for Frank Abagnale Jr. He invites the audience into his story, as Damian and Janis do.
Good for: showy tenors and baritenors who like a big entrance.
Hard to Be the Bard — Something Rotten!
From Something Rotten!, music and lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, written for William Shakespeare as a rock-star celebrity who complains about the pressure of fame.
Good for: performers who can be over the top and still sing well.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Aaron
Aaron needs an easy, likable presence and a smooth tenor or pop-rock sound.
It Takes Two — Hairspray
From Hairspray, music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, written for Link Larkin, the teen heartthrob.
Good for: tenors and baritenors with a smooth, crooning sound.
Take a Chance on Me — Little Women
From Little Women, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, written for Laurie, who makes a hopeful, slightly awkward plea to Jo.
Good for: young tenors who want a sweet, sincere uptempo.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Kevin G.
Kevin G. needs swagger, quick comic timing, and a voice that can hold its own while he’s showing off.
Magic Foot — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Also from Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, written for William Barfée, who spells by tracing words with his foot.
Good for: comic baritenors who like character work.
When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock — School of Rock
From School of Rock, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater, written for Dewey Finn, who dreams about rock stardom.
Good for: rock tenors or baritenors with lots of energy.
Watch out: Dewey is an adult, so lean on the energy rather than the age.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for Mrs. George, Ms. Norbury, and Ms. Heron
The adult women in this show need strong comic timing and a contemporary sound. One actress usually plays all three.
Where Did the Rock Go? — School of Rock
Also from School of Rock, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater, written for Principal Rosalie Mullins. She remembers who she was before she became so strict.
Good for: mezzos or belters who want a heartfelt pop-rock song.
Money, Money, Money — Mamma Mia!
From Mamma Mia!, music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, sung by Donna Sheridan, with others joining, as she worries about her bills.
Good for: belters with comic flair.
Best Mean Girls Audition Songs for the Ensemble
Ensemble members play every student and teacher at North Shore High, and big dance numbers are part of the job.
Pathetic — Matilda
From Matilda, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, written for Miss Honey, who scolds herself for not speaking up.
Good for: sopranos in the ensemble.
Breathe — In the Heights
From In the Heights, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, written for Nina, who has come home from Stanford and can’t tell her family she has dropped out.
Good for: altos and mezzos in the ensemble, and any Cady or Janis who wants a sincere option.
I Can’t Stand Still — Footloose
From Footloose, music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, written for Ren McCormack, who is restless in a town that bans dancing.
Good for: tenors in the ensemble, and any Aaron who wants an uptempo.
Who I’d Be — Shrek
From Shrek, music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, written for Shrek as he imagines the life he could have had.
Good for: baritones and basses in the ensemble.
Need an audition song for Mean Girls?
Get some divine help. Read up on the show’s roles and plot, or let the Audition Song Finder match you with songs based on your role, voice, age, and style.
What to Avoid When Choosing Your Song
- Singing from the show without being asked. You’ll either be compared to the cast album or the casting team’s preconceived ideas of what the character should look, sound, and act like. If the notice doesn’t request it, bring something that suggests the role instead.
- Choosing a song for its one big note. These roles need storytelling and timing first, so make sure the whole song shows what you can do.
- Picking a song you’ll need to dance through. Expect a separate dance call. In the singing room, focus on the song.
- Choosing a cut that features other singers. It’s okay to sing lines that technically belong to another character, if it still makes sense, but try to avoid songs that are a conversation or conflict. And a couple of short pauses are okay (if you’re skipping another character’s lines), but don’t waste time with silence when you could be showcasing your voice!
- Content that doesn’t fit the room. Some songs on this list come from shows with mature themes, so check the lyrics against the production and your age.
The Most Important Thing to Show
Show that you can be funny and sincere at the same time. Every character here is a little ridiculous and completely serious about it. If you can mean every word while the panel laughs, you’ve shown them what the show needs.
Before you go in, read our guide to Mean Girls for the full plot, role descriptions, and what to expect from the audition. For more songs tailored to the exact role you want, your playable age, and your voice type, try the Song Finder for Mean Girls.
Most of the teen roles sit well in our list for belters, the actress going for the three moms and teachers can browse our alto picks, and ensemble sopranos will find more in our soprano favorites.
Break a leg, and remember: the limit does not exist.
What would you sing for a Mean Girls audition? Tell us in the comments which role you’re going for and what song you’re bringing.
