32 “I Am” Songs to Showcase Your Personality
Usually one of the first few numbers in a show, the “I Am” song helps establish a character’s personality or role in the plot. “I Am” songs are usually sung by the protagonist, but sometimes they are sung by supporting character, and sometimes they’re even sung by the antagonist. Here’s a list of our favorites!
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Altos
“A Cockeyed Optimist” – South Pacific
“Backwoods Barbie” – 9 to 5
“I Love Play Rehearsal” – Be More Chill
“I’m the Greatest Star” – Funny Girl
Baritones
“Dentist!” – Little Shop of Horrors
“I’m a Bad, Bad Man” – Annie Get Your Gun
“Mister Cellophane” – Chicago
“The Prince of Humbug” – Barnum
Basses
“C’est Moi” – Camelot
“I’m an Ordinary Man” – My Fair Lady
“I Am What I Am” – La Cage aux Folles
“Master of the House” – Les Misérables
Contras
“I’m Still Here” – Follies
“Millwork” – Working
“Playing Nancy” – Groundhog Day
“Some People” – Gypsy
Psst… Here’s where you can find out your vocal type!
Mezzo-Sopranos
“A Part of That” – The Last Five Years
“Big, Blonde and Beautiful” – Hairspray
“I’m the First Girl in the Second Row” – Look Ma, I’m Dancin’!
“The Oldest Orphan” – Daddy Long Legs
Sopranos
“How Lovely to Be a Woman” – Bye Bye Birdie
“Mira” – Carnival!
“Princess” – A Man of No Importance
“No One Knows Who I Am” – Jekyll & Hyde
Tenors
“Friend Like Me” – Aladdin
“Hard to Be the Bard” – Something Rotten!
“I Believe” – The Book of Mormon
“My Petersburg” – Anastasia
Trebles/Kids
“Born to Entertain” – Ruthless!
“Good Girl Winnie Foster” – Tuck Everlasting
“Naughty” – Matilda
“Neat to Be a Newsboy” – Working
Want more songs? Check out these DIY Rep Books for EVERY vocal type!
Do you know of any other great “I Am” songs?
And which of the above “I Am” songs are you going to work on? We would love to hear all about it in the comments below!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.