About 40 students have signed up to try out for a spot as a host or hostess at the upcoming Sing Song, said Tom Craig, director of student activities and productions.

Five to seven of these students will perform the opening and intermittent musical acts at ACU’s annual production. These auditions are an opportunity for students to let their voices be heard, said former Sing Song Hostess Callie Massey, senior music education major from Harper Heights.

Students who have signed up for the audition will perform two songs – one assigned and the other of the student’s choosing – and be evaluated by a panel of 12 judges who represent some of ACU’s staff and professionals unassociated with the university, Craig said. The closed auditions will take place Monday in Cullen Auditorium.

Massey said she practiced her songs 20 times a day before her audition. She chose the high, fast song “Take Another Little Piece of My Heart” performed by Faith Hill, as her second song. She said she wanted to stand out from the others auditioning.

“My idea was to sing my best and not care if they liked it or not,” Massey said.  “It was a good sign when I got on the stage and did my upbeat song and saw that they sat back and put their papers down and just enjoyed the song.”

The songs that students choose to audition with have a great influence over the songs they are given to perform at Sing Song, Massey said. She was given the jazzy gospel song “Operator,” performed by Manhattan Transfer, because of her audition.

Some students will receive a callback and return to Cullen on Tuesday to be evaluated on choreography and chemistry between the other hosts and hostesses, Craig said. The callback was the most terrifying part of the audition, Massey said.

Massey did not know how to dance but would not let that handicap get in her way. She said she worked to stay animated and interesting even if she messed up her moves. Students should not let their dancing ability worry them because the choreographers work with whatever skill level the students have.

“Presentation does have a lot to do with it,” Massey said. “Get out there, entertain. That’s the important thing.”

The deadline to sign up for auditions passed Wednesday, Craig said. Auditioning students will know whether they have been selected by next Wednesday.

Massey said Sing Song gave her an opportunity for her to display her talents in a way that no other venue has. She doesn’t remember the show itself, but the relationships and backstage memories she made during the production have stayed with her long after she took her bow.

“I heard that [Sing Song] was life changing,” Massey said. “It was.”